Screwdriver Carrot Cake

Somebody looked at a screwdriver cocktail and thought, “What if that was a cake?" And honestly, it was a stroke of genius.

Vodka steeped with fresh orange zest gets folded into a butter-rich carrot cake batter spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, studded with chopped pecans and grated carrots.

Bake it in a Bundt pan until golden, then drizzle the whole thing with a glossy orange-vodka glaze that soaks into every ridge and groove.

This is the kind of cake that starts conversations at a party and ends with people asking for the recipe before they’ve finished their slice.

Chef Tips

• Steep the orange zest in the vodka while you prep the rest of the ingredients. Even 20 minutes makes a difference in how much orange flavor comes through.
• Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the vodka mixture to prevent the batter from splitting. Patience here pays off in texture.
• Let the cake cool completely before glazing. A warm cake absorbs the glaze unevenly and you lose that gorgeous glossy finish.
• The alcohol mostly bakes off during that hour in the oven, but a whisper of warmth remains in the glaze.