Recipe: Spiced Rum Cake

• RECIPE: SPICED RUM CARROT CAKE  (WITH OPTIONAL Rum Syrup - bold print at bottom)
• 4 eggs                            
• 1 cup vegetable oil                                                                                                                   
• ½ cup of Spiced Rum (I used Captain Morgan’s)                                                             
• (Plus ¼cup rum for carrot pulp & ¼cup for the juice)                                              
• 2 cups granulated sugar                                                                                                
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon plus extra for carrot pulp and carrot juice
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 lb  carrots – process thru juicer; keep separated the juice and the “pulp”
• 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, plus some for decorating cake top

FROSTING:

½ cup butter (room temp)    8 oz cream cheese (room temp)  3 cups powdered sugar  1 teaspoon vanilla extract

PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 350 degrees    GREASE AND FLOUR YOUR CAKE PAN.  I used a large springform, but you can use a large bundt pan or rectangular pan (13x9).

• FIRST:  juice the carrots and keep the pulp and juice separate.  To the pulp add ¼ cup of the rum and sprinkle a little cinnamon to it and mix.  Add another ¼ cup rum to the juice and also sprinkle with cinnamon. If you are grating the carrots do not add any extra rum - the grated carrots have plenty of liquid in them!
• NEXT:  in a bowl mix together the eggs, oil, 1/2 cup rum, sugar and vanilla on medium speed until smooth and creamy looking.  Add in ¼ cup of the ‘spiced’ carrot juice - do not add any juice or rum if you grated the carrots!!
• NOW: in another bowl, add the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt) and blend.  Slowly add to the mixer bowl.  Blend well – start on low and then mix on medium speed 3-5 minutes until very well blended.  It make look like a thin batter.
• LAST:  fold in the carrot pulp followed by the chopped pecans or walnuts.

Pour batter into your greased/floured cake pan and bake for about 40-50 minutes.  Keep checking after 35 minutes to check for doneness as ovens vary and your choice of cake pan could require a bit more or less of baking time.

While the cake is baking, take out the butter and cream cheese and bring to room temperature.

• If you are making the rum syrup, now is the time to assemble the ingredients and cook it up! 
• SPICED RUM SYRUP
  3/4 cup unsalted butter
  1 1/2c sugar
  1/2 c spiced rum
  1/4c "spiced" carrot juice
• In a saucepan, medium heat melt butter and sugar and whisk.  Add in the ¼ cup spiced carrot juice.  Remove from heat and then add the ½ cup rum.  Whisk and whisk.  Pour into a squeeze bottle with a nozzle top.

If you have extra pecans/walnuts, grind them into a coarse powder to sprinkle over the frosting. Set aside.  Remember to leave some whole to decorate the cake top!

When the cake is done, set it aside to cool down.  Remove from the cake pan and place on your cake plate.

If you are using the rum syrup:  poke small holes (I used a chop stick) into the cake (don’t go all the way through) and carefully pour some of the cooked rum syrup into the small holes.  Save the remainder of the syrup to serve on the plate with a slice of cake…and ice cream???  

To make the frosting:  in a mixer add the butter and cream cheese and mix until creamy, then add the powdered sugar one cup and a time and finally add the vanilla extract.  Blend very well.

Frost your cake, and decorate with the ground nuts and/or whole nuts if you prefer.

Enjoy!