Chocolate Rum Cake

The original recipe calls for a yellow cake mix and vanilla pudding.  I simply changed it to chocolate cake mix and chocolate pudding because....chocolate anything is better than vanilla anything.  Not that vanilla is bad...just upgraded to chocolate.

The recipe also calls for pecans but I usually use almonds.  I think they go well with the chocolate and rum flavoring.  Plus I had them on hand in the freezer. 

I use my silicon bundt pan on this recipe.  It works very nicely and squishes for storage.

A wooden skewer works best for poking the holes but if you are using silicon don't poke too far or you will mess up your silicon pan.

 The glaze really makes this cake!

Safety First -be sure to remove the pan from the heat and THEN stir in the rum.

Poking holes on both sides allows for maximum rum glaze to be soaked up by the cake. 

Recipe Origin - Food Network (Jennifer Martinez) Rum Cake
Ingredients 
CAKE -
1 1/2 c pecan pieces 1/4 c reserved (I used rough chopped almonds)
4 whole eggs
1/2 c water
1/2 c veg oil
1/2 c rum (I used spiced or golden rum)
1 box yellow cake mix (I used chocolate)
1 sml box vanilla instant pudding mix (I used chocolate)
GLAZE-
1 c sugar
1/4 c water
1 stick butter
1/2 rum

Grease a bundt pan (I find I don't have to do this with my silicon pan), spread 1 1/4 c nuts in the bottom of the pan.  Beat eggs, water, oil and rum until mixed.  Add in cake mix and pudding mix.  Beat until smooth.  Pour into pan.  Bake 350 for 40 to 45 mins. 
*Glaze needs to be prepared approx 10 mins before cake is done baking.
For the glaze - melt butter in sauce pan.  Stir in sugar and water and bring to a boil.  Once it boils, remove from heat and stir in rum.  Set aside.
Once the cake is ready, removed from the oven but leave in the pan.  Use a wooden skewer to poke holes in the top of cake.  Lots of holes.  The more the better.  Then slowly pour/spoon 1/2 of the glaze over the cake, letting it soak into the cake.  Place the serving dish on top the cake and invert it to remove cake from pan.  Poke holes in this side of cake and drizzle the remaining glace onto this side until it is all soaked up.  Fill the center with the reserve nuts.  Enjoy at room temp.