The Lunch Belle

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Recipe: Jeanie's FAMOUS Rum Cake!

The Lady Who Lunches

I don't know about you, but my favorite time of year begins on Thanksgiving Day and ends on Christmas Eve. There's just something so special and magical about that month. I love the magnificent decorations, twinkling lights, holiday-themed drink concoctions at Starbuck's, and the general warmer mood of my fellow New Yorkers. And when I stop to reminisce about my childhood, the first thing that comes to mind are family friends exchanging edible holiday treats. One, in particular, is my best friend's mother's outrageously delicious rum cake. I've had plenty of rum cakes in my time (sorry Grandma, even yours wasn't this good), but not one has ever wowed or stood out like Mrs. Jeanie Johns' did.

I wasn't sure if Jeanie would give me the recipe, but instead of assuming she wouldn't, I mustered up the courage and picked up the phone. Without an ounce of hesitation, Jeanie happily gave me her infamous rum cake recipe! And with that, my dear readers, I present you with the secret ingredients and instructions to the best damn cake you will ever make...And taste.

Cake

Ingredients:

  • 1 pkg. Golden Butter Cake Mix

  • ½ cup water

  • 1 pkg. vanilla instant pudding

  • ½ cup vegetable oil

  • ½ cup rum

  • 4 eggs

  • 1/3 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

  2. Grease and flour a bundt pan.

  3. Sprinkle chopped pecans in bottom of bundt pan.

  4. Mix ingredients in order given; beat 2 minutes with mixer.

  5. Pour batter into bundt pan over pecans. Bake about 40-minutes.

  6. When the cake is done remove from oven and DO NOT remove from pan. Use an ice pick to poke holes in cake while in the pan.

  7. Add glaze immediately.

Glaze

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup sugar

  • ¼ cup rum

  • 1 stick butter

  • ¼ cup water

Method:

  1. Melt butter in sauce pan.

  2. Add sugar, rum and water; bring to a boil and cook over medium heat for 4 minutes.

  3. Remove glaze from heat and pour over cake IN bundt pan.

  4. Retain about 3 tablespoons of glaze.

  5. Let cool in pan about 20 minutes before removing.

  6. Slightly warm remaining glaze and pour over cake after removing from pan.

…

Until we eat again,

Lindsay, The Lunch Belle