Zachary Taylor has the hottest of all presidential nicknames. Seriously. Old Rough and Ready. That name alone is reason enough to go along with his agenda.

Okay, that’s out of the way.

Lest you think that I am the singular person who, despite a deep love for the presidents, often thinks of them in shallow terms, let’s unpack that sexy nickname of his a bit more. Zachary Taylor earned the nickname during his military career. He had gained quite the reputation as a soldier. He had survived multiple battles in the Indian wars and the Mexican wars. Like Andrew Jackson before him, this war-born popularity helped clear the way to the White House. This wasn’t a case of people feeling that he, Zachary Taylor, was the man cut out for the job and destined to lead.

Unfortunately for him (and the next few presidents following him), sectional strife plagued his presidency, and the skills that served him in times of war did not help him steer the country away from the tensions that would eventually lead to the Civil War.

The Cake:

It seems that for a warrior like President Taylor, it makes sense to focus on the flavors that might bring a man comfort in times of war: coffee and whiskey.

Here the cake is coffee flavored and the frosting is brown sugar and whiskey flavored. The cupcake is topped with whiskey caramel sauce.

The flavor of this cupcake was a winner. However, there were some texture problems that I would fix if I were to make this cupcake again. But if there is a president who could handle less than perfect circumstances, Old Rough and Ready is the one.