Have you ever made a mistake and thought, I can’t believe that just happened. We go through life on a wish and a prayer, not anticipating mistakes and mishaps but always shocked and annoyed when they do happen. (Speaking of which I just accidentally posted the 103rd bake before this one, which I baked a week ago and is now ready to eat!!!) I went to the beach with my daughter the other day, quick trip as she had to be somewhere later. I backed up next to the curb and as we got out, she said, “you’ve punctured the tyre on the curb.” “What surely not” I thought, but lo and behold, there it was hissing air, going flat before our eyes. Turned into a quick, very annoying and expensive trip to the beach!!!
So I went to make this cake, Dundee Whisky Cake and as you can see it has Whisky in it. I knew my husband had some whisky stored in the back of the liquor cabinet so reached in and pulled out what I thought was a cheap bottle that had been sitting there forever. I was supposed to soak the fruit overnight, but thought 5 tablespoons of whisky with an extra splash for good luck soaking for a few hours would do the trick instead. He popped in while I was making the cake and said in shock “What is the gold label doing out?” I told him and he nearly fell over in explaining to me that it was a very expensive 18 year old bottle of whisky I had broken the seal on, to make a cake!!! Woops. Now that’s going to be a very expensive delicious cake!!! Another unforeseen mishap! Never mind, I’m sure he will forgive me when he gets to eat the cake. Haha. So to make this cake I first put the whisky into the fruit and mixed peel to soak!!! (yum)
Oops, I used rather a lot !
Then I beat the butter till soft and added caster sugar and muscovado sugar till light and fluffy. Then added the zest of one lemon and the beaten eggs.
softened butter…it’s one of those days!! 
Moscovado sugar 
4 eggs 
Zest
Next I added the dry ingredients of flour, baking powder and ground almonds to the mixture and folded it in with a spatula. Then I added the dried fruit which had been soaking for about 3 hours by now. This folded in nicely to make a lovely moist looking mixture which was divine to eat raw!!
I decorated the top of the cake with halved almonds and patted it down with a wet hand to stop it rising too much. I baked this for about 2 hours. I made the glaze by heating milk and then added sugar until it dissolved. I brushed this on the cake when it came out of the oven to give it a glossy shine. The instructions were to wrap the cake in foil and keep for a week before cutting. So it’s been a week and it’s time to cut the cake!!!!
Here is a recipe from bbcgoodfood for Dundee whisky Cake, not as heavy as traditional dark fruit cake, it dates from the 17th century, a favourite at the court of Mary Queen of Scots. https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2155640/dundee-cake
