Hi, friends. As I begin to write this cake recipe post, I have Eileen Barton’s cute 1950 hit song stuck in my head – “If I Knew You Were Comin’ I’d’ve Baked a Cake.” Go ahead. YouTube it. I dare you. 😀
Today I want to share a recipe for Honey and Whisky Cake. I got the recipe from a little book I purchased a few weeks ago in Scotland. This cake is quick and easy to make and delicious. It’s moist, not overly sweet, and the grated orange rind is a wonderful addition. My new favorite!
Enjoy!
Hi everyone. Welcome back! I was poking around on the internet recently in search of recipe ideas for this blog, and I happened to come across one that really grabbed my attention. It is a recipe for Scottish Teatime Cupcakes, published by a food blogger named Katie on her web site Butterlust. It looks like a great site. Check it out. This particular cupcake recipe combines two of my favorite Scottish foods – tea and shortbread – into one delectable treat. What’s better than that?! These were a big hit with Mr. C, who said they taste like expensive boutique cupcakes. I’d say that’s a win! So without further ado, here’s the recipe.
Hello again, friends. It’s recipe day! Since I haven’t done any holiday baking thus far, today I’m going to do just that. I’ll be trying my hand at Sticky Toffee Pudding, a recipe by my blogging friend and fellow lover of Scotland, Cristine Eastin.
To we Americans, Sticky Toffee Pudding is not a pudding as we know it. It is actually a date cake topped with a delicious toffee sauce.
Cristine is a sweet and talented author who has published two works of fiction as well as a book of Scottish recipes – A Wee Scottish Cookbook (all available on Amazon). It was in her cookbook that I found the recipe for Sticky Toffee Pudding. As Cristine points out, this dessert is a relatively new concoction. And although its origination may have been in England, the Scots have embraced it as a holiday tradition as well.
Click on any of the links above, and you’ll be redirected to Cristine’s beautiful blog. I hope you’ll check it out!
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Last week I mentioned that I had a special guest blogger lined up for this week, but due to unforeseen circumstances (tell you about it later), I had to mix things up a bit. So…we are going to cook today instead!
If you stopped by last week, then you know that Mr. C and I recently took a trip to Lexington, Kentucky, to celebrate our anniversary. During our visit, we toured three different bourbon distilleries (Buffalo Trace, Maker’s Mark, and Woodford Reserve). Each of the tours concluded with a tasting, and they gave us a bourbon ball made with whiskey from that particular distillery. All were delicious, but Mr. C and I both agreed that the bourbon balls at Buffalo Trace were AH-MAZING. I did a little poking around on the internet when we got back and found a recipe that is supposed to be very similar to the candies invented in 1938 by Ruth Booe, the founder of Rebecca Ruth Candy Factory in Frankfort, KY. That is the candy company that today makes the bourbon balls for purchase at Buffalo Trace. Perfect!
Because I write a blog about Scotland and not about Kentucky, I decided to give these a try using Scotch rather than bourbon (whisky with a “y” as opposed to whiskey with an “ey”). Mr. C suggested that I use BenRiach 10-year-old (a Speyside Scotch), which I discovered was an excellent choice given that it is aged in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, lending it the perfect sweet flavor.
Who’s ready to cook? Let’s give it a go!
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Hi, everyone. Glad you stopped by! Anyone have a sweet tooth today? Because if you do and are looking for something tasty to satisfy it, then you’re in the right place.
From Lorna Doone’s to the Girl Scout’s Trefoils to the distinctive red, plaid boxes of Walker’s, there are many pre-packaged shortbread options from which to choose. My personal favorite happens to be made by Shortbread House of Edinburgh – particularly the biscuits (cookies) with warming stem ginger. Mmm mmm good. Today I’m going to attempt to make my own version of their yummy treats.
Once a luxury to the “common” people of Scotland, shortbread began with medieval “biscuit bread” – that is, bread made with leftover biscuit dough. Over time, the yeast was replaced with butter and eventually evolved into shortbread as we know it today.
Traditionally, shortbread is made in three shapes: a large circle divided into segments called shortbread petticoat tails, a rectangle cut into strips or bars called shortbread fingers, and round biscuits (cookies) called shortbread rounds. I’m going to be making the rounds today.
Let’s begin!
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Who feels like cooking today? After a hearty Thanksgiving dinner followed by a hearty post-Thanksgiving dinner of leftovers, I’m surprised that I do. But all you have to do is say the word scone, and I’ll start digging for my sieve!
The recipe that I’m using today is from a terrific site I discovered a couple of years ago, Eating For England.
Even though I technically eat for Scotland, you will find that scones are an essential component of tea time on either side of the border.
Rhyming with either ‘tone’ or ‘gone’ – depending on the country and region – British scones are a completely different affair than what we commonly find here in the United States. Whereas our scones are triangular and tend to be very sweet and somewhat cake-like, British scones more closely resemble what Americans call biscuits. Even those two things are quite different, however. Our biscuits are rich and buttery and often eaten with breakfast. British scones are lighter, flaky, and have a touch of sweetness. Sometimes they include fruit such as raisins or currants. And sometimes they are savory, like those made with cheese. Scones are a staple of afternoon tea in England and Scotland. They are truly delicious, and I promise that if you give this recipe a try, you will not be disappointed.
Let’s get started, shall we?
I have wanted to try my hand at a Victoria Sponge for a long time. First, because I brake for cake! Second, it is just so quintessentially English (although you will find this cake on the menu at most Scottish eateries as well).
I researched several different recipes, and they all seem to be pretty consistent, with just some minor variations between them. Equal parts butter, sugar, and flour appears to be the common thread. For my cake today, I decided to try a recipe by BBC Good Food. I modified it little, as I chose a different mixing method. Also, instead of the buttercream filling, I made a lighter, less sweet whipped cream filling instead.
Here is what you do:
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