In June, a fog hovers over a typically very sunny southern California.  We call it June Gloom.  This past Saturday, it brought in sprinkles.  Keep in mind, it’s June and we are in a draught, so this was a bit unusual.  To make matters worse, it was my mom’s 70th birthday and we had a boat cruise in an electric Duffy planned with the family in Newport harbor.  Well, rain or shine, the party must go on…

We set up the boat to try to capture all the sunny cheer that we could.  Grapefruit and champagne cocktails, hummus with pitas and veggies, fresh peaches and strawberries, a sandwich to share, and the cutest little limoncello birthday cakes.  Just in time the rain let up. The fog remained, but there was no gloom as we celebrated my mom’s 70th.  I guess a little limoncello goes a long way.  Champagne helps too.

Happy Birthday Mom!  Love you!

Limoncello Cakes

Cake Mix

• 1 box lemon cake mix
• 1 package lemon pudding
• 1/2 c lemon juice
• Zest of one lemon, finely grated
• 1/2 c oil
• 1/2 c tequila
• 4 eggs

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and pour into a greased & flowered Bundt pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.  While cake is baking, prepare the glaze.

Limoncello Glaze

• 1/2 stick butter
• 1/4 c lemon juice
• 1/4 c water
• 3/4 c sugar
• 1/4 c limoncello

In a small sauce pan, boil butter, lemon juice, water, and sugar for 2 minutes.  Allow the mixture to cool slightly and add limoncello.  Set aside until cake is done baking.

Just before you pull the cake from the oven, reheat the limoncello mixture to a boil.  Remove the cake from the oven and poke holes in the cake with a skewer or chopstick.  Pour the hot glaze over the cake.  It should sizzle slightly.  Allow the cake to absorb the limoncello mixture while cooling.  After about 20 minutes, invert the cake.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired, and garnish with strawberries.