Recipe courtesy of Mary Sue Milliken
and
Susan Feniger
Rum Walnut Cake
- Level: Easy
- Total: 2 hr 30 min
- Prep: 1 hr
- Cook: 1 hr 30 min
- Yield: 10 servings
Ingredients
1 cup walnut halves
2 cups raisins
3/4 cup dark rum
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups walnut pieces, roughly chopped
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup sour cream
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
10 ounces (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
5 large eggs
Glaze:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
I/4 cup rum
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Generously butter a large bundt pan. Evenly spread the walnut halves over the bottom of the pan.
- Combine the raisins, 1/2 cup of the rum and the water in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat, shaking frequently, until all the liquid is absorbed. Set aside to cool, and then stir in the chopped walnuts. Reserve.
- Combine the honey, sour cream and remaining 1/4 cup rum in a small bowl and reserve.
- In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and soda.
- With an electric mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and salt. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating about a minute at medium speed after each addition.
- Add the flour mixture, alternating with the sour cream/honey combination, in five parts, mixing gently between additions. (The last addition should be the liquids.) Fold in the rum-soaked raisins and nuts.
- In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and soda.
- With an electric mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and salt. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating about a minute at medium speed after each addition.
- Add the flour mixture, alternating with the sour cream/honey combination, in five parts, mixing gently between additions. (The last addition should be the liquids.) Fold in the rum-soaked raisins and nuts.
- Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Poke the batter in a few places with a knife to release large air bubbles. Smooth the top with a spatula and tap on a counter twice to release air bubbles. Bake 1 to 1 1/4 hours, until a skewer inserted in the center comes out dry. Cool on a rack while preparing the glaze.
- To make the glaze, combine the butter, sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and let boil 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the rum.
- To glaze, poke a few deep holes in the cake with a skewer or toothpick. Brush on one-third of the glaze. Invert the cake onto a baking pan and remove the cake pan. Brush the remaining glaze over the top, sides and down the center. Let cool completely before transferring to a platter and slicing.
