Butter Rum Pecan Pound Cake
**Ingredients:**
– 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, softened
– ½ cup canola oil
– 3 cups white sugar
– 6 large eggs
– 3 ½ cups sifted cake flour
– 1 tsp baking powder
– ¼ tsp salt
– 1 tsp butter extract
– 1 tbsp rum extract
– 1 cup half and half (room temperature for best results)
**Preparation:**
1. In a mixing bowl, blend sugar, softened butter, and canola oil with a mixer for 15-20 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. Scrape the bowl several times during this process.
2. Add eggs one at a time, ensuring each is well blended. Then add the butter and rum extracts.
3. Gradually add in the sifted cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well after each addition until fully incorporated.
4. Gradually add the half and half, about ¼ cup at a time, blending well and scraping the bowl halfway through.
5. Pour the batter into a greased tube or Bundt pan.
6. Place the pan in a cold oven, set the temperature to 300°F, and bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick (or a longer skewer) into the center; if it comes out clean, the cake is done.
7. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for about 20 minutes. Then gently remove it from the pan and let it cool for an additional 30 minutes.
**Glaze:**
– 2-3 cups confectioners sugar
– Bacardi White Rum (add gradually until desired consistency is reached)
1. Sift or loosen the confectioner’s sugar in a bowl.
2. Gradually add Bacardi White Rum until you achieve a thick glaze consistency.
3. Carefully glaze the cooled cake from the outer edge to the center using a spoon. Adjust the thickness of the glaze by adding more sugar if needed.
4. Optionally, decorate with pecan halves or pieces before or after glazing.
*Note:* You can customize the flavor of the pound cake by changing the extract. For lemon, vanilla, or orange pound cake, use the corresponding extract in place of rum and butter extract. For the glaze, use water or milk with the same extract used in the cake.