FFFFOOD

For an office holiday party, I made this Chocolate Whiskey Bundt Cake, terrifically moist and richly flavored. It was the first time I used the recipe and I will definitely be doing so again, probably before the year is out. (I just love when you find a recipe keeper, don’t you?)

A few notes: first, the recipe calls for a 3-quart Bundt pan; I used a beautiful one by Martha Stewart that my cousin Renee gave me last year. It’s only 2 quarts so I poured extra batter in a heart-shaped spring-form pan about the size of my hand. As it turned out, the batter didn’t fill the 2-quart Bundt pan (and didn’t rise to fill it during baking). Which meant that the cake was a bit shorter than it might have been (no biggie). There was a bonus: I had an adorable little heart cake to bring to Miss Mandalay when I stayed with her for a night.

Second, the recipe notes:

This cake improves in flavor if made at least 1 day ahead and kept, in a cake keeper or wrapped well in plastic wrap, at cool room temperature. It can be made up to 5 days ahead and chilled.

I made it ahead and agree wholeheartedly. So not only is the cake excellent, you can make it well ahead of the party or holiday — freeing up precious last-minute preparation time.

Third, the recipe suggests an accompaniment of lightly sweetened whipped cream, and while I favor cream on everything, the cake really doesn’t need it.

xx Nora