An Inspired Cook

Here’s a classic Rum Cake that I fell in love with at first bite.  My sister Kat made it years ago and I have never forgotten how much I loved it!  She gave me the recipe and I’ve finally gotten around to making it.  Boy is this cake good!  It’s so moist because of the glaze that’s absorbed into the cake.  Kat used Bicardi Silver which is milder in flavor but what I had on hand  was Jamaican rum and it gave the cake a much stronger flavor so take that into consideration.

For the cake you’ll need a yellow cake mix, vanilla pudding mix, canola or vegetable oil, eggs, pecans and rum.  You can use a boxed cake mix or make your own.  This cake mix is for a large cake and I added an additional 3/4 cup of water to the mix as the batter was too thick.

Combine the cake ingredients and beat with a hand or stand mixer.

If using the large homemade cake mix you may need to add additional water.  I added 1/4 cup at a time (a total of 3/4 cup) until I had a thick but smooth batter.

Prep a bundt cake pan with oil and flour.  Roughly chop the pecans and sprinkle on the bottom of the pan.  Pour the batter over the top of the pecans and bake at 325 degrees for approximately 1 hour.

With the cake in the oven it’s time to make the glaze.  Melt 1/2 cup of butter with 1/4 cup water.

Add the sugar and bring to a boil.  Boil for 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in the rum.

Once the cake has cooled , flip it over onto a plate and begin pricking the cake all over.  I made a lot more work for myself by using a toothpick.  It would have been faster and easier using a fork, but sometimes I do before I think!

Begin spooning the glaze over the cake.

Isn’t that a gorgeous cake!

I had about a half cup of heavy cream left in the carton and whipped it up with a tablespoon of sugar.  Oh, it was good, wish you were here!


Rum Cake

1 box Yellow Cake Mix, (Homemade Yellow Cake Mix recipe follows)
1 (4 ounce) Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix
1 cup Pecans, chopped
4 Eggs
1/2 cup Vegetable or Canola Oil
1/2 cup Rum, Silver Label Bicardi is milder

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Prep bundt pan with oil and flour.  Sprinkle chopped nuts on the bottom of the pan.

Combine cake ingredients and beat 2 minutes on high with a hand or stand mixer.  Pour into the pan, bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour or until toothpick tested.  Let cool in pan, then invert onto plate.  Prick the cake with a fork or toothpick over all sides of the cake.  Spoon the glaze over the cake.

Rum Glaze

1/2 cup Butter
1/4 cup Water
1 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Rum

Melt butter in saucepan with water.  Add sugar, boil 5 minutes stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and stir in rum.

Homemade Yellow Cake Mix for Large Bundt Pan
(adapted from Chickens in the Road blog)

3 cups Flour
1 1/4 cups Sugar
1 tablespoon Baking Powder
1/2 cup Dry Milk
***If using the homemade mix for the Rum Cake, add 3/4 cup water to the mix

Combine the dry ingredients together.  Store in a Zip Lock bag up to 6 month’s.