Do you love cake? There’s something special about baked goods that bring people together, whether it’s holidays, book clubs, chats with friends, or for no reason at all. Even better is when the cake is easy to make but looks like you spent hours on it. If that sounds like your cup of tea (ahem…slice of cake) then this one’s for you!
I’ve made this recipe hundreds of times. It makes a splendid gift or an impressive centerpiece at any event. We are now gluten free in our house, but it’s super easy to adapt back and forth from GF to regular cake mixes. (Oh, did I mention? It’s from a mix!)
What you need:
One yellow cake mix. (I have no affiliations here, but the best GF yellow cake mix I’ve found for this recipe is Pillsbury).
4 eggs
1/2 cup cooking oil (I usually use grapeseed, vegetable, or canola)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup rum (don’t let your liquor store upsell you–cheap rum works great)
1 4-ounce package of vanilla pudding mix (if you’re dairy free, I’ve tried gelatin powder. If you’re vegan, you can omit this. Note for GF/Celiac readers like me: the very popular name brand pudding says it’s gluten free. Not all pudding mixes guarantee that, so use caution.)
What to do:
I beat my eggs first, then dump everything in a mixing bowl. Mix until combined. Pour into a greased bundt pan.
Delicious optional addition:
You can sprinkle one cup of toasted pecans into the bottom of the bundt pan BEFORE you add the cake mix. The pecans get all toasty and delicious and give a lovely dimension to the cake. Plus, they add a bit of decoration to the top.
Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes (or until toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean).
Leave in the pan.
Glaze:
While the cake is in its final few minutes of baking or immediately after it comes out of the oven, combine the following in a saucepan:
1 stick (1/2 cup) of unsalted butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup rum (Note: if you want a stronger rum taste, don’t add the rum until after you take the sauce off the burner. If I’m needing a less boozy effect, I boil the rum in the sauce.)
Stir over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat (add your rum now if you want a stronger rum flavor) and pour over hot cake while it is STILL in the pan. Let sit for about 30 minutes to let the sauce absorb into the cake then turn out onto a plate.
Lastly, try to restrain yourself and share. Or don’t tell anyone you made the cake and we will keep it between ourselves. But the heavenly aroma is impossible to hide.
Let me know if you make it! I’d love to hear your thoughts or about any changes you make.
