The Healthy My Ass Cookbook

Rum Cake

A yellow cake soaked in a rum glaze.

Ingredients:

Directions:

Generously grease and flour a 10" tube pan, 12 cup bundt pan or a 13x9" pan.  Sprinkle the chopped Pecans evenly in the bottom of the pan.  Preheat the oven to 325°F.

In a large bowl, blend to moisten the Yellow Cake Mix, Instant Vanilla Pudding & Pie Filling Mix, Eggs, Vegetable Oil, Dark Rum and Water then beat at medium speed for at least 2 minutes scraping the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed.  Pour the batter evenly in the pan without disturbing the pecans.  Bake for 1 hour (or 35 to 45 minutes for 13x9" pan) until a tooth pick inserted into the center comes out clean.

While the cake is baking prepare the glaze.  Melt the Butter in a 1&1/2 quart or large saucepan.  Stir in the Sugar and Water.  Bring to a rolling boil and boil for 5 minutes stirring constantly.  Set aside to cool completely.

When the cake is done, remove it from the oven and let cool on a rack 15 minutes (10 minutes for 13x9" pan).  Remove the cake from the pan and let cool completely on a rack bottom side up.

Once the cake is completely cooled, transfer the cake to its serving plate, keeping the pecans on top.  Pierce the cake from top to bottom with a rod about the diameter of a pencil every 1" apart.  I use a chop stick.  Add the Dark Rum to the cooled glaze and stir to blend thoroughly.  Drizzle the glaze slowly over the top of the cake allowing the holes to absorb most of it, but letting some run down the sides in the case of the tube or bundt cakes.

Before serving, drain, rinse and set the Maraschino Cherries on a paper towel to absorb any excess liquid.  Whip the Whipping Cream with the Powdered Sugar until stiff peaks form.  Cut the cake into servings and place a dollop of whipped cream topped with one cherry on each.

Notes:

You can bake the cake up to 3 days in advance because the glaze compensates for any drying out.  If you leave the cake in the pan during that time, briefly warming it in the oven, or floating it in hot water (unless it is a 2 piece tube pan), will make it easier to remove the cake from the pan.  Glazing the cake can be done any time on the day you intend to serve it.