Grand Marnier Cake (Orange Liqueur Cake)

I am so proud of this recipe because my daughter, Danielle, and I came up with it one day in a moment of inspiration! I used my Homemade Grand Marnier but any orange flavored liqueur will do. This cake is very light so we chose to do a orange liqueur infused whipped cream topping for it which just adds to the airiness of the cake. I think this will make a nice Christmas cake because of the wintery oranges and snowy whipped cream!
Ingredients
Cake
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large egg whites
1 tablespoon orange zest
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier Liqueur (plus a small amount set aside with a pastry brush for later use)
The juice of 2 oranges
1/2 cup butter room temp
1 1/2 cups sugar
Whipped Cream Topping
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 teaspoons Grand Marnier
Mix ingredients on high with a whisk attachment until cream is stiff and holds peaks.
Tools
1 sheet cake pan OR 1 bundt cake pan. I coat the pan well with PAM spray.
Directions
First beat egg whites in a very clean bowl (no residue of fat in the bowl at all) at high speed until stiff but not dry peaks form. Set aside.
Mix the dry ingredients and set aside.
Mix 2 tablespoons of liqueur, the juice of the 2 oranges, and enough water to make 1 cup total of liquid and set aside.
Now cream the butter and sugar at high speed until creamy and light. Add the zest and mix. Add the dry ingredients and the juice mixture (no egg whites yet!) alternately starting and ending with the dry. But do not over mix, just enough to mix together.
Gently fold in the egg whites.
Pour into the pan and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.
Remove from oven and test by inserting a toothpick in the center, if it comes out dry it is done. It should be slightly golden on top.
Cool on counter for 10 minutes.
Remove from pan to a rack and cool completely. Or you can leave the sheet cake in the pan and serve from there. If using a bundt pan cool for 10 minutes and then remove and place on a rack to cool completely.
Half way between the cooling process brush a light coat of Grand Marnier all over the top of the cake. If it is still slightly warm it will soak this up.
To Serve
Cut into squares and serve each piece with a big dollop of cream.

Grand Marnier - Homemade Orange Liqueur

Grand Marnier is the orange flavored liqueur of France used with Crêpes Suzette and "crêpes au Grand Marnier" I like to use it in cakes and frosting in place of extract.I got this recipe from this site and tried it and it does taste like the real thing. I did make a few tweaks to the original recipe like replacing vanilla extract for the vanilla bean and I also felt like 4 oranges was just not enough so I used 6, which I am glad I did because it would have been way to weak with only 4. It took 3 weeks to steep but other than the wait it is pretty easy to make.
Ingredients
The peel of 6 medium Oranges
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups Vodka
1 cup Brandy
1 cup white granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
Directions
Peel your oranges making sure to not get too much of the pith (white stuff)I found that a vegetable peeler did the best job but you can also use a zester if you prefer. Place the peel along with the vodka and brandy in covered glass jar and refrigerate for 3 weeks. After 3 weeks strain the liquid from the peel. Place the sugar and the water into a small pan and cook on medium heat stirring with a wooden spoon making sure the sugar completely dissolves.
After the sugar and water have cooled add it to the orange flavored liquer. Pour it into a clean glass bottle or jar with a lid (I used the original vodka bottle) and store in the fridge.

Amaretto

Today I made some homemade Amaretto for Christmas gifts. We make this every winter and use it for cooking, baking, and also as an aperitif. An aperitif is an alcoholic drink that is usually served to stimulate the appetite before a meal.It is often served with something small to eat such as olives or cheese. The word is derived from the Latin verb aperire which means “to open" and Amaretto is a sweet almond-flavored liqueur of Italian origin. It is made from a base of apricot or almond pits, or sometimes both. The recipe is very simple and unlike other aperitif concoctions is ready to drink right away. My Father used to bring a big bottle back from his annual trip to Italy and it would last us all year because you only drink a tiny bit (small shot glass) at a time. Here is the recipe that we got off the internet somewhere years ago:
Ingredients
1 cup white sugar
2 cups of inexpensive vodka
1 cup water
2 tablespoons almond extract
1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions
Combine water, white sugar and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Heat until boiling and all sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let mixture cool down for 10 - 20 minutes. Pour in vodka, almond and vanilla extracts. Mix well and store in a sealed glass bottle.

I got this recipe  from the web years ago and I do not remember where...... sorry!!!

Limoncello

Ready in 10 days!

~My Dad as a boy in Ischia~

Limoncello is a wonderful summer drink that will always remind me of the island of Ischia, Italy which is where my family has stayed every August since the early 1900's. August is when Italians take their month-long holidays – called “ferie”. When I was in Ischia  there were lemons the size of grapefruit all over and the while island seemed to smell of lemons! It is great all alone or mixed with some sparkling mineral water & a bit of sugar syrup. For more info on making your own Limoncello visit this : Limoncello Quest.
Ingredients
10 lemons (zest removed in strips- no pith- you will need a regular vegetable peeler for this)
1 bottle good vodka (750 ml)
3 ½ cups water
2 ½ cups sugar
Directions
Peel  your lemons with a vegetable peeler. Make sure to not get the white pith.
Place zest in a 2 qt. pitcher
Pour vodka over
Cover and steep (room temp) for 4 -45days! 4 days is enough but longer is better, we have found that 10 days is perfect. Keep in a dry cool place like the pantry and shake once a day.
Stir the sugar & water over medium heat until dissolved
Cool completely
Pour over lemon/vodka mixture
Strain zest out and transfer to bottles
Store in fridge or freezer
Serve cold in chilled shot glasses
Recipe By:  Giada De Laurentiis