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My name is Dorothy. I live in New York City and work for Metro newspapers. I'm not going to lie — I'm pretty famous with the people who read free daily newspapers on their commute into work and the four people who bought the book I co-wrote called "Dating Makes You Want to Die." This is where I'm going to write things when I feel like it. |
So, this Friday I had my book club over (we read ‘A View from Garden City’ in case you are interested) which meant I had to cook dinner. My skills in the kitchen are extremely limited — I count ‘toast’ as one thing I can make well — but this recipe from my great ‘aunt’ Peggy turned out splendidly so I thought I would share it with you as if I can make it and not break down into tears, you can too. I called my mom twice as the batter resembled putty (it’s supposed to!) and I figured it was impossible to dissolve 1 cup of sugar in 1/4 cup of water (you can!).
RUM CAKE RECIPE (from Peggy Dunning)
Cake: ½ cup pecans or walnuts (chopped) (optional)
1 box yellow cake mix
1 package instant vanilla pudding mix (Note: now that most mixes have pudding
in them, it is probably not necessary to add this.)
½ cup oil
4 large or 5 small eggs
Topping:
1/4 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 stick butter
2 ozs.(1/4 cup) rum
Grease angel food cake pan or grease and flour bundt pan.
Sprinkle the ¼ cup nuts in bottom of pan.
Combine cake mix with the other cake ingredients. (Here, Peggy gives no instructions
as to how long to beat. I follow directions on cake mix box, which usually say mix the
ingredients, then beat at medium speed for 2 minutes)
Put in pan and bake 1 hour at 325 degrees.
Just before cake is done, prepare topping:
Boil water, sugar, and butter for 1 minute. Add rum (or vanilla)
As soon as cake is removed from oven and still in pan, poke it with a fork to make holes
(lots) over surface and pour the topping over the cake.
Let stand 45 minutes before removing from pan.
