Dick’s Birthday Rum Cake

We all acknowledge what a superb chef Dick is, but did you know that he celebrates his birthday with a cake produced by his Number 1 prep cook, Judy? This yummy rum cake (I speak as one who has on occasion, eaten more than her fair share) is appreciated not only by us humans, but got the canine endorsement of the late, beloved Louie. It happened 25 years ago in Berkeley when Judy made the cake before leaving for work; Dick was on the night shift for Eastern Airlines at the time. When he got up after noon and found exactly half a cake on the counter, he thought she’d cut it to take some to work. He called to ask how Judy’s fellow employees liked the cake, only to learn she hadn’t. It was Louie, who was so precise in his cake thievery that it looked like it had been cut with a knife! As Judy says, that dog did have a pointy nose.

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1 package (18 1/2 ounce ) yellow cake mix

1 package (3&3/4 ounce) Jello instant vanilla pudding mix

4 eggs

1/2 cup cold water

1/2 cup cooking oil

1/2 cup dark rum (80 proof)

Glaze:

1/4 pound butter

1/4 cup water 1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup dark rum (80 proof)

Preheat oven to 325. Grease and flour 10 inch tube or 12 cup bundt pan. Sprinkle nuts over bottom of pan. Mix all cake ingredients and pour batter over nuts. Bake 1 hr. Cool. Invert on serving plate and prick top with fork or skewer. Drizzle and smooth glaze evenly over top and sides - allow cake to absorb and repeat till glaze is used up. Serve with fresh berries.

Glaze - Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in water and sugar. Boil 5 min. stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in rum. Sift powdered sugar over top before serving.

Note from JP: To make the glaze a little easier to absorb after you’ve inverted and skewered the cake, put it back into the bundt pan and drizzle in the glaze for less mess. After the cake’s absorbed the rum syrup, I’ll also add an icing to the cake by mixing 1/4 cup milk, 1 tsp rum, and 2 cups powdered sugar and heating slightly until you can pour it over the top of the cake.