Pot 'o Gold

Chocolate Guinness Cake ft. Baileys Frosting + Whiskey Gold Coins

I debated posting this remix, but I decided this was a good lesson in self-deprecation over self-actualization, much in the spirit of my cake apprentice days. So just read on and trust that I'm working on my shamrock skills.

There is utterly no lack of Irish Car Bomb cupcake recipes on the Internet (in fact, I wouldn't entirely trust a baking blog that doesn't have one), so alas - this remix is not so different from the others. Except for maybe my (accidental) decision to feature an Irish Midlands peat bog on top of the cake, rather than a lovely patch of clovers. (But really, this fluffy icing got the best of me in this round - check back for a re-remix where I actually make shamrocks instead of mutant-pea-shapes).

Nevertheless, this cake is moist and rich - thanks to an overnight soak, a secret ingredient (chocolate pudding mix), and the presence of Baileys. I had forgotten how smooth, delicious, and versatile Baileys Irish Creme could be - I have been putting it in my coffee, on my French Toast (in the form of Baileys whipped cream), and it's not even St. Patrick's Day yet.

I think the rainbow gradient is my favorite part of this cake - I divided and colored the frosting in 6 separate tubs and filled 6 separate bags with #10 tips to pipe 6 rings of color around the cake, before using a hot knife to blend it together. Unfortunately, this rainbow turned out better than the vegetation on top, and I ended up sandwiching this beautiful creature in between the cake layers. Note to self: next time, don't.

I had the idea to make large "sprinkles" for the gold at the end of the rainbow, only to mild success. I had a  bit o' trouble piping them out smoothly, and this could be an instance where gumpaste or (*gasp!*) fondant is the better way to go, because it can be rolled out, cut out, and textured to actually look like coins.

But I highly recommend the gold dust (luster dust, not flakes) - you can find it at cake supply shops, some craft stores, and definitely online. The first time I ever used it, I incorrectly mixed it into the frosting itself, which had no effect whatsoever. Instead, wait for the frosting or fondant to dry completely and then use a small brush to paint the dust (with a dab of water, liquor, or milk) directly onto the surface. I also used this for the gold ceiling tiles in the Victorian remix.

You can also make rainbow tie-dye cupcakes by lining a pastry bag with colored frosting before filling it with white frosting. Voila - taste the rainbow.

Jessica Hische

Lemon Whiskey Cake ft. Root Beer Frosting + Kettlecorn Garland

Never have I ever used a cake to suck up to someone... until now.

Enter Jessica Hische - famed letterer, proclaimed whiskey drinker, and avid procrastiworker - who also has as many side projects on the Internet as I have fingers on my hands. Last year I read a Method & Craft interview w/ Jessica and loved how articulate and well-spoken she came across, and this point is further proven with every interview and design talk I have listened to since then. She is extremely quotable and has penned pieces about everything from freelance compensation to becoming an accidental hipster.

To me, the greatest example of this is her Daily Drop Cap project which she began as she transitioned from a full-time paid position to being a freelance designer. The idea was to have some sort of regular routine during the ups and downs of freelancing, and to also create her own body of inspired work and maybe begin to make a name for herself. And that it did - Jessica herself says this side project 'catapulted' her into the design scene and even if people first heard of her as 'that daily drop cap girl,' they certainly know her by name now.

Well, dig a little deeper and you'll find that Jessica has another 'side project' called The Internet Sends Me Cake. She says it started out as almost a joke among her studiomates, that she was frequently asked to promote other designers' work to her large following and that she could create an equal-opportunity site exchanging portfolio links for homemade cakes.

Which brings us to today's cake remix. Jessica writes that she prefers lemon cake, enjoys Kettlecorn, and has been known to put whiskey in her root beer. BOOM, remix. With the recipe out of the way, the graphics needed to match the graphic designer and just a quick scroll through her portfolio will give you a pretty good idea of her lettering style. The 'J' and 'H' are based on versions of her own Drop Caps and while I myself am not a swirly embellisher, I can curly-cue and loop-di-loop when the occasion calls for it.

So without further ado, the Jessica Hische Remix:

lemon whiskey cake
1 box lemon cake mix
5 eggs
1 c. whiskey
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1/3 c. cold water
1-2 tbsp. squeezed lemon juice
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, grease pan with butter or a non-stick spray like PAM. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, oil, whiskey, water, and lemon juice until smooth. Slowly add in cake mix, beating well after each addition. Pour batter into greased 8” round pans and bake according to times on the back of the box.

whiskey root beer frosting
1/4 c. butter
4 c. powdered sugar
1 tbsp. whiskey
5-6 tbsp. root beer
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Beat butter, root beer, and whiskey on low speed until smooth. Slowly add in sugar and beat on high speed until frosting forms. Add gel food coloring for orange frosting.

kettlecorn garland
kettlecorn
thread
needle
--
Thread needle, knot the end, and string kettlecorn piece by piece, sliding to the end of the thread. Drape around cake as a garland.