Ahh . . . Whiskey Cake.  How many times have I made you?  I’ve lost count.  This cake is a sultry, moist, make-ahead dream.

Though most of my baking is from scratch, this is one super quick recipe for which I use a cake mix.   I developed this recipe many years ago at the request of a friend.  She had tasted something delicious at a local restaurant, and brought me a bite to sleuth out its magic.  When I tasted it I was reminded of a recipe that my Grandma Carol had often made — Bacardi Rum Cake.  So, using this 70s classic as a start, I developed the following Whiskey Cake recipe.  Best made a day ahead to allow the syrup to evenly distribute through the cake, I like to serve this cake with whipped cream and some berries as a garnish.

Whiskey Cake

for the cake:
one box yellow cake mix
4 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup whiskey

for the syrup:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup whiskey
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 325.  Prepare a standard size Bundt pan for baking using baking spray.  Mix together cake mix, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup whiskey, vegetable oil and eggs on low for 30 seconds.  Then beat on medium for 2 minutes.  Pour into prepared Bundt pan and bake for 50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in middle of cake comes out clean.

While cake is baking, prepare syrup by combining 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 cup whiskey, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup water and 1 tsp. vanilla in a small saucepan.  Heat just to dissolve sugar.

When cake is done baking, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.  Invert cake onto plate, then put it right back into the pan.  This step is to ensure the cake is loose from pan.  Prick cake all over with a fork.  Pour hot syrup all over the cake.  The warm cake will quickly absorb the hot syrup.  Allow cake to cook to room temp in cake pan.  Then invert onto serving plate, cover, and refrigerate for at least three hours before serving.  This cake is moist and delicious for several days.