Honey and Beer Spice Cake
I want a hamburger.
with cheese and pickles and too much ketchup.
And chocolate milk.
This is not that… but this is still good.
Why would I crank up my oven and make a spice cake in the middle of summer? I dunno.
Why would I make this cake when what I really want is a giant hamburger and chocolate milk? I dunno.
Why haven’t I gotten my stupid shaggy hair cut yet? Don’t know.
What the heck is going on with Frank on The Bachelorette and why did he have to go all the way to Tahiti to drop bombs? I do not know.
Why the deep V? Why?
We’re going to get to the bottom of this Bachelorette thing. We’re going to talk about it. I really have a few things I need to get off my chest.
Seriously.
This spice cake with beer and honey is from a book called Booze Cakes. Pretty self explanatory, right? It’s a pretty cute book from two Los Angeles based ladies. If you have a sweet tooth for things like Jello Shot Cakes, or if you were just dying to find a way to get tequila into your cakes… this is totally the book for you.
This spice cake is pretty interesting. It’s got a heartwarming combination of spices, and a super moist crumb. This cake stays moist for daaaaays. The recipe called for granulated sugar, brown sugar aaaand honey. That’s a lot of sugar. Even after cutting back on the sugar I thought it was dang sweet. You might be able to cut back on the sugar just a touch more.
Can you taste the beer? Just barely… and it’s not really beer-y. The hoppy beer is a great compliment to the spice and honey. It really rounds everything out.
Can you replace the beer with anything not beer like? No… It’s a Honey and Beeeeer Cake. Just go with it.
If beer offends you, how about Honey Whole Wheat Pound Cake? Super yum. Trust.
With barely sweetened cream and salty roasted nuts, I say this cake is pretty swell.
If you have a mega sweet tooth, Cream Cheese Frosting would set this cake over the top!
Honey and Beer Spice Cake
adapted from Booze Cakes
makes one 9×13-inch cake
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (next time I’ll use a combination of all-purpose and white whole wheat flour)
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon all-spice
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup honey
12 ounces (1 1/2 cups) pale ale beer or honey beer
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9×13-inch (don’t use anything smaller, seriously) pan and set aside.
I a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment, cream together butter, sugars, spices and lemon zest. Mixture may look crumbly, but mix for about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition.
Beat in the lemon juice and honey.
Add the flour mixture and beer. Alternating. First add a third of the flour mixture, mix. Add half of the beer, mix. Add the second third of flour, the rest of the beer. Mix. Then finally add the last third of the flour. Beat the batter on high speed for 30 seconds. The batter will be loose and smooth.
Pour into the prepared pan and bake in the upper third of the oven for 45-50 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Serve with barely sweetened whipped cream and salty roasted nuts. This cake would also be pretty delicious with a cream cheese frosting.
85 Comments Add A Comment
I would love to try it with cream cheese frosting. That is a fab idea. And if you really want to know about Frank…have you ever read Reality Steve’s blog? ;)
No but seriously – what is the deal with Frank? The suspense is killing us!!! Also, we love the name of this cookbook…it’s just the best. And we would tooootally add the cream cheese frosting to this…because it’s delicious.
I need that cookbook! Booze cakes?! Awesome.
PS. I will be making this with cream cheese icing for brunch on Saturday. Yummers.
Booze cakes!! I love the idea of this!
Basically I’m sold on anything that has booze… put it in cake form and I’m in heaven.
I made champagne brownies a few days ago. Another boozed up baked good!
I love that this cake only requires 1 stick of butter! I mean, the tons of eggs negates this, but at the end of the day, how many butter wrappers are left on my counter is a direct measure of my happiness (less is better). Also, I am a whore for allspice, so this is a must-make.
Glad you’re up and runnin’ again.
P.S. Don’t try to cut your own hair. Just don’t. I feel like you might be thinking about it ;)
I’m from Chicago, and am personally offended by Frank. Frank gives the Windy City a bad name. Hmph.
Ohh, god this sounds amazing. I think I’d cut back on the sugar waaaaaay more than you did. Sounds soo good :D
Wei-Wei
There’s something about booze in cakes that always makes them come out super moist. Moister than a cake with lots of oil
I just got that book! I have yet to actually bake anything from it, but I’m veeeery intrigued. Especially since I’m going to be making a wedding cake for a couple I feel might be into that kind of thing. Go booze!
I may have to buy that book. I need kahlua recipes. When are YOU putting out a cookbook?
*love*
Definitely try a chocolate cake with guinness – it’s super moist.
um #1: I’m ketchups hugest fan. So the fact you said you liked your burger drenched makes me feel not-so-alone. I also dip.
um and #2: done. this is being baked tomorrow. BAM!
I’ve given up on Frank and moved on to the chaos that is the Big Brother household. This cake looks like it would smell delicious. Does that even make sense?
Yes! Dipping the hamburger in the ketchup is the BEST!!! Nice cake. I am going to try it this weekend.
As soon as it cools off a bit I am going to make these into cupcakes. Thanks for sharing!
Ooo, I think serving it with whipped creme fraiche may be a good compromise between the whipped cream and cream cheese frosting. Sounds delicious!
Sounds delicious. I will definitely try this cake. And also look for the book. A lil alcohol in desserts never hurt :)
Your rant about Frank made my day. Also interested in the book! Thanks for making me smile. :)
frank has creeped me out from the beginning!!! and yeah, what’s with the deep V-neck tees? sorry dude, not attractive…
You are a brave woman baking in the heat. I can barely convince myself to make dinner…
Booze cakes sounds right up my alley (but why limit yourself at cakes?) This would go perfectly with the honey rum ice cream I made last weekend (well, semifreddo, really, due to the 1/4 cup of rum in it.)
So the fact that you watch the Bachelorette tells me that I’m just a little more obsessed. Is that wrong? It’s sad how much I look forward to that ridiculous show. This cake looks so moist and delish, love the idea of beer in it. xxSAS
I want that book. Awesome, and the cake looks divine.
Yeah, the Frank deal. What’s up with that? I think the dude’s got mega issues. My theory: He was obviously into Ali but he couldn’t take the possibility of not being The Chosen One. So he went back to a sure thing instead, his ex. Which actually is a little ironic because I theorized that Ali was driven by the exact same fear – I’ll reject you (with some lame ass excuse) before you can reject me.
Either way, I think she’s dodging a bullet with run-by-his-emotions Frank – not to mention she dodged a freaking nuclear warhead with Crazy Jake.
I can’t believe I just attempted to psychoanalyze these people. I love smut TV, what can I say. Guilty pleasures: Nothin’ wrong with that.
First off, I can definitely get behind a cake like this. Secondly, I second your thoughts on Frank. He’s creeping me out. And that deep v shirt, I almost thought I saw that it was a tank under his sweater. Not sure how I feel about that. Wait, I do know-YUCK! Ugh…frank.
Heck, I put booze in dang near everything else I make, so why haven’t I thought of putting it in cakes (other than rum cake) yet?! I must get this book. I even have a soon-to-be-former-coworker (not because he’s leaving, but because I’m getting promoted) who is all about booze and baked goods, and I’m thinking that his pregnant wife might appreciate a slice of this cake, since she’s been booze-free for 8 months now. Therefore, I must. Buy. NOW.
WTF is wrong with Frank? I kinda like Chris anyway because he’s sorta dorky/cute/hot. We’ll see.
And I love this cake…
Perhaps a beer cake is the appropriate lead into a serious Frank analysis. I think you’re on to something with the v necks. Maybe a Frank look book would reveal something.
I’m partial to team Roberto, you have to love a man that will dance with you anywhere. Plus, being a good dancer translates to other things. However, Chris has the whole Cape Cop thing going for him and he is a genuine person with an amazing fam.
Did you know you can order a Bachelorette calendar? Just saw it on the ABC website. The weatherman in a speedo… terrifying.
“The hoppy beer is a great compliment to the spice and honey. ” music to my ears
I want this cookbook!
I’d love to have a copy of that book *wishlist* The cake looks delicious.
Don’t get me started on The Bachellorete. Really. Especially since apparently I can’t even spell the word…This cake book looks awesome. Will have to check it out. Basically two of my favorite things (booze + cake) combined, so it certainly can’t be bad. And cream cheese frosting to boot. Awesome. Have a great weekend, Joy!
i definitely like a boozy cake. or a boozy anything.
i’m assuming you didn’t know frank’s pants during the home visit? the back pockets, were, hmmm. extremely well adorned, the likes of which i haven’t seen since the jordache’s i wore in 1981. and i’m a lady.
Oh Frank. That shirt. Awful. And a trip to Tahiti knowing what you did? Schmuck.
Ah well- It’s all choreographed anyhow. I mean really? There are hardly any ‘success stories’ so the promise of love isn’t really compelling reason to go on the show. Just to get noticed.
And yet…I can’t stop watching. Sigh.
The cake looks great too!
I hate spoilers. They ruin the fun. But I watch them anyway because I just have to know!
Frank really needs to rethink the deep V. Trendy, maybe. Sexy, NO WAY.
I got all fancy with Mango Buttercream frosting. Not that it would be great with beer and spice cake, but it’s so delicious, I want to put it on everything. Mostly my tongue.
I love those dishes they are so pretty!!! What are they? I am a dish fanatic.
The Booze Cakes books is published by Chronicle Books – who just happens to be having a 35% off sale + free shipping on their web site today. Promo code FRIENDS. Here’s the link to the Booze Cakes book:
http://www.chroniclebooks.com/index/main,book-info/store,books/products_id,8632/path,1-8-45/title,Booze-Cakes/
They also publish a ton of other awesome books, like the Tartine book & one on cupcakes that I used often (it’s the one with the pink cover).
Bake on, my friends.
Some things in life are inexplicable. You are brave for turning on your oven though. Very brave. Now share cake!
Sounds tasty =)
One of these days you have to give us a list of the cookbooks that you own…I’m curious.
Oh, and I too dislike v-neck Frank :/
I will definitely be making this, albeit a version only sweetened by honey. I think that will solve the sweetness problem, too! I’ll probably halve the amount of sweetener in this. I’ll blog it and like to you, as always. :)
As I am reading this, I have an apple spice snack cake in the over…hmmm. And I seriously need a hair cut, and can’t remember to make the appt! I don’t, however, watch Bachelorette – I know, I seem to be in the minority there. The Booze Cakes book sounds great, anything I can put Tequila in is a plus. The Honey Whole Wheat Pound Cake is also going on my list of things to make (eventually) – thanks for the great post!
That should be cake in the oveN, not over. Maybe I should make comments BEFORE having the Tequila. ;)
I cannot believe a cookbook called Booze Cakes exists and I do not own it. Must. Remedy. Immediately.
And yowza, this cake looks good!
That book, it had me at Jello Shot Cake. I wish I were lying.
I sell that book in my boutique! I can’t tell you how many times i’ve flipped through it drooling! This cake has caught my eye several times – i”m gonna HAVE to try it nowww! : )
I would learn how to bake,joy..I would..so I could bake these magical things. I wouldn’t care if they go straight down to my hips.
The Peach Kitchen
peach and things
blowing peachkisses
I’m pretty much ok with Ali being into Frank because, as much as he freaks me out with his whining and poor fashion sense, I can’t stand her either and think they deserve each other. And I’m moving to Cape Cod to marry Chris. Or his dad. I wish we could watch the Bachelorette together, Joy. I swear, we’d be BFFs in real life!
I really can;t handle the idea of turning on the ove right now, but this loos SO good. I have never baked with beer… I have got to try it! The weather man says Sunday will be cooler… cake on Sunday!
This cake sounds wonderful and I may even turn the oven on for it– if not, it’ll be the first one I make when the weather turns cooler!
As for Frank, well, he’s just a basket-case who acts like he’s about 16 with his first crush. Personally, I’m wondering why the heck is he still around?!
this sounds incredibly delicious. i hate beer but i definitely would love this.
So good and yet so far… yes, it’s 40°C here, all damp and sticky, I’ll try the cake later on in the season, maybe september, my favourite month!
XXX
this cake sound interesting, must be yummy too