Jamaican Rum Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2-¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup corn starch
- 3 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp, salt
- 1-¼ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ¼ cup canola oil, or other vegetable oil
- ½ cup evaporated milk, undiluted
- 4 eggs
- 1 tbsp. pure vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup amber rum
For the Rum and Butter Syrup:
- ¼ cup butter
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup water
- ½ to ¾ cup amber rum
- ½ tsp. vanilla extract
Instructions
To prepare the cake:
- Begin by pre-heating the oven to 325°.
- Grease and flour a Bundt pan or funnel pan.
- To the bowl of an electric mixer, add the flour, corn starch, baking powder, salt, sugar, butter and oil.
- Mix on low speed, for just a couple of minutes, until the butter and oil are well incorporated and the mixture is crumbly and sandy looking.
- Mix in the milk and then mix in the eggs, one at a time; scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl well after each egg is added.
- Finally, mix in the rum and vanilla extract until the batter is smooth.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 55 – 65 minutes or until a wooden toothpick, inserted into the center, comes out clean.
- Completely cool the cake on a wire rack.
To prepare the rum and butter syrup:
- To a small saucepan, add the butter, water and sugar.
- Bring to a slow boil and simmer for 7 or 8 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely before adding in the rum and vanilla extract.
- The amount of rum you add to the syrup is completely up to you; 3/4 cup works well; however, use less for a less rummy cake.
To prepare the cake for storage and serving:
- Place the cooled cake back in the Bundt pan; this traps in any syrup that drips over the edges and then absorbs it into the cake.
- With a long skewer, poke holes all over the top of the cake, straight through to the bottom of the pan.
- Slowly spoon all of the rum and butter syrup evenly over the surface of the cake.
- Cover the pan with plastic wrap and leave for several hours or overnight.
- Store in an airtight plastic cake container at room temperature; it will remain moist for days.
Notes
This cake needs no frosting or glaze; it is perfect as is; a frosting might make it a little too sweet.
