Rum Cake

Ingredients

• 15 ounces yellow cake mix ((one standard sized box, see note below))
• 3.4 ounces instant vanilla pudding mix ((one standard sized box))
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup dark rum (I used Meyer's Dark Rum)
• 2 to 3 teaspoons vanilla or coconut extract (I used coconut)
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
• 1/2 cup dark rum (I used Meyer's Dark Rum)

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Make the Cake: ---

2. 2

   Preheat oven to 325F. Spray a 12-cup Bundt pan very well with floured cooking spray, or grease and flour the pan; set aside.

3. 3

   To a large bowl, add the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water, oil, rum, extract of your choice, and beat with a handheld electric mixer on high power until smooth and combined; about 2 minutes.

4. 4

   Turn batter out into prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula. The batter is thin, looks a bit skimpy for the size of the pan, but the cake rises dramatically while baking.

5. 5

   Bake for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs. Cool cake in the pan on a wire rack.

6. 6

   When the cake has about 10 to 15 minutes left to bake, start making the rum sauce.

7. 7

   --- Make the Rum Sauce: ---

8. 8

   Use caution, focus, and take small children out of the kitchen because the mixture is insanely hot and flammable and you're going to be whisking the entire time.

9. 9

   To a medium high-sided medium saucepan, add the butter and heat over medium heat to melt.

10. 10

    Add the sugar, water, and bring to a boil over medium-high/high heat. Allow mixture to boil rapidly for 4 to 5 minutes; whisk constantly so it doesn't burn (your shoulder should burn). The mixture should be white, frothy, and fluffy-looking.

11. 11

    Remove pan from the heat and using extreme caution, add the rum while whisking because the sauce will bubble up vigorously when the rum is added.

12. 12

    Return pan to the heat for 1 minute; whisk constantly. This helps cook off some of the 'raw' alcohol taste.

13. 13

    Add the salt and stir to combine.

14. 14

    Transfer the sauce to a 2-cup glass measuring cup; you will have about 2 cups of sauce.

15. 15

    Poke holes with a fork all over the surface of the cake (which later is concealed since it's the cake base when you invert it and remove the cake from the pan). I 'stabbed' the cake in about 75 places with a fork.

16. 16

    Slowly pour about 1 cup sauce over the surface, taking your time so that the sauce soaks in; set remaining 1 cup sauce aside. Allow cake to rest for about 1 hour to absorb the sauce.

17. 17

    Invert the cake onto a cake stand or serving platter and 'stab' the cake with a fork again, in about 75 places over the top and some on the sides.

18. 18

    Slowly and carefully pour the remaining sauce into the holes. If the sauce has crystallized, that's okay; just whisk it for a few seconds before adding it. I slowly add some sauce, and sort of 'press' it in with a spatula, and repeat. Some will pool down the sides onto the cake stand, it's unavoidable and okay.

19. 19

    Allow cake to rest for about 1 to 2 hours to absorb sauce before slicing and serving.