Bahamian Rum Cake

Cari’s Bahamian rum cake is a bundt cake soaked with a butter, brown-sugar and dark-rum glaze. The selected recipe layers supplied chopped nuts inside a batter containing vanilla instant pudding mix, milk and eggs. The author offers room-temperature service after the glazed cake has cooled.

A large bundt pan is sprayed with nonstick baking spray. All-purpose flour, brown and granulated sugars, baking powder, salt and unsalted butter are combined in a large mixing bowl on low speed until the mixture resembles fine gravel.

Vanilla instant pudding mix, milk, eggs, dark rum, vegetable oil and vanilla extract are added. An electric mixer combines them, with the bowl scraped partway through. Half the batter is poured into the pan, the selected optional supplied chopped nuts are sprinkled in, and the remaining batter covers them.

The cake bakes until golden and a toothpick comes out clean, then rests on a cooling rack. In a small saucepan, separate glaze portions of the same unsalted butter, brown sugar and dark rum are combined with water, boiled with occasional whisking and simmered until the sugar dissolves and the syrup thickens slightly.

While the cake is still cooling in the pan, a skewer makes holes across its surface. The hot syrup is gradually poured over it until all is added and absorbed. After a short cooling period, the cake is turned onto a large serving platter and allowed to cool to room temperature for the selected presentation.