JJust a word of caution, if you plan to serve this cake and sauce to dinner guests. Do not eat and drive!!! At least not right after serving your dessert. This cake starts off with a cake mix and is made in a bundt pan. Both the cake and sauce are a cinch to make. The cake is light as a feather and stays moist for days. Try it, you will love it! Margaret gave me her friends recipe probably about 8 years ago and we have enjoyed it since. Thanks Margaret for caring and sharing. Enjoy a great week!

DON’T FORGET TO FEED THE HUMMINGBIRDS: Remember to keep your hummingbird feeders filled with fresh syrup. Even when our dear friends start to migrate south, they and other fellow travellers need to eat along the way.

THE SYRUP IS:   2 cups of water with 1/2 cup of white sugar. Heat until the sugar is completely dissolved. Cool to room temperature before filling your hummingbird feeder. Our little hummingbird family is still here enjoying the sunshine and warm weather. They will choose the perfect time to fly south.

RUM CAKE AND SAUCE

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE CAKE:

• 1 box of white OR golden OR French vanilla cake mix (any brand) (I had a box of Betty Crocker French vanilla cake mix.)
• 1- 102 g. box of instant vanilla pudding
• 4 extra large eggs
• 1/2 cup of Crisco oil
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1/3 cup of dark rum
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans

FOR THE SAUCE:

• a generous cup of dark brown sugar packed firmly into the measuring cup
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup of water
• 1/2 cup of dark rum (add only when off the heat)

METHOD:

FOR THE CAKE:

-Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a non-stick bundt pan with no-stick spray. -In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, oil, water and rum. -On LOW speed, using an electric mixer, mix just to combine. -Then on MEDIUM speed, beat the mixture for 2 minutes, scraping down the batter with a rubber spatula from the sides of the mixing bowl. -Sprinkle the chopped pecans over the base of the greased bundt pan. -Pour the cake batter evenly over the chopped pecans. -Bake the cake for 40 minutes in the preheated 325 degree F. oven. -Allow the baked cake to sit in the bundt pan for a few minutes after baking. Then carefully invert it out of the pan onto a wire cooling rack.

FOR THE SAUCE:

-In a saucepan, combine the dark brown sugar, butter and water. -Bring this to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer on a low boil for 5 minutes. -Take the saucepan off of the heat and stir in the 1/2 cup of dark rum. -That’s it! Your sauce is done. Cool and pour it into a container. Keep a t room temperature. -As you slice a piece of the cake. drizzle some of the sauce over the cake. ENJOY!!!