Rum Cake

Rum cake is a favorite birthday cake option for certain people in my family.  The first time I tried it was on a trip to St. John's island.  The place where rum was invented, I'm not sure if that is true but that is what the locals told us.  I have tried making it with several different types of rum and most have turned out well.  I was not a huge fan of the spiced rum but otherwise go with what you already have or your favorite.  Enjoy! 

1 cup chopped pecans

1 package yellow cake mix

1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix

4 eggs

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup rum

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup water

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup rum

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan. Sprinkle chopped nuts evenly over the bottom of the pan.  In a large bowl, combine cake mix and pudding mix. Mix in the eggs, 1/2 cup water, oil and 1/2 cup rum. Blend well. Pour batter over chopped nuts in the pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. To make the glaze: in a saucepan, combine butter, 1/4 cup water and 1 cup sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat and continue to boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup rum.  After taking the cake out of the oven, let it sit for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto serving plate. Brush glaze over top and sides. ( I like to poke the cake with a toothpick to allow it to asorb more of the glaze).  Allow cake to absorb glaze and repeat until all glaze is used.