Why does this happen to me? I made Edgar’s rum cake. But I used the fucking bundt pan and it was prepped it should have leapt out of the pan but no. OK, well some of it did. Half of the cake stayed in the pan. Why? I let it rest overnight upside down and what?! The goddam thing came apart. I patched it together and then did a crumb layer and re-frosted it (and added almonds as a distraction from its less than perfect appearance). It was exquisite, that butter-rum soaking liquid is amazing.
But what a damn nightmare. I hate frosting cakes and frosting injured cakes is more than I can deal with. I know what the problem is. It’s me. I just don’t know how to solve it.
This is a rum cake. Perfect for holidays. It is fairly easy to make despite the massive ingredient list and complex looking instructions. It’s just a cake.
The making of the mix, which eliminates the boxed cake mix, is what makes this so good.
I served this with caramelized bananas or pineapple, and whipped cream.
Recipe follows
Edgar’s Rum Cake
Basic Cake Mix
2 cups cake flour
1.5 cups granulated sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, cut into cubes
3 TBS vegetable oil
For the Cake
The cake mix
3.4 oz. package instant vanilla pudding mix
1/2 cup milk
4 eggs
1/2 cup spiced rum
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Rum Soaking Glaze
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup spiced rum
For the Basic Cake Mix:
Use an electric mixer on low speed to combine
the ingredients in a large mixing bowl until
the mix is the consistency of fine gravel,
and all of the particles are almost equal in size.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Spray a bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray.
(Actually buttering and flouring works better
and if you butter it, put it in the freezer for a
few minutes before you put the flour on it.
Then the coating of flour will not be so dense)
Sprinkle the chopped nuts into the bottom.
Make the Cake
Place cake mix, pudding mix, milk, eggs, rum, oil and vanilla
extract in a large bowl and combine on medium speed with an electric
mixer for about 2 or 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl halfway through.
Batter should be very smooth. Pour into prepared Bundt pan and level
out top. Bake until fully golden and tester comes out clean and cake
springs back – about 55 minutes. Remove from oven and place on cooling
rack while making soaking glaze.
Rum Soaking Glaze:
In a small saucepan combine butter, water and
sugar. Bring to a boil carefully as mixture boils over very easily.
Reduce to a simmer and cook until sugar is dissolved and syrup is
combine well and a little thicker. Remove from heat and add the rum
and mix to combine.
While cake is still cooling, pour hot syrup into and on top of cake.
There is a lot of syrup and if cake doesn’t soak it up right away just
wait a couple minutes and add the rest. It will take time to soak it up.
Cool cake completely in Bundt pan before turning out onto serving platter.
