I really enjoy a good whiskey or vodka…not together, mind you…but as a rule, those are my go to choices in hard liquor. My favorite brand of whiskey is Jack Daniels and my choice of vodka is always Grey Goose. The combination of vodka and just about any citrus juice is a difficult combination to pass up. One of my favorite combinations is vodka, cranberry juice and fresh lemon juice. I enjoy this drink so much that I wanted to create a cake using the same flavor profile.
I had never made anything like it before, so I was really excited to try it. I thought that the idea of vodka in the cake would have been too much for most people, but I was wrong…that cake disappeared very quickly.
I first made my cranberry compote and used my recipe for hot milk cake, but you can use just about any sponge cake recipe that you prefer.
To create a nice lemony flavor in the cake, make sure to add lots of lemon zest. I added zest from 3 lemons but you can add more if you like. I never add lemon juice to cake batters because the acid can react with the eggs and milk…so I always stick to using just lemon zest along with a good quality lemon extract. The other secret is to make a glaze that not only creates a bit of a sugary crust on the top of the cake but also turns into a syrup that soaks into the cake as it cools. This is really what made the cake taste so good, and the amount of vodka may sound like a lot, but it was just perfect.
This was so simple to make and will definitely be a repeat performer in the coming weeks as family and friends stop by for the Holidays. This flavor combination not only makes a great drink but an even better dessert!
Vodka Cranberry Lemon Cake (1-14” square cake)
1 recipe hot milk cake
**Use the same ingredients but substitute lemon extract for the vanilla and add the zest of 3 lemons and reserve the juice of the lemons for the glaze.
cranberry compote
lemon vodka glaze
Prepare the cranberry compote and set aside to cool.
Prepare the cake batter and pour into a greased and paper lined cake pan. Carefully add the cranberry compote over the entire top of the cake and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 30-40 minutes until the cake tests clean, and the cake is golden brown all over.
While the cake is baking in the oven, prepare the glaze, and once you remove it from the oven, carefully pour the entire glaze over the cake while still in the pan. The glaze will quickly disappear, and as it cools, you will see a thin glaze form on the surface of the cake.
Much of the glaze will fall to the bottom, but that is OK. As the cake cools, this will create a lovely soaking syrup that soaks through the whole cake. Allow to cool completely before slicing, or prepare the day before serving.
Lemon Vodka Glaze
¾ cup fresh lemon juice
¾ cup vodka
6 cups sifted powdered sugar
Sift the powdered sugar into a medium sized bowl, and add the lemon juice and whisk well together to prevent lumps. Lastly, slowly add the vodka and whisk again. This will not be very thick, but more like a thin cream. This is important so that after you pour it over the hot cake, it will not only glaze the cake but it will also create its own syrup that soaks into the entire cake.
Apple Cranberry Compote
¼ cup fresh lemon (or orange juice, or ¼ water with 1 tablespoon frozen orange juice concentrate)
¼ cup apple juice (or ¼ water with 2 tablespoon frozen apple juice concentrate)
2 tablespoons honey or corn syrup
¼ cup granulated sugar (add more if you need to)
A good pinch of ground cloves
A good pinch of ground all spice
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup fresh cranberries (I have used dried also)
**½ cup roasted walnuts optional if serving next to turkey or other protein (coarsely chopped)
I always keep frozen concentrates on hand, just in case I don’t have the fresh juices on hand. In the baking world, these work beautifully. In this case, I used lemon juice because that was the flavor I wanted to highlight, but use whichever you prefer. Add all of the ingredients to a medium sized pot and heat until everything is almost to a boil and then reduce it down to a low heat. Allow to cook for about 30 minutes stirring regularly to prevent it from burning. The mixture will thicken due to the natural pectin in the cranberries. As they cook, you will hear them popping and release their own juice. Remove the cinnamon stick and allow to cool completely. You can use this in the cake or serve over ice creams or puddings. If you would like to make this more like a sauce and not a compote, just add a little more water or juice.
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