Tante's Booze Cake

This cake does not mess around with the booze. Three-quarters of a cup of vodka plus a quarter cup of Galliano (that tall, vanilla-anise Italian liqueur) go straight into the batter alongside orange juice, giving every slice a warm, boozy hum that doesn’t bake out entirely.

The base is streamlined: orange supreme cake mix and instant vanilla pudding mixed together with oil, eggs, and the liquid ingredients. The pudding mix is the secret to the moist, dense crumb. It locks in moisture so the cake doesn’t dry out despite the alcohol in the batter.

Everything goes into the mixer at once and gets blended together. No creaming, no folding, no stages. Pour into a springform pan and bake for 50 minutes. That’s it.

Kitchen Tips

• The alcohol doesn’t fully cook off at this bake time. This cake has a real boozy bite, so plan accordingly if kids are around.
• Use a 10-inch springform pan as specified. The batter is too liquid for a regular cake pan, and a Bundt pan works too if you grease it well.
• Cool for the full 25 minutes before removing from the pan. The cake is fragile when warm because of all the liquid in the batter.
• This cake actually improves after sitting overnight. Wrap it tightly and the flavors meld.

Variations

• Harvey Wallbanger cake: This is essentially a Harvey Wallbanger cocktail in cake form. Serve with a Galliano-spiked orange glaze drizzled on top.
• Non-alcoholic version: Replace vodka and Galliano with additional orange juice and a teaspoon of vanilla extract.