Mojito Pound Cake with Spiced Glaze

"Intense love does not measure, it just gives." - Mother Teresa

So, I don't know about you, but generally speaking, a lot of us out there have that one person that just, doesn't quite seem to make it over to our good side. No matter what they say or do, that person ends up digging their own grave in the cemetery that is your 'black list' day after day after day. Although this pettiness is normal in social aspects, it grinds my gears when I see it in the workplace. Um, hello, isn't the workplace supposed to be a playground of professionalism? Let me backtrack a bit though. Let's say someone in a higher position doesn't like someone in the team that they're in charge of overseeing. Should that influence the projects which are assigned to that person, or should it influence the seating arrangements of said person? I think not. I think, as a person of higher ranking, silly pettiness shouldn't be mixed into work, or work assignments, or work seating arrangements. The person that you don't like shouldn't be the victim of subliminal workplace bullying, no matter what position you or that person are in. I know all of this sounds really vague and doesn't really make sense, but trust me, if I started to get into the gruesome gory details, what was meant to be one simple post would end up being a whole book of a post. Want to know what's a good replacement for a super long whiny post? A drink, or a piece of cake... or what about a drink-themed pound cake, huh?? Oh, trust me... This cake kills two birds with one stone. It's the real deal. You get the taste of a mojito along with a delicately textured cake that's re-baked in order to have a zinger of a spiced glaze on the outside. The combination leads to you having a flavor-packed punch with every bite of this cake. Another thing I loved is how great the house smells while the cake is baking. Your whole entire house ends up smelling as if you had put a giant mojito-flavored air freshener into your AC.

Mojito Pound Cake with Spiced Glaze
adapted from: CakeLove: How to Bake Cakes from Scratch by Warren Brown

*makes: one 12-cup Bundt cake*

"Modeled after the fabulously thirst-quenching Cuban cocktail, the Mojito Crunchy Feet were an instant hit when introduced at CakeLove. Oddly enough it became a sought-after flavor for wedding cakes, so I panned the batter as a layer cake and paired it with rum-flavored Italian Meringue Buttercream. I had no idea the result would taste so refreshing. I also like this cake for its unusual list of ingredients, including cloves, which are barely noticeable but necessary for balance."

Ingredients:
12 oz unbleached all purpose flour
1/4 cup all natural unmodified potato starch
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp Madagascar Bourbon pure vanilla powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2/3 cup sour cream
1/4 cup ultra-pasteurized half & half
3 tbsp spiced rum
2 tsp "Crush" pure vanilla bean extract
1 tsp molasses
1 tsp pure lemon oil
1/4 tsp pure peppermint extract
juice of 1 lime
1/2 lb all natural unsalted butter
18 oz extra fine granulated sugar
zest of 1 lime
4 large eggs
2 large yolks

Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 350F. Set the rack in the middle of the oven.
2) Set out the ingredients and equipment.
- Sift the flour directly into a bowl on a scale for accurate measuring.
- Measure the other dry ingredients into a separate mixing bowl, add the flour, and whisk for 10 seconds to blend. Set aside.
- Measure the liquid ingredients into a separate bowl, whisk to combine, and set aside.
- Measure the butter and sugar into separate bowls and set aside.
- Crack the eggs and yolks into two separate bowls and set aside.
3) In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, sugar, and lime zest on the lowest speed for 4 to 5 minutes.
4) With the mixer still on the lowest speed, add the eggs one at a time followed by the yolks, fully incorporating after each addition.
5) Add the dry ingredient mixture alternately with the liquid mixture in 3 to 5 additions each, beginning and ending with the dry mixture. Move swiftly through this step to avoid overworking the batter. Don't wait for the dry or liquid mixtures to be fully incorporated before adding the next. This step should take a total of about 60 seconds.
6) Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl all the way down. Don't miss the clumps of ingredients hiding on the bottom of the bowl. Mix on medium speed for 15 to 20 seconds to develop the batter's structure.
7) Prepare the pan. Spray the pan well with a nonstick spray.
8) Fill the pan about three-quarters full by depositing the batter with the rubber spatula in small clumps around the prepared pan instead of by pouring it into one spot. Level the batter with the rubber spatula.
9) Bake for approximately 45 to 50 minutes.
10) Once the top of the cake doesn't jiggle in the center and the surface looks blonde with browned edges, test for doneness by inserting a bamboo skewer in the center of the cake. When the skewer shows just a touch of crumbs or comes out clean, the cake is done. Remove the pan from the oven and place on a heat-resistant surface or wire rack.
11) Once the cake has cooled for 5 to 10 minutes, remove the cake by inverting the pan onto a flat surface. Allow it to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes, before glazing with the Spiced Glaze.
12) Store under a cake dome at room temperature, or wrapped in plastic in the fridge for up to 1 week. To store longer, label, date, and store the plastic-wrapped cake in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Spiced Glaze

Ingredients:
1/2 cup peach preserves
3 tbsp confectioner's sugar
1 tbsp spiced rum
1/2 tsp ground cloves
pinch ground allspice

Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 350F.
2) Place the cake on an oven-safe plate.
3) Heat the preserves in a saucepan over low heat until the preserves liquefy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
4) Transfer the heated preserves to a sieve placed over a bowl and press with a rubber spatula to separate the liquid from the solids.
5) Brush a light coat of the warm preserve liquid onto the cake with a pastry brush.
6) Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and lightly brush the mixture onto the preserve-coated cake.
7) Bake for 5 minutes to seal in the glaze.
8) Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool to room temperature before serving.