An Island Style Christmas

~Wishing you peace and joy this Christmas Season~

This week, some highlights from the 2012 Key Largo Boat Parade...

This one was a really long canoe full of passengers!

..and finally, click here  to see the very festive 2012 caroling boat at
The Ocean Reef Club..so fun!

Until next time, Merry Christmas from the Florida Keys!!

 

 

 here

Whiskey Cake

One of my favorite clients is having a birthday today and I thought it would be fun to bake a cake for him.
 I called his wife to ask what he likes and we decided upon a (very manly) Jack Daniels cake. As we were saying our goodbyes she informed me that she would serve it at his party and had decided to cancel the desserts from the caterer. (Yikes...no pressure there, right?!)

Anyway, I've had this recipe forever and have made it on many occasions.
It travels well and everyone loves it, so I thought I would share it here today.

This is a super simple recipe with ingredients that are readily available.
I usually use Jack Daniels in the mix, but any good quality whiskey will work just as well.

Here's what to get from the market:

The first thing you'll need to do is preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

The rack should be placed in the center position so the cake bakes evenly.

Then you'll need to GENEROUSLY grease and flour your pan.

This is a very important step because when the cake bakes, the butterscotch morsels melt and 

if the pan isn't well prepped, they WILL stick to the sides, ruining the cake and all of your efforts! 

(Can you tell I speak from experience about this?) 

I'm using a bundt pan today, but you can use a 13x9x2" pan if you like, or a cupcake tin.

 (Without the papers because those morsels will stick to them.)

Ok.  Next, chop up your pecans, just like this:

Sift the cake and pudding mixes together. If you don't have a sifter, just use a fine mesh sieve. The mixes are a bit dense, so you'll have to push the them through the sieve with the back of a spoon or spatula or they will just bounce around and pouf up in a cloud right into your nose. 

(Unfortunately, I know this from experience as well!)

Now, add the eggs, whiskey, milk and softened butter to the sifted dry ingredients. Use a hand mixer and beat on low speed until just combined, about two minutes. The batter will be very thick.

After everything is well incorporated,
fold the chopped nuts and butterscotch morsels into the mix by hand. 

Then, turn the batter into the greased pan. 

As I mentioned earlier, the batter is pretty thick so you'll need to spread it 

around the pan to make sure its even all over.

Pop the cake into the oven and set your timer for 45 minutes.
A little tip: 
While you're cleaning up the baking mess, be sure to snack on all the butterscotch morsels
 and chopped nuts that "accidentally" fell onto the countertop...

...yumm...so good!


Ok...when the timer goes off, check the cake for doneness by inserting a bamboo skewer into the center.
(A standard toothpick it too short.)  If it comes out clean, the cake is done. If there is gooey batter on the skewer, put the cake back in the oven for about five more minutes, or until the skewer comes out clean.

Looking good, isn't it? Its smells even better!
The scents of the whiskey, butterscotch and vanilla are so perfect together..I really wish there was a
smell-o-blog because you would be in heaven right now! :)

Now the cake needs to rest and cool off in the pan for a bit. Leave it for about 15 minutes.
When that time is up, grab the skewer you used to test the cake and run it up and down the inside and outside of the cake to loosen it from the sides.
Put a plate on the top of the pan, flip the cake over onto the plate, then carefully lift the pan from the cake
Easy, right?

Here's the cake, all gussied up for the party.

I dusted a little powdered sugar over the top to dress it up a bit.
That's it! So easy and so good!

Recipe

1 box yellow cake mix

1 small package instant vanilla pudding

1 1/2 sticks of softened butter

5 eggs, slightly beaten

1/2 cup each: Jack Daniel's and whole milk

1 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts...either type is really good!)

16 oz butterscotch morsels (this is about 3 cups)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Sift cake and pudding mixes together. Add eggs, milk, whiskey and butter. Beat on low speed of electric mixer for about two minutes. Fold morsels and nuts into batter. Spread batter into a greased and floured 13x9x2 " pan (or bundt) bake at 350 for about 45 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes then remove cake from the pan.

A postnote and a confession;

First the postnote:
Even though there is a generous amount of whiskey in this cake, the alcohol evaporates during baking so no one will get tipsy off of it, no matter how much they eat!

And now the confession:
Remember how I preached about prepping your pan or the cake will stick? Well today, it stuck.  And not a little bit, but a big chunk of cake the size of my palm! I started to panic because I realized I didn't have enough time to make another cake, but instead of having a full out panic attack, I had a swig of the leftover whiskey, took a deep breath and caaarrrefuully used a flexible spatula to scrape the stuck part out of the pan. I then lightly mushed the broken piece onto the cake and disguised err, dusted it with powdered sugar. Whew! So close to disaster. Its a good thing I don't bake for a living!

Until next time...

Pretty cocktail bars for small spaces

Lately, I've been mildly obsessed with setting up a pretty cocktail bar in our house somewhere, even though for the most part, James and I only drink wine and beer. I guess its the romance of the cocktail that I love most, and I think that having a stylish, well appointed, organized bar can be really inviting when friends come to visit.

We live in a small conch cottage in Key Largo and have no space for a wet bar or even a built in dry bar. So I've been on the hunt for alternative ideas and inspirational pieces that have ample space for all the essentials plus the pretty accessories that add a special flare.

Here are a few I've found that I think are just great... 

 Casually elegant, this beachy console table

and weathered basket are simple ways to organize bar essentials.

Great for outdoor parties, this bar's wire basket is

a weatherproof and portable. The fresh greenery is a nice touch because

it adds a height and softness to the vignette.

(Photo credit: countryliving.com)

This white lacquered parsons table has plenty of space for every need.

I love the contrast between the sleekness of the table and the natural, woven rattan accessories.

Another great feature of this bar is the lamp with the metal shade.

It illuminates the bar, but won't blind you as you are mixing cocktails for your guests.

A gorgeous chinoiserie cabinet is a handsome base for a gentlemens bar.

The cabinet can be retrofitted to hide a small fridge for wine and beer.

(photo credit: vancollier.com)

Not sure what to do with the armoire that used to house your giant TV?

Turn it into a wet bar.

(How great is that mirror on the back??)

(photo credit: shelterinteriordesign.blogspot.com)

Isn't the weathered charcoal finish beautiful on this Sanderson cart? 

It reminds me of driftwood and is perfect for a seaside home.

Bar carts are great because they can tag along with the party and

 they can also double as table next to a sofa

or occasional chair after your guests go home.

(photo credit: sandersononline.com)

There are several things I've noticed that can make a plain boring bar into a standout piece.

1. Find a great base. Repurposing (an old trunk, for instance) is a unique idea that will help the bar become a conversation piece.
2. Adding foliage, fronds, or flowers in a pretty container softens the hard lines of the base, liquor bottles and bar tools. For a great video tutorial on how to do this, click here.
3. Don't forget the lighting! A tall, slim lamp or wall mounted sconces will help you read that recipe book.
4. Add some color with fresh fruit, colored glassware or printed napkins.
5. If possible, hang a great piece of art or a mirror with a fabulous frame nearby.

I hope I've given you some inspiration to set up your own stylish cocktail bar! As for me, I'm still on the hunt for the perfect piece.

Until next time...