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Pecan-Studded Rum Cake

An incredibly moist and decadent cake made from a packaged yellow cake mix with pudding. Make the cake a day or two ahead so the cake can really soak up the delicious rum glaze. And when you’re adding the glaze to the still-warm cake, take your time. This recipe works beautifully in a standard or square 12-cup Bundt pan or a 10-inch tube pan. This cake was a HUGE hit when Jim Elkins brought it to our Caloosa Dive Club meeting – not a bite was left. Very Yummy!
Cook Time 1 hour
Servings 8 Servings
Author Jim Elkins

Ingredients

Cake:

  • Baking spray
  • 1 18.5-oz pkg yellow cake mix with pudding OR (15.25-oz) pkg yellow cake mix plus (3.4-oz) vanilla pudding mix
  • ½ cup cold water
  • ½ cup neutral vegetable oil
  • ½ cup rum such as Don Q Gold or Don Q Coco
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 cups chopped pecans

Glaze:

  • ½ cup 1 stick unsalted butter
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup water
  • ½ cup rum such as Don Q Gold or Don Q Coco
  • Pinch fine sea salt
  • Whipped cream optional

Instructions

Cake:

  • Position rack in center of oven; preheat oven to 325°F. Spray a 12-cup Bundt or 10-inch tube pan with baking spray.
  • In a large bowl, stir cake mix, pudding mix (if using), water, oil, rum and eggs. Fold in pecans. Pour into prepared pan. Lightly tap pan on counter to evenly distribute batter and remove excess air bubbles. Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until cake pulls away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
  • When cake is done, cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Invert onto a serving plate. Prick top and sides all over with a toothpick. Slowly drizzle some of the glaze all over sides and top of cake. Allow to absorb before drizzling with more glaze. Repeat until all glaze is used (some glaze will collect on bottom of plate). Cool cake completely. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

Glaze:

  • Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir in sugar and water. Bring to a boil; cook, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until sugar has melted and mixture is syrupy. Remove from heat; carefully stir in rum (mixture will bubble at first) and salt.