Tag: recipes

Rum Rum Cake

Boozy sweet delicious cake. I call this Rum Rum Cake because the original recipe I used needed an extra kick. I made this in a bundt cake pan and then sliced it into big pieces to include in my Xmas goodie bag.

INGREDIENTS FOR RUM CAKE

  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 package yellow (moist) cake mix
  • 1 package instant vanilla pudding (3.4oz)
  • 4 eggs
  • 3/4 cup rum
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/2 cooking oil
  • 2 pinches salt
  • Bundt Cake pan

INGREDIENTS FOR RUM GLAZE

  • 1/2 stick butter
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 cup rum
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour bundt cake pan. Press chopped pecans into an even layer at the bottom of the pan.
  2. Whisk together cake and pudding mix. Add remaining ingredients, and beat on medium speed for four minutes.
  3. Pour batter into the bundt cake pan and bake for 40 minutes. Depending on your oven, the cake may be ready closer to 50 minutes.
  4. Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes. Prick all over with a toothpick.
  5. While cake is cooling, melt butter, water, and sugar in a small saucepan over high heat for 5 minutes. Stir constantly. It should bubble and start sticking to the sides. Once browned, add the rum and stir vigorously. Remove from heat.
  6. Pour the rum glaze into the bundt cake pan. Let the glaze absorb into the cake for 5-10 minutes. Upend the cake onto a plate and let cool completely.

This cake keeps well and tastes better after a few days.

Christmas Mulled Wine

If the Summer has sangria, then Winter claims the mulled wine. It’s a perfect Christmas gift because although cheap, you can still make your friends feel special with a homemade gift. Can easily be made in bulk.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1 bottle red wine ($12 and below) with a twist-off cap
  • 1 medium orange, lightly grated to release oils
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 6 cloves
  • 1-2 pinches of ground nutmeg
  • 1 pinch of black pepper
  • Liquid funnel
  • Fine mesh strainer
  1. In a medium pot, combine water and sugar over medium-low heat until dissolved.
  2. Add all remaining ingredients into pot and give one good stir.
  3. Simmer for 30 minutes over medium-low heat.
  4. Turn off heat and cool wine in pot.
  5. Once cooled, strain spices and orange from wine. Using the liquid funnel, pour the mulled wine back into the wine bottle and twist it closed with cap.

Experiment with the spices by subbing cardamom for the cinnamon stick. Add more or less sugar according to your taste and the dryness of your wine.