Late entry for Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras Cream Cheese Pound Cake with Bourbon and Pecans

is the absolute most delicious poundcake ever! I can't believe just how moist and full of flavor this beautiful creation is. Andrea @ Andrea's Recipes is such a talented lady and I find myself constantly printing her recipes out along with Deborah at Taste and Tell and Peter M at Kalofagas - Pursuit of Delicious Foods. Really talented cooks and very enjoyable to read what wonderful things they have been up too!

The Cream Cheese Poundcake slices wonderfully and the flavors compliment each other perfectly. I was worried about the Bourbon flavor being too strong but it really works and is actually subtle in flavor. I believe that the moist crumb comes from the cream cheese but I think what really stands out in this cake is the toasted pecans. All-in-all: Delicious!

Here is Andrea's recipe or you can just click on the link to her site above =D:

Equipment
stand mixer with paddle attachment12 cup tube pan or Bundt pan, greased and flouredmedium bowl
Ingredients
CAKE

1-1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

3 cups sugar

6 large eggs

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup bourbon (or milk)

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1-1/2 cups chopped pecans, toasted

GLAZE

3 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1-1/2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted

2 to 3 tablespoons milk

COLORED SUGARS

dark green

yellow

dark lavender

Preparation
1. CAKE: Set oven rack in the middle and preheat oven to 325° F.
2. In the bowl of the stand mixer, cream together the butter and the cream cheese. Add the sugar a little at a time, mixing on medium speed until light and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing on low just until the yolk is no longer visible.
4. In the medium bowl, sift together the flour and the salt. Add the flour and salt to the butter mixture a little at a time, alternating with the bourbon, mixing on low each time just until blended. Be gentle. Don’t over mix, or the cake will be tough and lose volume. Start with the flour and end with the flour. (You can also do this part by hand using a spatula to fold in the flour and bourbon.)
5. Gently fold in the vanilla extract and the pecans.
6. Pour into the prepared tube/Bundt pan and bake for 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes, using a long bamboo skewer to check cake consistency. Skewer should come out dry, but may have a few crumbs clinging. Remove from oven and cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on the wire rack.
7. GLAZE: In the bowl of the stand mixer, cream together the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla. Add the sifted sugar a little at a time until the sugar is fully mixed in. Add milk a little at a time, mixing as you go, until the glaze drizzles easily from a spoon. Depending on humidity, you may need a little more or a little less milk.
8. DECORATE: Drizzle the glaze around the top of the cake, allowing it to run down the sides. Sprinkle the colored sugars on top of the glaze.