Pioneer Woman's Christmas Rum Cake

I think Ree Drummond prepared this cake on her Christmas Special (not quite sure thats where I saw it?). However, when I first saw this being made I thought it sounded like pure heaven. Now I do not often use bought cake mixes BUT with this recipe one should OR you could do your own yellow cake recipe. I don't think you would find any difference what so ever.

My daughter dropped by with the baby while it was in the oven and since I spent the whole time they were here playing with the baby I never got a photo with the whole cake. My daughter waited until it cooled completely and told me, "I HAVE to take some of that home." It was already fragrancing the whole house when she walked in the door.

I must say it is absolutely DIVINE!!!!! A boozy cake but OMG so delicious. It does not need the whipped cream, that is surely over kill but I placed it on the plate only for my photo.

It surely looks pretty sitting on my French Pastry Table but I feel quite certain that it won't last long.

"Mr. Picky Eater" (my husband) arrived shortly after our daughter left and had some after dinner. Said he LOOOOOOVED it. Yah, it was a hit in my house.

Pioneer Woman’s Rum Cake


1 box (about 18 oz.) Yellow Cake Mix

1 package (3.5 oz.) instant Vanilla Pudding Mix

4 eggs

½ cups cold water

½ cups canola oil

½ cups Rum (dark or light)

1 cup chopped pecans

Brown sugar (optional)


GLAZE

1-½ sticks butter

¼ cups water

1-½ cup sugar

¾ cups Rum

Preheat oven to 325 F.

Grease and flour a bundt cake pan. Sprinkle nuts over bottom of pan. If desired, sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar over the nuts.

Mix all cake ingredients together. Pour batter into pan over nuts. Smooth the batter out until the top is even. Bake for 1 hour, or a little less if the pan is black. Do not over bake!

Glaze:

While cake has ten minutes left to bake, begin preparing the glaze.

Melt butter in a saucepan. Stir in water and sugar. Boil for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Turn off the flame and pour in the rum. Stir to combine and reheat for 30 seconds.

Remove the cake from the oven. Immediately drizzle 1/3 of the glaze on the bottom (top) of the cake. Allow to sit for five minutes. Invert the cake onto a serving plate. Prick surface a hundred times with a fork very gently. Slowly drizzle the remaining rum glaze all over the top of the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides. Cool to room temperature before serving to ensure glaze has soaked in.

My Notes: I used a Duncan Hines Butter cake mix, did use light rum, also sprinkled the brown sugar over the nuts in the bottom of my bundt pan and used a cake tester to prick the holes. A fork seemed to crush the crust.

This is such a good cake, lots of calories of course, but for a special occasion it would definitely be a hit.

It's a moist cake and should keep for several days.

I am linking my post today to Foodie Friday hosted by Michael Lee at Designs by Gollum. Click here to see many wonderful recipes shared by other participants.