Rum Cake Recipe???

[deangreenhoe]

Okay, so I have this bottle of 151 rum on hand to make the rum ball recipe that RobinT so kindly provided for us all. (Couldn't get the Lamb's Navy brand locally but I'm willing to bet that Bacardi will do the job. ;) )

I'm thinking I shouldn't actually drink it considering the very scary warnings on the label. I plan to have a fire extinguisher on hand when I crack open the bottle tomorrow for the rum balls. LOL.

We're going to be solidly snowed in (hence my idea to bake) and I'm thinking I'd like to also make a Caribbean style rum cake for the holidays. I don't care if it's a touristy thing - I love that stuff when I'm in the region.

So, anybody attempted this at home and have a good recipe to share? I did a little webby search and saw some common threads between recipes, but the major difference is that some call for a cake mix and instant pudding and others do not. What's worked best for you?

BTW - I just don't (or haven't) baked, so I was like a helpless waif in the supermarket today trying to figure out where they stock the Karo syrup. I've never bought that in my life and it wasn't in the baking aisle (where I tracked down an actual can of cocoa.) I finally had to ask a grandmotherly type who looked like she's swung (and eaten) a few cakes in her life and she just giggled at me and said I would find it by the pancake syrup. Well, how the hell would I know that? I don't eat pancakes or pancake syrup either.

Booze I can find in the store blindfolded. Baking supplies - not so much. Heh, heh.

[Ned]

I've got one for you. I originally got it from Gourmet Magazine, however, I've adjusted the liquids, which I'll explain below.

Mocha Rum Cake

Ingredients
cocoa powder for dusting
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 pound fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped
3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/3 cup dark rum¹
2 cups strong brewed coffee¹

¹The above amount of dark rum and strong coffee are the exact recipe as written, but I agreed with many of the reviewers who made the recipe and changed it to: 1.5 cups rum and 1 cup coffee.

That's slightly more total liquid than original recipe, however, I did that to account for the additional alcohol which will be baked out of the recipe quickly. The extra liquid did cause me to bake the cake for about 2 full hours. You would be fine by using 1.33 cups rum and 1 cup coffee too.

2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs, beaten lightly
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
confectioners' sugar for dusting
lightly sweetened whipped cream

Preparation
Preheat oven to 300°F. Butter a 4 1/2-inch-deep (12-cup) Kugelhupf or bundt pan and dust with cocoa powder, knocking out excess.

In a bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. In a large metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate and butter, stirring until smooth. Remove chocolate from heat and stir in rum, coffee, and granulated sugar. With an electric mixer beat in flour, 1/2 cup at a time, scraping down side, and beat in eggs and vanilla until batter is combined well. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake cake in middle of oven until a tester comes out clean, about 1 hour and 50 minutes. Let cake cool completely in pan on a rack and turn it out onto rack. Cake may be made 3 days in advance and kept wrapped well and chilled.

Dust cake with confectioners' sugar and serve with whipped cream.

[CruiseExpert]

I love those Tortuga Rum Cakes. I asked my Mom for her recipe and she balked saying something about using a yellow cake mix and a modified recipe, I'll keep an eye on her when she makes it and report back. In the meantime, from the net:

http://www.recipezaar.com/108524

Almost Tortuga Rum Cake

Recipe #108524



(http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/reviews.php?rid=108524)19 ratings (http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/reviews.php?rid=108524) Next best to the original! On our visit to the Caribbean, we brought home the best Rum Cake I've ever had.... in fact it's the very best of all cakes I've ever had!!! I then thought I'd send for some to be shipped to us and found the price to be $35 for the med. size ( I paid $18 on the Island) So my search for the recipe began! You can not purchase Tortuga Rum ANYWHERE except in the Caribbean - Whaler's Vanille Rum should be a close match. This next best copy-cat comes from Newsgroup Rec.food.recipes.
by Heart 'N Soul (http://www.recipezaar.com/member/131659)




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12
servings
http://img.recipezaar.com/timer.gif 1¾ hours 45 min prep
Change to: servings US Metric http://img.recipezaar.com/closex.gif (http://javascript<b></b>:void(0);)

Basic Cake Mix

2 cups cake flour (http://www.recipezaar.com/library/getentry.zsp?id=64) 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (http://www.recipezaar.com/library/getentry.zsp?id=139) 4 teaspoons baking powder (http://www.recipezaar.com/library/getentry.zsp?id=6) 1 teaspoon salt (http://www.recipezaar.com/library/getentry.zsp?id=359) 1/2 cup butter (http://www.recipezaar.com/library/getentry.zsp?id=141), cut into bits 3 tablespoons vegetable oil For the Cake

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts (http://www.recipezaar.com/library/getentry.zsp?id=314) 1 (3 1/2 ounce) package vanilla instant pudding mix (http://www.recipezaar.com/library/getentry.zsp?id=888) 1/2 cup milk (http://www.recipezaar.com/library/getentry.zsp?id=360) 4 eggs (http://www.recipezaar.com/library/getentry.zsp?id=142) 1/2 cup whaler vanille rum (http://www.recipezaar.com/library/getentry.zsp?id=180) (Hawaiian-style rum) 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (http://www.recipezaar.com/library/getentry.zsp?id=350) Rum soaking Glaze

1/2 cup butter (http://www.recipezaar.com/library/getentry.zsp?id=141) (do not substitute) 1/4 cup water (http://www.recipezaar.com/library/getentry.zsp?id=459) 1 cup granulated sugar (http://www.recipezaar.com/library/getentry.zsp?id=139) 1/2 cup whaler vanille rum (http://www.recipezaar.com/library/getentry.zsp?id=180) (Hawaiian-style rum)
Not the one? See other Almost Tortuga Rum Cake Recipes (http://www.recipezaar.com/recipes.php?q=Almost%20Tortuga%20Rum%20Cake)

< 4 hours Cakes (http://www.recipezaar.com/recipes/cakes,less-than-4-hours)
Hawaiian Cakes (http://www.recipezaar.com/recipes/cakes,hawaiian)
Copycat Cakes (http://www.recipezaar.com/recipes/cakes,copycat)
Basic Cake Mix: In a large mixing bowl, combine basic cake mix ingredients.
On low speed combine ingredients until the mix is the consistency of fine gravel, and all particles are about the same size.
This mix may be contained and stored for up to 3 months in the refrigerator.
For the Cake:.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Spray a large Bundt pan (12 cup) with nonstick cooking spray.
Sprinkle the chopped walnuts on the bottom.
Place Basic Cake Mix, pudding mix, milk, eggs, rum, oil, and vanilla extract in a large bowl and combine on medium speed with electric mixer for 2 to 3 minutes, scrape down the bowl halfway through.
Batter should be very smooth.
Pour into Bundt pan.
Bake for about 55 minutes- until fully golden and tester comes out clean and cake springs back.
Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack while making the soaking glaze.
Rum Soaking Glaze:.
Combine butter, water and sugar in a small saucepan.
Bring to a boil carefully as mixture boils over very easily.
Reduce to a simmer and cook until sugar is dissolved and syrup is well combined and a little thicker.
Remove from the heat and add the rum, mix to combine.
While cake is still cooling, pour some of the hot syrup on top of the cake, allowing it time to soak in (this may take a few minutes as there will be a lot of syrup) continue to add syrup until all of the syrup is added.
Allow cake to cool completerly in pan before turning out onto serving platter.
This cake is delicate, so once it is turned out, it can not be moved around easily.
Can be eaten when fully cool, but even better the next day!

[wrp96]

My recipe for rum cake:

Book a cruise.

Sail on cruise.

Buy several while on cruise - making sure to take several test bites before I get home!:D

[AaronK]

My mother used to make a great rum cake. I believe it was a simple pound cake, with the special ingredient poured on after baking....

[deangreenhoe]

Good find, CE. That's pretty close to what I've been finding for the non cake mix version. But if your mom uses the modified cake mix format, it must be good, right? I suppose it isn't nice at Christmas to twist her arm behind her back until she coughs up the recipe, huh? :lol:

Ned, yours sounds delicious but I don't think it's the traditional Caribbean style that spends 2 to 3 days stewing in the rum soaked mixture that's poured on top (not cooked within.) I really like the idea of using the coffee so I'm going to have make both I guess - as soon as I can get out to buy the bittersweet chocolate. But if you cook out the alcohol, I'm thinking the regular octane rum should work just fine, don't you think?

My niece just left - she was dropping off some frosted sugar cookies and a bundt cake pan (no, I don't own one) for Uncle Deano and while I discussed my plans to play baker tomorrow she was reading the warning label on the back of my rum bottle. (It's pretty scary. LOL.) Her comment was, "gee, Uncle Deano, I'm going to have to put sprinkles made out of crushed Ecstasy on top of my cookies to compete with this."

Smart ass. :rolleyes:

[deangreenhoe]

My recipe for rum cake:

Book a cruise.

Sail on cruise.

Buy several while on cruise - making sure to take several test bites before I get home!:D

Yeah, that's how I've always handled it. It's amazing how so few of them actually ever make it back to my home port. :rolleyes:

[wrp96]

Yeah, that's how I've always handled it. It's amazing how so few of them actually ever make it back to my home port. :rolleyes:


They're supposed to make it back to the home port?:huh:

[deangreenhoe]

They're supposed to make it back to the home port?:huh:

Look at this way - you don't have to declare what's in your belly.

Now if I could just "pass" that expensive watch I bought in St. Thomas a few months ago I'd feel a whole lot better. :rolleyes:

[deangreenhoe]

Hey! I made the Almost Tortuga Rum Cake Recipe tonight. I pronounce it excellent! It's really very close to what I've purchased and consumed in the Caribbean - I imagine it will be better after it sits for a day or three.

Hint: using the 151 rum in this recipe might just be a wee bit of overkill. (Hic.) I'm afraid to exhale near the stove. http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h310/deangreenhoe/SmileySnicker.gif

[CruiseExpert]

I imagine it will be better after it sits for a day or three.
Like that's going to happen.;)

[Lynn]

Hint: using the 151 rum in this recipe might just be a wee bit of overkill. (Hic.) I'm afraid to exhale near the stove.
For heaven's sake whatever you do, Deano, do not light a cigarette!!

[deangreenhoe]

Like that's going to happen.;)

Heh, heh. I had a shlice of it for breakest. Isss goiin toobee a smuper day.

Don't worry Lynn. If I burst into flames when I light a ciggie, I'm prepared with a bucket of powdered sugar to dump over my head and put out the fire.

'Tis the season to get your freak on! :D

[dmww]

Like CE's mom, my older sister was always the one to make her famous rum cakes. She actually used to take orders and sell them for Christmas. She quit making them a couple of years ago, due to Rheumatoid arthritis.
I know she used cake and pudding mixes, but when I asked for the recipe, I think she intentionally changed it! My first attempt was horrible.

My next attempt, I just went to www.allrecipes.com and found one that seemed close to what she used. Was pronounced a success by all tasters.

I'm actually going to make 3 tomorrow night (it'll be a late night...I only have one pan :) ) for UPS guy, mail lady and one for the guys next door at Radio Shack to share.....they're always accepting packages for me and those boxes of brochures ain't light!

[tdew]

...I only have one pan :) )

Why not at least pick up a package of the foil disposable ones in the grocery store. Sure sounds like it would make things easier for yourself.

[deangreenhoe]

Why not at least pick up a package of the foil disposable ones in the grocery store. Sure sounds like it would make things easier for yourself.

That's really a good idea. Now that I've determined I can make a decent rum cake, I'm thinking I just might do exactly that myself for a couple of straglers on my list.

But my mail lady is not getting one. She's already crashed into my mailbox a couple of times with her little jeep. I'm thinking someone earlier in my route is already keeping her well supplied with rum cake.

[dmww]

Why not at least pick up a package of the foil disposable ones in the grocery store. Sure sounds like it would make things easier for yourself.

I did one better last night...I borrowed 2 more from my mom! Nothing beats free. Plus, I have to admit, I never knew there was such a thing as disposable bundt pans! Shows how much baking I do :)

[dmww]

Speaking of free...I'm using a bottle of Appleton that a client brought me from Jamaica.

[jjjenny]

I have never seen disposable bundt cakes pans. But I think I may have to make a rum cake on Monday. I think I'll try Ned's. It sounds so good.