Don't tell the Bird

See this lovely lady here? She is my grandmother, currently in her 90's and residing in the nursing home. Although I caught her in a little catnap in this photo, she is still very much "with it" and can relate many stories from her life. She grew up on a farm with a father who worked as a blacksmith. She raised 5 children, in a small cabin that my grandfather built. They lived in a remote area of our county and she raised/canned all of their food. One of the neatest things about her is that her middle name really is, Bird.


Living in the nursing home really does have its downfalls. One is the food. But, my Aunt Mater keeps Bird supplied with one of her favorite cakes. The little gem pictured below, the revered, Harvey Wallbanger Cake. Now, the Bird does not know a thing about this cake's top secret ingredient....Vodka. It makes the cake exceptionally moist and, you know, gives it that certain "something".

I am going to go ahead and give out this recipe, but people....IT'S A SECRET!

Harvery Wallbanger Cake

Ingredients:

1 package orange supreme cake mix

1 (3.5 ounce) instant orange (or lemon) pudding mix

4 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

5 fluid ounces orange liqueur

2 fluid ounces vodka

1/2 cup orange juice

1 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour one bundt pan.

2. Combine cake mix and pudding mix in a large bowl. Blend in eggs, vegetable oil, 4 ounces orange liqueur, 1 ounce vodka, and 4 ounces orange juice. Mix batter until smooth and thick, then pour into prepared pan.

3. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes then remove and place on cooling rack. Spoon glaze over cake while it is still warm.

4. To make glaze: Combine the remaining 1 ounce orange liqueur, 1 ounce vodka, and 1 ounce orange juice with the powdered sugar. Blend until smooth. Spoon glaze over warm cake.

Enjoy and don't tell the Bird.