TGIF: A tipsy cake

Our friend Nancy Lockwood introduced us to this cake.
Nancy’s from Pennsylvania Dutch country.
Pennsylvania's home to some great country cooks.
We thought only Southerners were into bourbon.
Wrong. Bourbon is big in Pennsylvania, too.
You can make this with any kind of whiskey.
We recommend bourbon — and make it with a friend.
Pour leftover bourbon into both bakers. Enjoy.

Whiskey Cake
1 box Duncan Hines yellow cake mix
1 package instant vanilla pudding
3/4 cup bourbon
1/2 cup canola oil
4 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat together cake and pudding mix, oil and 1/2 cup bourbon. Add eggs and beat at medium speed 4 minutes. Spoon into greased, floured Bundt pan. Bake 45 minutes. Let cool.
To make syrup, combine sugar, butter, water, and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a slow boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Stir in 1/4 cup bourbon. Let cool.
Punch 100 holes in top of cake with toothpick. Pour syrup over it. Allow to stand for three hours for syrup to soak through cake.
Place two large sheets of aluminum foil together in the form of a cross. Turn Bundt pan upside down over foil to remove cake. Bring foil up around cake and wrap securely. Unwrap when ready to serve with coffee. Makes a great after-dinner dessert.
Toast slices for a breakfast treat.
Next week we'll talk about leadership.
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TGIF: How to say "Happy birthday"

Pat McBride used to bake birthday cakes for us.
Pat worked with us at the Philadelphia Bulletin.
When one of us had a birthday, Pat baked.
Her speciality: A Harvey Wallbanger cake.
I made one this week for our crew at the Chronicle.
It was my wife’s (our publisher’s) birthday.
Here’s Pat’s recipe, with one small amendment.

Harvey Wallbanger cake
1 pkg. Duncan Hines Yellow Cake Mix Deluxe
3-oz pkg. vanilla instant pudding
4 eggs
4 oz. oil
2 oz. vodka
2 oz. Galliano
6 oz. orange juice
1/4 lb butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup Galliano
Preheat over to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour bundt pan. Make batter with first seven ingredients and pour into a bundt pan. Bake 50 minutes. While cake is baking, melt butter in saucepan. Add sugar and stir over moderate heat until sugar dissolves. Mix in Galliano and set aside. Remove cake from oven and punch 100 holes in top with a toothpick. Pour warm sauce over cake, cover and allow sauce to penetrate over night. Turn cake onto serving tray and slice. Pour coffee. Enjoy.
Pat shared this recipe with us. Thanks, Pat.
Next week we’ll talk about finding friendly business models.
See you then.