No use drying out now. Hot on the heels of a December filled with excess will be the new year’s celebrations.

Brandy Cake will fit in just fine. It’s a boozy, rich cake scented with cinnamon and lemon. Served with a side of your favorite fruits and some whipped cream, it makes a jolly good dessert.

Brandy Cake

Ingredients:

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 cups sugar, divided
1 tsp vanilla
6 eggs
3 cups flour
1-1/2 cups water
1 cinnamon stick
2 strips lemon peel (2 x 1/2-inch)
1/2 cup brandy
2 cups thawed Cool Whip Whipped Topping or whipped cream
4 cups cut-up mixed fresh fruit

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 325ºF.

2. Line a 13 x 9-inch pan with parchment paper, with ends of parchment extending over sides then spray with cooking spray.

3. Beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add 2-1/2 cups of the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla then eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour then pour batter into prepared pan.

4. Bake 1 hour or until tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes in the pan.

5. Meanwhile, bring water, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, cinnamon stick and lemon peel to boil in saucepan. Simmer on medium-low heat 10 minutes or until reduced to 1 cup. Strain into a measuring cup and discard strained solids. Stir brandy into strained liquid.

6. Use skewer to poke holes in warm cake at 1/2-inch intervals. Drizzle brandy mixture over cake. Let stand in pan 1 hour.

7. Use parchment handles to remove cake from pan. Serve topped with Cool Whip and fruit.

Serves 16

Recipe from Kraft

‘Wild Horses’ is like listening to a schizophrenic mash-up. Folksy singing contrasts with a wall of electronic sound worthy of an action movie. It’s so good, especially the last gasp at the end.

“You caught my truth in the worst way
Through the dirty lens of a broken smile
I swear I’m not a pretender
Sometimes it’s love who’s the biggest liar”

Check out Bishop Briggs on her Website. You can buy the music here.

Cheers!