Rum Cake - two birds, one bite

Now that our favorite Country Cleaver is finally Mrs. Ben, I suppose I should *finally* finish posting the recipes from her shower. Times like this when I wish I could still blame grad school... But I don't have any excuse, really. But there's another post coming with an actual update...

In the mean time... Here's my favorite from the party - drunk cake. Have a snack AND catch a buzz at the same time. Okay, well these were miniature, so there's not much of a buzz... But these can easily make one large bundt cake by just adjusting the pan. Also - a quick note about "mini bundt pans": they really vary in size. Unlike "cupcake tins", there is not a uniform size. I got the cake recipe from her greatness Martha Stewart, and based on the cooking times and quantity... her baking tins were from a different planet. So, I halved the recipe, had many leftover, and watched them very carefully (so my cooking time is an estimate...). I did *not* use her glaze - it wasn't nearly drunk enough. I did find a wonderful version from Bacardi, and everything is combined below.

I'd like to apologize for the lack of story with this post, but I also want to add that this cake is so good that it doesn't need a story, an excuse, or a history - just make it. Then put it in your cake hole.

Rum Cake

Cake recipe adapted from Martha Stewart, her holiness.

Glaze recipe adapted from Bacardi (I could not find an original source)

Ingredients:

Cake:

Baking spray or shortening

2 cups All-Purpose Flour

1/2 Tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/2 cup Buttermilk

scant 1/4 cup Dark Rum

2 sticks Butter, room temperature

1 cup Light Brown Sugar

1/2 cup Sugar

5 large Eggs

Glaze:

1/2 cup butter (not margarine - don't play me like that)

1/4 cup water

1 scant cup sugar

1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeded (optional)

1/2 cup + 3/4 cup rum

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Generously coat the mini bundt pan in cooking spray or shortening. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl (or measuring cup), combine the buttermilk and rum.
2. In a stand mixer, cream together the butter and both sugars. Beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one a time, combining between each addition. Alternate adding the dry and wet ingredient mixtures, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined.
3. Fill each cavity ~1/2 full with batter. Tap the pan on the counter to remove any bubbles. Bake for 10-12 minutes (will vary depending on pan size) or until the cakes just start to brown, and bounce back to the touch. Let the pans cool for a few minutes in the pan (just to set), then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
4. Once cool, gently poke each cake a few times with a fork. Using a pastry brush (or just... a pour spout?), sprinkle the cakes with 1/2 cup of rum, and let that soak in while you prepare the glaze.
5. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Then add the water, sugar, and vanilla bean (seeds and pod). Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat slightly, and boil for about 5 minutes to cook the sugar. Remove from the heat, remove the vanilla bean pod, and slowly add the rum. Let the glaze come to room tempterature in order to thicken, then pour/spread over each cake. Enjoy!!