Cakes Celtic-style

For the past 10 years, Guinness has ruled the pub at KVMR’s Celtic Festival. Most patrons choose the dark, bitter brew. Some beer drinkers order Harp, a pale ale, or a “Black and Tan,” a combo perfect for the undecided. KVMR’s pub also offers Irish cream and whiskey, served neat or with coffee and Nevada City Winery Zin and Chardonnay.

After staying away from the chaos of mixing drinks, Pub Manager Lyle Jones decided last year to venture into the scary territory of cocktails. He offered a “Celtic Crossing Cocktail.” The drink was Irish whiskey with a float of Celtic Crossing Liqueur, a delicate, slightly sweet liqueur that tastes a little like honey and butter brandy. The cocktail sold out quickly.

Many of us Celtic Festival veterans wanted even more cocktail choices, asking for a tall, fruity, kind of sweet drink. I mixed up a batch of Celtic Crossing Lemonade at my house and held a tasting. It’s made with Boru Irish Vodka, Celtic Crossing and organic lemonade.

Amy Terhorst, Jenny Michael, Nora Kinney, Bunny Jones and I all helped convince Lyle to add the drink to the pub menu this year. He’s also adding Smithwick’s Ale and Kaliber, a non-alcoholic beer, by request.

Since I had more than a half a bottle left of Celtic Crossing, I decided to experiment with some of my favorite boozy cake recipes. Celtic Crossing adds a warm, mysterious and Irish flavor to the cakes.



Celtic Bara Brith Cake

11⁄2 cups raisins

2 cups water

11⁄2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

1⁄2 teaspoon ground cloves

1⁄2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1⁄4 teaspoon ginger

1⁄2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

3⁄4 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 cup chopped walnuts

2 tablespoons Celtic Crossing Liqueur

In saucepan simmer raisins and water uncovered 20 minutes; drain, reserving

three-quarters cup liquid; cool. Stir together flour, baking soda, salt and spices; set aside. In large bowl of electric mixer cream butter and sugar until fluffy.

Add egg and beat until well blended. At low speed add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with reserved liquid. Stir in raisins, chopped walnuts and liqueur.

Divide batter between two greased and floured 8-inch pans. Bake in center of preheated 350 F degrees oven about 20 to 25 minutes or until cake springs back when touched with a finger.

Let cake cool completely in pans. Handle carefully, cake is delicate. Remove from pans, turning layers top-side up. Fill and frost with Celtic Frosting. Refrigerate after frosting.



Celtic Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese

1 cup butter (2 sticks)

1⁄3 cup flour

Dash salt

11⁄2 cup granulated sugar (not powdered)

About 1⁄3 cup Celtic Crossing Liqueur

Cream butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add flour and salt and mix thoroughly.

Beat in sugar until both flour and sugar are dissolved. Gradually add Celtic Crossing until frosting is of desired consistency.



Celtic Crossing Custard Cake

1 (18.25 ounce) box yellow cake mix

1 small box instant vanilla pudding

4 eggs

1⁄2 cup vegetable oil

1⁄2 cup water

1⁄2 cup Celtic Crossing Liqueur

1⁄2 cup chopped pecans

Glaze:

1⁄2 cup butter (1 stick)

1⁄4 cup water

1 cup granulated sugar

1⁄2 cup Celtic Crossing Liqueur

Preheat oven to 325F degrees. Grease and flour 10-inch tube or Bundt pan. Sprinkle nuts over bottom of pan. Beat cake mix, pudding, eggs, oil, water and liqueur until blended and smooth. Pour batter over nuts. Bake 1 hour. Cool in pan on wire rack 20 minutes. Remove cake, set on rack. Prepare glaze.

Glaze: Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in water and sugar; boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add liqueur. Allow to cool to lukewarm.

Using thin skewer, carefully punch holes through cake. Put cake back into pan and punch more holes. Pour glaze over cake. Cover and store overnight. If cake is difficult to remove from pan before serving, dip bottom of pan into sink of hot water for a few moments. Try this recipe using chocolate cake and pudding mixes and Irish whiskey.



Celtic Crossing Liqueur Pound Cakes

These are perfect as gifts or to keep in the freezer to serve unexpected guests.

Pound Cake:

11⁄2 cups butter at room temperature (3 sticks) (Do not use margarine.)

1 pound confectioner’s sugar, sifted

6 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

23⁄4 cups Soft As Silk cake flour

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat butter until creamy. Gradually add sifted

confectioners sugar to butter, beating until mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla extract. Gradually mix cake flour into creamed mixture.

Prepare 4 loaf pans, each about 3 one-half x 7 inches. Butter each loaf pan, then dust with flour. Scrape batter mixture evenly into pans. Smooth the top surfaces. Bake at 300 F degrees for 50 minutes, until wooden pick comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 5 minutes.

Turn cake out and immediately return cake to pan. With a slender wooden skewer, wooden pick or fork, poke 1 inch deep holes, about one-half inch apart, all over the top of cakes. Immediately pour an equal amount of syrup over each cake. It will soak in.

Let cool on rack for 30 minutes. Remove from pan and serve, or wrap securely and store in a cool area. Can store for up to 1 month in the refrigerator or 6 months in the freezer. Bring to room temperature before serving.



Celtic Crossing Liqueur Syrup

2 cups granulated sugar

1⁄2 cup light corn syrup

3⁄4 cup water

11⁄4 cups Celtic Crossing Liqueur

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, light corn syrup and water. Over medium

heat stir slowly until mixture simmers. Continue heating without stirring until mixture boils. Cover and boil for 1 minute until sugar dissolves and liquid is clear. If you don't cover the pan and if you stir while the syrup boils, crunchy sugar crystals will form in the finished cake.)

Remove from heat and uncover. Let stand to cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Stir in the liqueur and pour into pound cakes.