Whiskey Fruit Cake & Cocktail

Have your cake and eat it too! The heat of the summer brings lots of great things, including our favorite stone fruits like cherries, peaches and plums. At the peak of ripeness, they're sweet and juicy and pair so well with the flavors and notes of Tennessee Whiskey. We love using a combination of fresh cherries, plums and nectarines to make the whiskey fruit. Best made a day ahead, the whiskey fruit will not only be a great topping for pound cake like we've shown, but also amazing on ice cream. And better yet, the syrup from the boozy fruit makes a wonderfully-refreshing summertime sipper!

Whiskey Fruit:

8 cups fresh stone fruit, pitted and cut into bite-sized pieces
Zest of one lemon
1/2 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 ounces Nelson's Green Brier Tennessee Whiskey

To prepare, place the cut fruit in a large skillet and add the lemon zest, lemon juice and sugar. Place the skillet on high heat and stir as it comes to a boil. As soon as the fruit begins to boil, remove from the heat and stir in the whiskey. Transfer the mixture to a non-reactive glass bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Cake:

Prepared Whiskey Fruit
1 pound cake loaf (angel food cake is also ideal)
2 cups heavy whipping cream, chilled
2 Tablespoons sugar
4 Tablespoons Nelson's Green Brier Tennessee Whiskey
Fresh mint for garnish (optional)

To prepare, start by whipping the heavy cream and sugar until soft peaks form. Add the whiskey and continue to whip until medium-firm peak. Assemble the dessert by spooning the whiskey fruit on slices of cake and topping with the whipped whiskey cream. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.

Cocktail:

1.5 oz Nelson's Green Brier Tennessee Whiskey
1.5 oz Whiskey Fruit syrup
6 oz chilled sparkling water or club soda
lemon wedge and fresh mint for garnish

Fill a tall glass with ice and add the whiskey, syrup and sparkling water. Stir lightly to combine and garnish with a squeeze of lemon and sprig of fresh mint.