Chef of the Week: Sandra Aigbinode…Rum Cake

Ingredients

1 (18.25 ounce) package Yellow cake mix or Betty Crocker Butter Pecan Cake mix (any grocery store has these)
1 (3.5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup rum
1/2 cup chopped pecans

3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup water
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup rum

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour one 10 inch tube pan.
Combine cake mix and pudding mix.

In another bowl beat eggs, water, oil and rum until frothy. Add cake mix/pudding mixture and beat until well mixed. Spread pecans evenly over the bottom of the prepared pan and pour batter over pecans.

Bake cake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out dry when inserted in the center. Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes and remove from pan. Place in serving dish immediately, right side up. (Pecans should be on the bottom at the beginning of baking, so flip the cake at the end)

To Make Glaze: During the last 15 to 20 minutes of baking time, combine butter or margarine, water and sugar in a sauce pan and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and boil rapidly until it’s very thick and syrupy stirring very frequently. The syrup must be reduced quite a bit and very thick otherwise it will make the cake mushy.

Remove from heat and add rum to your taste. While cake is still hot, poke holes all over top of cake with a toothpick and spoon glaze over top of cake. Allow cake to sit at room temperature for one day then refrigerate.