July 4th double-feature!! I put it to the internet, and overwhelmingly, it was decided that I should cook both this dish and Anniversary Horseradish Salad for this year’s celebration of America’s birth as the United States. An anniversary salad and a celebratory cake felt right. Wine felt right. Instant cake mix felt right.

Chef M.G. Burnside

Democratic Representative from West Virginia

As always, I followed the recipe word for word from the tobacco warehouse manager, no alterations:

INGREDIENTS

1 package yellow cake mix

1 package instant vanilla pudding

2 tsp grated nutmeg

3/4 cup oil

3/4 cup cream sherry

4 eggs

confectioners sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

1) Combine cake mix, pudding mix and nutmeg.

Never made a cake with instant pudding mix before; this will be an adventure. Plus yellow cake mix from a box? I love a good throwback.

2) Add oil, sherry and eggs, beat all with mixer 4 minutes.

Okay, so it’s not exactly wine? Disappointing. Was really hoping for something like the viral wine pie with red wine and…not much else. Still, it’s a lot of cream sherry.

3) Pour into well greased tube pan and bake 50 minutes in 350-degree oven.

4) Remove from oven and sprinkle with confectioners sugar. Let cool in pan 20 minutes.

5) Remove from pan onto tray sprinkled with confectioners sugar. Sprinkle additional sugar on sides of cake. Serves 10.

Voila! If you want to actually watch me attempt to eat it, go to the CwC Instagram or TikTok. Definitely one of the prettier creations I’ve ever made on here. It didn’t collapse, the confectioner’s sugar dusted the top quite nicely. The cake is rustic, sure, but attractively so. It even smelled good coming out of the oven — kind of like a boozy Christmas with your Aunt Patty.

Verdict:

Maybe it’s just the comparison to the exciting and offensive Anniversary Horseradish Salad, but this two-note cake did it for me. Had a full slice. My three-year-old even liked it. Best eaten 30 minutes out of the oven. I’m serious, it’s nice.