Every holiday season, my neighbor bakes us a delicious rum cake.  While I am not usually a fan of rum cake, I really love this one.  I had to ask my neighbor the secret to her awesome rum cake.  She said the key was to use “the cheapest rum you can find”.  This is totally my kind of cake.  She briefly went over the recipe with me and I went home to recreate it. I must say that it is simply delicious!
Rum Cake
Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Grease a 10 inch bundt pan with flour. Sprinkle chopped nuts evenly over the bottom of the pan. You can use any shape bundt pan.  I found that the spiral Heritage bundt pan allowed for the nuts to surround the cake from top to bottom.  It is the perfect pan when you want to add toppings to the cake before adding batter.
In a large bowl, mix together the yellow cake mix and pudding mix. Then, add the eggs, water, oil and rum. Whisk together well.
Once combined, pour the batter into the bundt pan, covering the chopped nuts.
Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until a skewer or toothpick comes out clean from the center.
Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
Once cooled, turn out onto a cake plate.
While the cake is cooling, make the glaze. Combine the butter, water and sugar in a 1 quart sauce pan. Bring to a boil and cook for 5-7 minutes or until the sugar is fully dissolved. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Then, stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of rum.
Using a pastry brush, brush the glaze lightly over the cake. That way you will not disturb the crushed nuts.
Repeat the glazing step until all of the glaze is used.
Allow the cake to absorb the glaze before eating.
The Heritage Bundt pan made a pretty cake and also evenly distributed the nuts. Â It is a winner!
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 package yellow cake mix 18.25 oz
- 1 package instant vanilla pudding 3.4 ounce
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup rum use whatever you have. My neighbor recommends the cheapest stuff you have
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 tbs rum see rum note above
- 1 Bundt Pan 10 inch
- Cooking spray with flour
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Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Grease a 10 inch Bundt pan with flour cooking spray or use butter and then flour.
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Sprinkle chopped nuts evenly over the bottom of the pan.
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In a large bowl mix together the yellow cake mix and pudding mix. Then add the eggs, water, oil and rum. Whisk together well.
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Once combined, pour the batter into the bundt pan covering the chopped nuts.
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Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until a skewer or toothpick comes out clean from the center.
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Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
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Once cooled turn out onto a cake plate.
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While the cake is cooling make the glaze. Combine the butter, water and sugar in a 1 quart sauce pan. Bring to a boil and cook for 5-7 minutes or until the sugar is fully dissolved. Remove form the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Then stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of rum.
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Using a pastry brush, brush the glaze lightly over the cake. That way you will not disturb the crushed nuts. Repeat the glazing step until all of the glaze is used.
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Allow the cake to absorb the glaze before eating.