Rum Cakes

There are few compliments as endearing as your loved ones telling you they look forward to coming home to the aroma of your cooking. It is true appreciations. Treat the ones you love to a spiced rum cake sprinkled with toasted pecans and coconut.

Spice Cake

    2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
    2 teaspoons baking powder
    ¼ teaspoon salt
    ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    ½ cup organic butter, softened
    ¼ cup dark brown sugar
    ¼ cup Golden Syrup
    2 large cage-free eggs
    ¼ cup spiced or regular rum
    ½ cup fat-free organic milk

Butter Glaze

    ¾ cup organic butter
     ⅓ cup whipping cream
    1 ½ cups granulated sugar

Coconut Pecan Crunch

    ⅔ cup toasted pecans
    ⅓ cup shredded coconut

    1 cup whipping cream, whipped
   

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.

2. Cake: In a medium bowl, measure the flour, baking powder, salt and
    cinnamon. In a large bowl, use a mixer to cream butter, brown sugar and
    Golden Syrup.

3. Beat in the eggs, then spiced rum. Beat in half the flour mixtures, then all
    of the milk. Beat in remaining flour.

4. Set out 2 (6-cup) giant muffin tins. Divide batter between the 12 muffin
    cups. Bake in a preheated oven for 20 minutes.

5. Glaze: In a 2-quart saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the
    cream and sugar. Heat just until the sugar dissolved.

6. Remove muffins from the oven and turn out onto a cooling rack. Place the
    muffins back in the muffin cups with tops down. Top with warm glaze.

7. Topping: Stir pecans and coconut in a jellyroll pan. Place in the 350° oven
     until just toasted or for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle over muffins.

8. When glaze has been absorbed, remove muffins from cups with a large
    spatula. Serve on small plates topped with piped whipped cream.