Rum Cake

Years ago when my husband and I lived in California we would go to the little town of Jackson and stay at the Wedgewood Inn as often as we could. This beautiful inn was painted Wedgewood blue and the owners filled it perfectly with antique and period pieces. These lovely people were given permission to sell Thomas Kinkade paintings and his gorgeous art was everywhere you looked. The beauty and comfort of this inn was easily matched by the delicious brunch served to the guests each morning.

This delicious rum cake was served alongside the brunch dishes, but they didn't serve it with the whipped cream like I have here. Again, years ago when I was having lunch with some ladies one of the ladies served this same cake, except she didn't have the layer of pecans in her recipe and she did serve it with whipped cream. So, on one of our trips to the Wedgewood I purchased their recipe and compared it to the one my friend had given me. This recipe from the Wedgewood Inn, with the addition of the whipped cream, is absolutely wonderful for dessert and would be perfect for an Easter dinner. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 cup finely chopped pecans
1 box yellow cake mix (without pudding in the mix)
1 small pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
1/2 cup cold water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup rum
Whipped cream, optional

Glaze:
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup rum
1 cup sugar

1. Grease and flour a Bundt or tube pan. Spread the pecans over the bottom of the pan.
2. Beat together the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water, oil and rum for 30 seconds on low speed of electric mixer. Scrape bowl and continue beating on medium-high speed for 2 minutes longer until the batter is light and creamy. Pour batter into cake pan.
3. Bake the cake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
4. While cake is baking prepare the glaze by boiling the glaze ingredients together in a small saucepan for 2-4 minutes. Set aside. The glaze may need to be reheated before use.
5. When cake is done remove from oven and while hot poke many holes in the cake with a skewer. Pour glaze over the hot cake. Let cool for 30-40 minutes.
6. To remove the cake from a Bundt pan simply invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely. If you use a tube pan run a table knife around the inside edges to loosen the cake and lift the tube out and cool on a wire rack. When the cake is completely cool run the knife under the cake to loosen it from the pan and place it on a serving plate. Serve with very lightly sweetened whipped cream, if desired.

Yield: 12 servings
523 calories per serving without whipped cream