When Maddy’s bakery gets a large order of apples, her head chef Leroy makes several sweet treats. I have reviewed one of the recipes, Bourbon Apple Cake. The cozy mystery novel is a great read with a variety of characters who come together to solve a murder mystery.
This is book #4 of the Baker Street Mysteries series. Maddy is hoping to win the services of a famous wedding planner to help her with her wedding to Michael. Unfortuneately this is a case of “don’t meet your heroes” because Serafina turns out to be worse than a bridezilla.
Icing on the Murder by Valerie Burns
Bourbon Apple Cider Cake
from a cozy mystery novel:
Icing on the Murder
by Valerie Burns
Book Outline and Tone:
Maddy, owner of Baby Cakes bakery and 250 pound Mastiff, Baby, has gotten engaged to her true love. Maddy is a social media maven, but not a baker. Before inheriting Baby Cakes, she was engaged before and made a grand showing of her wedding by live streaming it. Unfortunately, her groom was a no-show. This time around, she wants to do things differently. She registers to win a dream wedding to be organized by world-famous wedding planner Sarafina.
Sarafina is not who Maddy expected. She is rude to her workers, manipulative with the contest finalist, and destined to be the murder victim of this cozy mystery. What follows is an investigation that reveals lies and adultery. All of Maddy’s friends come together to investigate, including people from the previous books in this series.
The Best Quote:
“My relationship with my dad was complicated. After my mom’s death, he was physically present but emotionally AWOL, unable to cope with his grief, a blossoming career in the Navy, and a small daughter. He compensated by providing all of the material things I could ever desire with none of the emotional support or boundaries. It’s only in the months since moving from Los Angeles to a small town in the Midwest that I’ve learned to stand on my own feet and not lean against my dad for support and direction. I still struggled with making decisions, but as a business wonder, I learned to trust my instincts.”
Point of View:
First person told by Maddy, a young lady who inherited a bake shop..
The Author: Valerie Burns
Valerie (V. M.) Burns is the author of 3 other mystery series as well as the author of the new Baker Street Mysteries. She is not only an acclaimed author but also an adjunct professor at Seton Hall University as part of the Writing Popular Fiction Program. She is also a member of Sisters in Crime, Crime Writers of Color, and International Thriller Writers organizations, to name a few. Ms. Burns can be contacted on her website. As well as social media platforms, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. You can find a more extensive biography on Goodreads.
What is not to like?:
Maddy is usually a confident character who loves her family and friends and what she does. However, in this novel she is having trouble making decisions about hers and Michael’s wedding plans. I wasn’t sold on her indecisiveness.
The verdict:
This is a great cozy mystery series. Maddy is easily likable and so are her friends. I have enjoyed each novel in this series.
Disclaimer: In the name of full transparency, please be aware that this blog post contains affiliate links and any purchases made through such links will result in a small commission for me (at no extra cost for you).
Bourbon Apple Cider Cake
Assemble the Ingredients
Prepare the cake batter
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, grease three 9-inch cake pans and prepare ingredients.
Peel and dice the apples
Puree the apples in a blender.
Heat the apple cider in a small saucepan on medium heat until it reduces by half, making 1 cup
Easy to read measure marks on inside of cup. Dishwasher safe.
Whisk flour, salt, spices, and baking powder together in a large bowl.
OXO Good Grips 3- Piece Plastic Mixing Bowl Set LInk
Cream butter and sugar together in a stand mixer until light and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time, beating completely before adding the next egg.
Mix milk and vanilla together.
While the mixer is on low, add 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by 1/3 of the milk. Keep alternating wet and dry ingredients until all are incorporated.
Pour in the pureed apples and reduced apple cider and mix to combine.
Divide the mixture evenly between the cake pans and bake for 25 minutes.
Prepare the Cream Cheese Frosting
Assemble the Ingredients
In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together.
Slowly add in the powdered sugar one cup at a time.
Add in the vanilla and bourbon and mix until combined.
After frosting the cake,
add 4-5 tablespoons of caramel as a glaze.
Bourbon Apple Cider Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups apple cider
- 3½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 8 oz unsalted butter (two sticks)
- 2¼ cup sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 2½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 1½ tsp allspice
- 2 Honeycrisp apples, peeled and cored, and then pureed
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1 stick butter
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup plus 3 teaspoons bourbon
- ½ tsp vanilla
Instructions
Cake Batter
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, grease three 9-inch cake pans and prepare ingredients.
- Heat the apple cider in a small saucepan on medium heat until it reduces by half, making 1 cup
- Whisk flour, salt, spices, and baking powder together in a large bowl.
- Cream butter and sugar together in a stand mixer until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating completely before adding the next egg.
- Mix milk and vanilla together. While the mixer is on low, add 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by 1/3 of the milk. Keep alternating wet and dry ingredients until all are incorporated.
- Pour in the pureed apples and reduced apple cider and mix to combine.
- Divide the mixture evenly between the cake pans and bake for 25 minutes.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together.
- Slowly add in the powdered sugar one cup at a time.
- Add in the vanilla and bourbon and mix until combined.
- After frosting the cake, add 4-5 tablespoons of caramel as a glaze.
What would I do differently next time?
I didn’t think the bourbon was strong and that was good. I’m not sure it is even needed.
Here are some more great cake recipes.
Southern Blackberry Jam Cake from Strangled Eggs and Ham by Maddie Day
Chocolate Soul Cake from Murder is a Piece of Cake by Valerie Burns
Chocolate Orange Poppy Seed Cake from A Catered Valentine’s Day by Isis Crawford
Magical Christmas Date Cake from Sugar Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke
