Booze Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and prepare a 9×9 cake pan with non-stick spray.

2. In a small bowl, combine the dried cherries with the Grand Marnier (or whichever liquor makes you skirt fly up, as the PW would say!) and let them soak while you put the rest of the cake together.

3. In a small bowl, mix the egg whites, brown sugar, and salt. Mix in the walnuts and 1/4 cup of the chocolate chips. Set aside.

4. In a medium bowl, sift the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together, and whisk until blended.

5. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, then the bourbon (or whiskey-like alcohol of choice), and mix until combined.

6. By hand, stir in flour mixture in 4 additions, alternating with the sour cream in 3 additions. Stir until just barely incorporated. Make sure not to over mix.

7. Fold in the remaining chocolate chips and dried cherry mixture. Be sure not to leave any liquor goodness behind!

8. Transfer the batter to the cake pan and smooth the top. Spoon the walnut mixture over the batter in an even layer. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool the cake on a wire rack.

9. For the topping, whisk the powdered sugar, sour cream, and bourbon in a bowl. Add milk one teaspoon at a time until it is thinned to your desired consistency. And okay, maybe add another tablespoon of bourbon if you really want to party. Then drizzle it all over the cake. Slice up and enjoy! But be sure not to operate any heavy machinery while partaking.