LAST CALL FOR BEER: Crusader's Cake

I have had some extra time recently and decided to use it by looking through my cookbooks that have been collecting dust.

I ran across this recipe and my curiosity got the best of me.

The saying, "Curiosity killed the cat".... Well, curiosity killed me and sent me on a trip to heaven and back.

Just look at the beauty in this cake. And the taste....OH MY GOODNESS!! Priceless!!

This recipe is linked with Sweets for a Saturday @ Sweet as Sugar Cookies. There are lots and lots of good looking recipes over there. Make sure you take some time to look at all of them.

Okay, most of them....

This recipe was found in the cookbook, "25 Years Cookbook, Women of the Farm Bureau".

Once again, who knows how to cook any better than farm women?

The reason this recipe jumped off the page and slapped me in the face, is because there is beer listed as one of the ingredients.

BEER??

FOR REAL??

IN A CAKE??

I sat out my bottle of beer so it could reach room temperature before assembling the ingredients for this cake.

I am not a big fan of box cake mixes either, but like I said, "My curiosity got the best of me."

For my frosting, I had some left over cream cheese frosting in the frig and didn't want to waste it. I thinned it with lemon juice and milk and added lemon zest.

This cake is unbelievably great.

What a great treat for the Thanksgiving feast. And you can see how super moist it is. This will definitely be made again in my house, for guests, and pot-lucks. This cake will most likely claim you as a pro.

The original recipe called for cloves, but the clove spice is kind of a back-shelf spice for me. Cloves can sometimes be over powering. I left them out. Sorry cloves, maybe next time.

Just so you know, the measurement for ground cloves is 1/2 tsp. You can add them if you want.

Crusader's Cake

1 - 18 1/2 oz. package yellow cake mix

1 - 4 oz. package vanilla instant pudding mix (I used French vanilla)

1 c. beer

1/2 c. canola oil

4 eggs

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. ground cardamom

1/4 tsp. ground allspice

In large mixing bowl, blend all ingredients. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour into a greased and floured 10 inch tube pan. Bake in a 350 degree F. oven for about 50 - 60 minutes (mine took 55 minutes). Cool right side up in pan about 25 minutes; remove to wire rack or cake plate to cool completely.

I used a different kind of glaze topping, but here is the original:

Lemon Glaze

1 1/2 c. unsifted confectioner's sugar

2 TBS softened butter

1/4 tsp grated lemon peel

1 to 2 TBS lemon juice

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Spread on cooled cake allowing the glaze to drip down the sides.

This recipe is linked to:
Wednesday Extravaganza ~ Hungry Little Girl