Pantry Cooking, part 2, or Ye Olde Bacardi Rum Cake

Like many food bloggers, I bake from scratch. At least 99.999% of the time. The other .001%, I use a little help. I am not a snob, except perhaps when it comes to Parmigiano Reggiano. Oh, okay, I'm a snob when it comes to that.

Enter, the tried and true Bacardi Rum Cake. I have been making this cake for over 30 years, having learned to make it at my mum's knee. Her nickname for it was "sliver cake" - you have "just a little sliver," again and again, until you realize you've eaten half the cake. Every time I make it, someone asks me for the recipe, even avowed non-bakers. That's how good this is.

This cake keeps wonderfully, and freezes equally well - if there is any cake left over to freeze, that is!

Bacardi Rum Cake

Cake

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1 18-1/2 ounce yellow cake mix (my mom and I prefer Duncan Hines brand)

1 1-3/4 ounce (4-serving size) instant vanilla pudding mix

4 eggs

1/2 cup cold milk, water, or half-and-half

1/2 cup vegetable oil, or melted butter (I always use butter)

1/2 cup Barcardi dark rum

Glaze

1 stick butter

1/4 cup water

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup dark Barcardi rum

Cake:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan (this step is very important, or you will have trouble getting the cake out. Baking sprays work very well). Sprinkle nuts on bottom of pan. Combine all cake ingredients in a mixing bowl. Beat for 2 minutes on high with electric mixer. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour, or until cake separates from sides of plan and a testing skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Cool in pan for about 15 minutes. Invert cake onto serving plate. Prick top with a skewer. Drizzle glaze (see below) slowly over top of cake, allowing it to soak in between applications. Use brush or spoon to put extra dripping back on cake.

Glaze:

Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in water and sugar. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in rum.