Let Them Drink Cake!

I can’t always hold my liquor, but I can always hold my cake.

Especially if it’s rum cake!

For many years, my family has followed Bacardi Rum’s recipe for this tender, buttery cake, and ever year we wish we had baked two instead of just one.

This New Year’s Eve, wow your friends with this impressive dessert.  (You can keep the fact that it’s made from a mix a secret.)

Bacardi Holiday Rum Cake

In a large bowl, dump:

-One yellow cake mix with pudding in the mix (I use Pillsbury’s),

-3 large eggs (room temp!),

-1/3 cup vegetable oil,

-1/2 cup cold water, and

-1/2 cup Bacardi dark rum or whatever rum you want

Beat cake for 30 seconds to incorporate ingredients and then another 2 minutes on high until the batter is smooth and light.

Now, grab a bundt pan and spray the dickens out of it with non-stick cooking spray.

(Those of you who have ever struggled removing a bundt cake from its pan know what I’m talking.  Douse that sucker!)

Pour batter evenly into the pan.

Bake cake in a 325 degree oven for 45-55 minutes.  Check cake after 45 minutes by sliding a toothpick in the center-most part of the cake.  If it comes out clean, the cake is done.

Allow the cake to thoroughly cool on a rack for at least an hour.

Carefully flip the pan over onto the cooling rack, releasing the cake.

Using a toothpick prick the entire surface of the cake.

Time to make the glaze!

In a medium-large sauce pan (you’ll be sorry if you use a small one!), melt 1 stick of unsalted butter over medium heat.

Add 1/2 cup of water…

…and 1 cup of sugar.

Whisk until the sugar dissolves and bring to a boil, stirring often.

Boil for 5 minutes.  (This mixture will expand during the boiling process.)

Remove pan from heat and carefully pour in 1/2 cup rum.

Stir glaze until smooth, then immediately pour over cake.

Here is how I glaze my cake:

Place the cooling rack with the cake on it over a large plate, and slowly spoon glaze over the top…

…and sides.

At first, the glaze will quickly run off the cake, but no worries, the plate is catching the excess.

Pour the excess glaze that gathers onto the plate underneath back into the pan, and repeat until the cake has absorbed the majority of the glaze.  (A little excess rum glaze at the bottom of a cake plate never hurt anybody.)

For best flavor and texture, allow cake to set for at least an hour before serving.

(You could also make this a day in advance.  Just wrap in plastic and refrigerate overnight.)

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