Christmas Rum Cake Recipe 445

Steps:

• For the cake: Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
• Spray a 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray and sprinkle the bottom with the chopped pecans. Set aside.
• Combine the flour, dry milk, cornstarch, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
• Cream the butter and sugar together in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until light and fluffy.
• Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined. (It will look like crumb topping.)
• Whisk together the milk, rum, oil, vanilla and eggs in another bowl.
• Slowly add the liquid mixture to the crumb mixture and mix until combined. (Pouring the liquid in slowly is important. The batter has a high ratio of liquid and will be thin almost like a thick crepe batter, but if you add the liquid too quickly you will get lumps that never go away no matter the amount of mixing!)
• Pour the batter into the pan and bake until the top is golden, center is set and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted, 50 to 60 minutes.
• Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack. Poke holes all over the cake using a wooden skewer.
• For the buttered rum sauce: Meanwhile, add the butter, honey, cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, nutmeg, salt and 1/3 cup water to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until the honey has dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the rum. (It is going to bubble and splatter a little, so be careful.)
• Clean and dry the Bundt pan, then place the cooled cake back inside the pan. Poke a few holes in the top. Evenly pour the rum sauce over the cake. Let the cake sit to absorb the sauce, 30 minutes or up to overnight.
• Invert the cake back onto a cake plate and serve at room temperature. (See Cook's Note.)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a fluted tube pan (such as a Bundt®) with cooking spray.
• Place the cake mix, eggs, 1/3 cup of rum, 1/2 cup of water, and the vegetable oil into a large bowl. Beat until smooth with an electric mixer on low speed, about 3 minutes.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the cake has risen and the top is lightly golden brown, about 40 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean.
• While cake is baking, make the glaze. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine 1/4 cup of rum, 1/4 cup of water, sugar, and butter. Stir and heat until all the sugar has dissolved and the butter is melted. Turn off heat.
• Remove the cake from the oven. While still hot and in the pan, poke the cake all over with a long skewer to make many deep holes.
• Pour the glaze over the hot cake. Allow the cake to cool until the cake separates slightly from the side of the pan, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Line a jellyroll pan or large baking sheet with waxed paper. Carefully place the lined pan over the top of the cake pan, and flip the cake pan over to release the cake onto the waxed paper. If desired, transfer cake to a serving platter.
• Let the cake cool thoroughly and sprinkle lightly with confectioners' sugar before slicing.

Steps:

• Start with the fruit. Pour the apple juice into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add the butter, let it melt, then take off the heat and add the syrup and rum. Put the mixed fruit and cranberries into a large bowl, pour over the hot rum mix, then cover tightly with cling film and leave overnight.
• The next day, heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease and double-line a 20cm round, deep cake tin with non-stick baking parchment. Beat the butter and sugar together until creamy and pale, then gradually beat in the eggs until light and fluffy. If the mix starts to split or look lumpy, add 1 tbsp of the flour and keep beating. Sift in the flour, spices and ¼ tsp salt, and fold in using a large spoon. Fold in the orange zest, nuts, soaked fruit and soaking liquid.
• Spoon the batter into the tin, level the top, then make a slight dimple in the middle using the back of the spoon. Bake for 1 hr 30 mins, then reduce oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1 and bake for a further 1 hr 45 mins or until it has risen, is a dark golden colour and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Put the tin on a cooling rack and leave until warm.
• To feed the cake the first time, use a cocktail stick to poke all over the top of the warm cake. Stir together the rum and maple syrup, then slowly spoon over the cake. Cool completely, then remove the baking parchment, wrap loosely in clean baking parchment and store in an airtight tin. Feed the cake every week to 10 days until you decorate it.
• To cover, ice and decorate your cake, see 'goes well with' for instructions on how to make our Midwinter candle cake, Sparkly bauble cake or Sparkling snowfetti cake.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325.
• Grease and flour Bundt cake pan.
• Sprinkle nuts over bottom of pan.
• If desired, sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar over the nuts.
• Mix all cake ingredients together.
• Pour batter over nuts.
• Smooth out 'til the top is even.
• Bake 1 hour, or a little less if the pan is black. Do not overbake!
• While cake has ten minutes to go, make the glaze.
• Melt butter in saucepan.
• Stir in water and sugar.
• Boil 4 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Turn off flame and pour in rum.
• Stir to combine and reheat for 30 seconds.
• Remove cake from oven.
• Immediately drizzle 1/3 of the glaze on the bottom (top) of the cake.
• Allow to sit for five minutes.
• Invert the cake onto a serving plate.
• Prick surface a hundred times with a fork (gently, please.)
• Slowly drizzle remaining rum glaze all over the top of the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides.
• Cool to room temperature before serving to ensure glaze has soaked inches.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a bundt cake pan. Sprinkle nuts over bottom of pan. If desired, sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar over the nuts. Mix all cake ingredients together. Pour batter into pan over nuts. Smooth out 'til the top is even. Bake for 1 hour, or a little less if the pan is black. Do not over-bake! GLAZE: While cake has ten minutes to go, make the glaze. Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in water and sugar. Boil for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Turn off flame and pour in rum. Stir to combine and reheat for 30 seconds. Remove cake from oven. Immediately drizzle 1/3 of the glaze on the bottom (top) of the cake. Allow to sit for five minutes. Invert the cake onto a serving plate. Prick surface a hundred times with a fork (gently, please.) Slowly drizzle remaining rum glaze all over the top of the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides. Cool to room temperature before serving to ensure glaze has soaked in. Eat. Enjoy. And don't feel guilty. It's Christmas time!