Spiced Pound Cake with Orange Rum Sauce

Yield: 20 servings

Spiced Pound Cake:
Shortening, for greasing pan
Flour, for pan
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3 1/2 cups cake flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk

Orange Rum Sauce:
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Pinch salt
1 medium orange, juiced and strained, combined
    with water to yield 1 cup
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1/4 cup rum
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Sauce:
3/4 cup clear corn syrup
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat the oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare a Bundt pan with an even coating of shortening and flour. Place chopped pecans evenly in the bottom of the Bundt pan.

In the bowl of a mixer, cream butter and sugars together, beating until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and ginger. Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt; add flour mixture to egg mixture alternating the buttermilk, and beginning and ending with the flour. Pour into prepared Bundt pan and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, turn out onto wire rack to cool partially, and then place on a cake plate.

Make the Orange Rum Glaze: Stir together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in small saucepan. Add juice and water mixture, zest and rum. Cook over medium heat until bubbly, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla extract; stir. Pour approximately half of the glaze over the warm cake. Reserve remaining glaze for serving with the cake.

Make the Chocolate Sauce: Place corn syrup and chocolate in a microwave-safe container. Microwave for 1 minute on high and then stir to melt chocolate. Add butter and vanilla extract and whisk until chocolate is thoroughly combined. Drizzle over cooled cake and serve.