Deep fried bourbon shots:  Yes, really

Last Thursday was a night like any other.  I was doing laundry in preparation for the kids’ first day of school, watching TV with my husband between loads, and a text came in from a good friend. A text that would change my life.  Or at least change my weekend.

“Deep fried whiskey???” it read.  And then a link.

The link was a story referencing and testing out Oh Bite It’s recent post on deep fried tequila shots.

Obviously, it was on.  I mean, it’s a boozy doughnut.  It’s bourbon-flavored funnel cake.  It’s deep fried effing booze cake! That’s happening in my kitchen and then in my mouth.

Obviously.

Exhibiting prodigious restraint, I waited until Saturday night to make them, when my friend could join me.  I mean, I guess it’s not that much restraint.  I had to go to the grocery store to get some cake, and I had plans Friday night.  But still.

So anyway, I bought cake.  My grocery store was oddly lacking in cake, so I bought two frozen thaw-and-serve cakes: an angelfood cake, and a pound cake.  I know cakes freeze well in general, and I was too lazy to go to another store.  I mean, we were gonna soak them in bourbon and fry them.  I figured it would be fine.

Spoiler: It was fine.

Here is the basic recipe, adapted from Oh Bite It’s tequila version:

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Deep fried bourbon shots

Cut up angelfood cake or pound cake into bite-sized cubes.

Soak each cube in bourbon. I used Bulleit.

Deep fry until golden on all sides.

Drain on a paper-towel lined plate.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar and devour.

 

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Here is what I learned making these.

First, deep fried booze is delicious.  It’s like fresh, hot beignets plus bourbon.  You want that, don’t you?  Let me answer that for you.  Yes, you want it.

Second, The angelfood cake was lighter in texture and looked prettier, but the pound cake seemed to soak up more bourbon and had a stronger bourbon flavor.

To maximize your booziness (because that’s what we all want, right?), I recommend slightly larger bite-sized pieces so that the inside stays somewhat wet while the outside gets golden and crispy.  Also, you want the oil quite hot.  You don’t want to burn them, but you want them done quickly so the alcohol doesn’t all burn off.  The ones done when the oil was hotter were much boozier and more delicious.

Also, obviously, really soak your cake.  You want it saturated. You don’t have to leave it soaking in the bourbon for a long time or anything, but you want it soaked through.

But, you may ask, won’t the liquid hitting the hot oil go crazy and spatter all over?  Yes, it will.  Please be careful.  I wouldn’t recommend doing this the way I usually fry things, which is by just throwing it in with my hands.  Get a deep fry basket with a reasonably long handle to protect yourself.  Please be careful.  You’re throwing wet alcohol-soaked cake into very hot oil.  Please, please be careful. Also, wear an apron.  Here’s mine.

So the big question.  Did we get drunk?

Weeeelll… not really.  I mean, we certainly did, but probably not from the deep fried booze cake.  We, um, had a bit of a head start already going before we began.  But I didn’t notice any particular bump in intoxication from the bourbon-y doughnuts of glory.  That said, it takes a lot to get me drunk.  I’m not sure it would be a good idea for me to consume deep fried cake as a means to get me there.  That seems like a bad idea on every level.

Well, almost every level.  Except for the level on which I am eating deep fried bourbon-soaked cake.

But really, it’s probably not a feasible or intelligent way to get drunk.

Which brings me to the alternate title of this article: Deep fried booze cake: Pairs well with booze.

It does.

So make yourself some.  And then pour yourself some non-deep-fried bourbon to go with it. My friend and I say, you’re welcome!