The Boozy Baker: 75 Recipes for Spirited Sweets Read Online Free PDF

salt
    10 tablespoons (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
    1 cup sugar
    ⅔ cup Champagne
    5 large egg whites
    FOR THE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:
    ¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
    3 to 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
    1 tablespoon milk
    3 tablespoons Champagne
    Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with butter, or spray them with nonstick spray. Dust with flour and tap out the excess.
    TO MAKE THE CAKE , whisk together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
    In a large bowl, beat the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Alternately add the flour mixture and the Champagne to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour, and beating well after each addition.
    In another large bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Whisk a generous spoonful of the beaten egg whites into the Champagne batter to lighten it. Then carefully fold the remaining egg whites into the batter with a spatula.
    Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the tops of the cakes spring back when pressed lightly.
    Let the cakes cool for 15 minutes in the pans, and then remove them and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
    TO MAKE THE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING , combine the butter and 2 cups of the confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Beat inthe milk and Champagne. With the mixer running, gradually add 1 to 2 more cups of confectioners’ sugar until the buttercream is thick and creamy.
    Place one cake layer on a plate and spread with half of the buttercream frosting. Top with the remaining cake layer and spread with the remaining frosting.
    SHAKE IT UP: Substitute Prosecco or cava for the Champagne.

Southern Peach
    1 sugar cube
    2 dashes Angostura bitters
    ½ ounce bourbon
    ½ ounce peach schnapps
    Champagne (or other dry sparkling wine)
    Maraschino cherry (optional)
    Drop the sugar cube into the bottom of a Champagne flute and add the bitters. Allow them to soak for a minute or two; then put in the bourbon and peach schnapps. Top with Champagne and garnish with the cherry.
    M AKES
1
DRINK
    Lemon Layer Cake with Campari Frosting
    M AKES
12
SERVINGS
    MY FAVORITE MOVIE FROM THE 1980s is Big Business. In it, Bette Midler orders a Campari and soda at the Plaza Hotel and tells the waiter to “make it snappy.” It’s a hilarious scene, and one of the first times Campari—an herbaceous Italian digestif—was mentioned in mainstream American media. Since Campari is very bitter, I’ve mixed it with sweeter limoncello in this bright, citrus cake that is perfect for spring.
    FOR THE CAKE:
    1½ cups all-purpose flour
    1 cup cake flour
    1 teaspoon baking powder
    ½ teaspoon baking soda
    ¼ teaspoon salt
    ¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
    1¼ cups granulated sugar
    3 large eggs
    ¾ cup buttermilk
    2 tablespoons limoncello
    2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
    1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
    FOR THE CAMPARI BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:
    ¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
    3 to 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
    1 tablespoon milk
    2 tablespoons limoncello
    1 tablespoon Campari
    Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans with butter, or spray them with nonstick spray. Line the bottoms with parchment paper. Dust the pans with flour and tap out the excess.
    TO MAKE THE CAKE , whisk the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
    In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.
    Alternately add the flour mixture and the buttermilk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour, and beating well after each addition. Add the limoncello, lemon