Beet and Citrus Salad and Bourbon Chocolate Bundt Cake

One of the keys to fabulous dinner party? A knockout dessert--it sends your guests home happy, erasing the memory of any misses on the rest of the menu. This Bourbon Chocolate Bundt Cake--found at Orangette--is just such a dessert, rich and dense and fragrant. Even better, it's not fussy--no frosting, no last-minute messiness, just a one-pan delight. Maker's Mark was my poison of choice--as Orangette recommends, you should use quality booze because you're definitely going to taste it, but I'd save your priciest bourbons for sipping since you need a whole cup of the stuff.

To be honest, the only memory of last night's dinner party that I hope the cake erased was that of the middling carrot dip, a recipe from the New York Times. The rest of the meal was just divine (if I do say so myself). A homemade rosemary focaccia, a swiss chard tart, and a seasonal salad of clementines, blood oranges, beets, blue cheese and arugula. I roasted the beets the night before, left them in their skins in the fridge, and peeled them right before I made the salad. I dressed it with a lemony champagne vinaigrette, a little salt, a little pepper.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have some leftover cake to eat.