100th Post and 1st Birthday

Chocolate Whisky Raisin Cake

Cooking the Books first year was at the end of February, but I only realised it had been a whole year when I read some similar first birthday posts from friends blogs, and thought …wonder when I started blogging? I could hardly believe a year had passed, but it has, and it seems good to have it on my birthday and century post.

I made this Dorie cake for my Hubby for our recent Wedding Anniversary, and it was a good choice because he loved it! The recipe comes from Dorie Greenspan’s Baking From My Home to Yours, and it’s in the ‘playing around’ part next to the recipe for Chocolate Armagnac Cake – The Cake That Got Me Fired. If you have Dorie’s book, and don’t always read all the stories, do read the one on the purple page next to the recipe, it’s a funny and touching story.

The raisins are steeped in whisky overnight, and it means that they retain their flavour and taste even after baking, there are ground almonds too to give extra taste and moistness. I’ve made chocolate and whisky cakes before, and it’s surprising how well they go together, the chocolate calms down the fire-breathed whisky and the whisky in turn deepens the chocolate. Some whipped cream is a good addition for dessert, but it’s actually good in the afternoon with a cup of tea as well, in fact the Whisky-raisin taste comes out more that way. I used a Malt Whisky, because that’s what we mostly have in the cupboard, and coming from the land of Whisky itself it’s easy enough to come by a wide selection here. Another winner from Dorie! Now I’ve put the Chocolate Armagnac Cake (with Armagnac soaked prunes and ground pecans) on my list to try as well.

Happy 1st Birthday!