I've used this recipe quite a number of times and have experimented with many different rums. The best is actually a combination of two different kinds. For the cake, use Bicardi Dark/Select or Myers. For the glaze, use Appleton Estates.
If you can't find Appleton Estates, use the Bicardi or Myers, but the Appleton really makes the glaze sweeter and almost tangy - it's strong without completely overwhelming the flavour. Captain Morgan's is also good for the cake, but I wouldn't recommend it for the glaze. Both Captain and Bicardi tend to be too heavy of a flavour while in the glaze, while Myers is exceptionally weak.
Also, some other tips: MAKE SURE YOU SIFT YOUR CAKE MIX/PUDDING! They clump really easily. Also, as others have said, use the Pillsbury since it already has the pudding mix. Use milk instead of water - fat free milk works best, honestly. When you're ready to glaze, poke holes into the top of the cake with a toothpick, pour half the glaze in the pant and re-insert the cake. Poke holes into the bottom of the cake and pour the remaining glaze over it. Let it sit for an hour or two, upside down, and then flip it over onto a plate and let it sit for a few hours to a day before serving. Personally, I just leave it in the pan on the plate, as it keeps it moist and detracts people from "picking" at it!
Absolutely delicious!! I followed the recipe exactly as to ingredients. I did add one twist, which I do with all glazed bundt cakes, have for over 50 years. I use a wooden skewer to poke 30 to 40 holes in the top and all sides of the cake. I then apply the glaze liberally with a 1 inch paint brush, used only for cooking, and repeat the process about 3 times. This way, some of the glaze penetrates the cake, adding flavor and moisture. I will definetly make this again.
I make this cake several times a year, and I get numerous request for it...
I make it as the recipe states. It is easy and delicious. The only thing you need to watch is the glaze. Make sure the burner is off when you add the alcohol, and you need to realize that the glaze mixture is going to "bubble up" when you add the alcohol to it.
I start the glaze when I take the cake out of the oven. I let the cake sit in the pan while I am making the glaze. Once the glaze is ready, I remove the cake from the pan, pour half the glaze in the bottom of the pan, and then I carefully put the cake back in the pan making sure I line the ridges up. I then poke holes all over the cake with a butter knife, I then pour the remaining glaze onto the cake (don't let it go over the hole). Let it stand for 10 minutes or so, then carefully flip the cake over onto your serving dish -- DO NOT REFRIGERATE
These are great to make as a mini cake and give out as gifts, especially to people at work. Divide the batter between 12 mini fluted pans and bake for 20 minutes. The only thing that I do different with the batter is I use milk instead of water and fold the nuts into the batter before dividing. I also put all of the batter into a gallon size bag and cut a corner to squeeze it out into the individual pans, which really cuts down on the mess and makes it easier to divide evenly. Once glazed and cooled, place on a cupcake liner and place in a small gift bag. The liner helps in getting the cake out of the bag.
This was very good and super moist!! The only thing I'll do differently next time is use about half the amount of nuts as the recipe calls for.. my hubby and I both agreed that the nuts were a little too much.
Also, there seems to be some confusion with previous reviewers over the sugar used for the glaze. The recipe (and most other rum glaze recipes) calls for GRANULATED, also known as WHITE sugar. I would not recommend using powdered sugar as a reviewer mistakenly posted was the proper sugar to use.
I have been eating this rum cake practically all my life my mom has made it as long as I can remember. And now it's my husband's favorite. We make it slightly different pecans instead of walnuts white rum instead of dark. Immediately after removing from oven we pierce it all over (the bottom) with a meat fork and pour the glaze over and let it sit in the pan until cool. Since you are only piercing the bottom it is not evident when you turn it out on a plate. I also make these as gifts in the small "disposable" aluminum pans you can get at the store. It makes about 5 small cakes.
This is the same cake recipe I've been making for years and it always comes out great.
To make the cake better and easier to glaze, first spray the bundt pan with nonstick spray, sprinkle in chopped pecans (better than walnuts in my opinion) and then dust the pan with white sugar.
After baking, let stand for 10 minutes in the pan and then use a skewer to poke holes all over the cake. Pour on warm glaze and then keep the cake in the pan until completely cool so that the glaze will be absorbed. Then it's a "piece of cake" to unmold it - it will come right out of the pan onto the serving plate!
This recipe is very similar to another rum cake I have made a few times, but this came out the best ever. I use coconut rum, and I don't notice a huge coconut flavor at all, it's just the rum I like to use. (And because I don't like a strong alcohol taste, I put the rum in the glaze for the last minute of cooking). Also, as far as the glaze, here is what I do. After the cake cools in the pan for about ten minutes, I take a spatula and loosen it from the sides and from the center (bundt pan). Then I pour the hot glaze around the edges and it goes right down the sides and soaks into the bottom (which will be the top) and the sides of the cake. I also pour some around the inner ring and then a little along the top (which will be the bottom). I let it sit about 30 minutes then invert it. Perfect that way. Other than that, recipe followed exactly.
This one's a keeper. I did the coconut variation that another reviewer suggested. I used Bacardi CoCo rum, coconut pudding, and instead of 1 cup of nuts I used 1/2 cup coconut and 1/2 cup pecans. The tip on putting the cake back in the pan to soak up the glaze is GENIUS! YUM!!!
The recipe is perfect as are the instructions to prepare it. However, as is typical with a yellow cake mix, not even a cup of good rum could disguise that cake mix taste. I use doctored up cake mix recipes frequently, but only if the result doesn't advertise that I've done so!
