I am posting this recipe in memory of someone who has been “in my life” as long as I can remember. When I was little, she was one of my Sunday school teachers ….. the only one I remember rather vividly because she required us to memorize Bible verses. I went to HS with her son, and she’s someone I enjoyed seeing at church and the local hospital where she worked the reception desk ….. you could always count on her for a cheerful greeting. She was a tiny mite of a woman physically, but her energy & enthusiasm were boundless and she had many, many friends from all the volunteer work she did. She and her husband did everything together. She commented once that he was ‘stuck to her like velcro’ and from the way they were with each other, it was no mystery why they were happily married for 61 years.
People tend to acquire ‘signature’ dishes, something you can always expect them to bring to a family gathering, a potluck or church circle meeting. Her signature contribution was rum cake - she was famous for them and she always had a couple in the freezer that she could pull out on short notice. It’s nothing fancy and easy to make …. we know because she shared her recipe in the church cook book. This wonderful lady died the day before Easter - I found out at the Easter breakfast at church and it made the day all the more meaningful to know that she was rejoicing with the angels in Heaven.
RUM CAKE
Ingredients:
1/2 cup pecans, chopped small
1 pkg. Duncan Hines Golden Yellow Butter cake mix
1 small package Vanilla Instant Pudding
1/2 cup rum (Jamaican is best)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
Directions:
Sprinkle pecans in bottom of small greased & floured tube pan (or 4-5 small loaf pans)
Put cake & pudding mix into large mixing bowl.
Add rum, water and oil, mix well.
Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each.
Pour batter over nuts in the pan.
Bake at 325° for an hour (or more) until done.
Cool in pan for 20 minutes.
Turn onto plate and top with glaze.
Glaze:
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 T. rum
2 T. water
Stir together butter, sugar, rum and water & simmer for 3 minutes.
Mmmmmmmm Rum Cake.
Made leg of lamb today. 6.5 leg of lamb, spray olive oil over top, rub on oregano, rosemary, garlic and salt. 400 degrees for 30 minutes, and then around an hour at 350 or until 145 degree internal temp. Nice and juicy. Can’t do much better when it is on sale for $3.99/lb.
I love rum cake. I use my mil’s recipe which has coconut in it and the pan is coated with sugar which gives it a sweet crystalized crust. Yummy! The story of your rum cake reminded me of a lady at our church when I was growing up. She always brought pineapple upside down cakes. Births, out of town guests, weddings, deaths, every life and church event was accompanied by her cake which was baked and delivered with love. Pineapple upside down cake is still one of my all time comfort foods.