Screwdriver Carrot Cake

Ingredients

Cake

• 5 tablespoons grated orange rind
• 1/2 cup vodka
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• 3 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 1 1/2 cups carrots, grated
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Glaze

• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 teaspoons orange juice
• 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
• 4 teaspoons vodka
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cake

1. Stir grated orange rind into vodka and set aside.
2. Cream butter; gradually add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in beaten eggs and add vanilla extract.
3. Sift the dry ingredients together, then blend into the batter alternately with orange rind-vodka mixture. Add carrots and chopped pecans.
4. Bake in buttered, floured 10 inch tube or Bundt pan until cake tests done, about 1 hour.
5. Cool in pan on rack for 15 minutes, turn out, then finish cooling on rack.

Glaze

1. Combine confectioners' sugar, orange juice, vodka, orange extract and light corn syrup and beating until smooth. Spoon glaze over top of cooled cake, then spread evenly with knife. If desired, sprinkle with more chopped nuts.