Salutations Cottage Fix friends! How’s things? We’ve been enjoying some serious time off here with the family all on holiday. Our days have been filled with lots of long walks, cooking, games, and hikes on the trail. With the air starting to cool, the trails have been all a flutter with birds of all kinds—my favorite to spot are the redheaded woodpeckers.

We’re keeping it simple for New Year’s Eve this year and staying in with a couple of appetizers, champagne, and a little something special too. This rum cake recipe is super simple to make, but comes out looking fancy and totally worthy of a celebration. I love recipes like that, don’t you! Ringing in the new year with rum, rum—I’m feeling all Jack Sparrow-y. Aye. Where’s the rum?

Ingredients

• 1 package Duncan Hines yellow cake mix
• 1 package vanilla pudding
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup rum (I used Captain Morgan’s spiced rum)
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 chopped pecans

Combine all ingredients and beat with an electric mixer until well combined.

Prepare a 10-inch bunt pan with oil and flour or spray with Baker’s Joy and sprinkle the pecans into the bottom. Bake at 350 degrees F until done and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool and dig in!

I decided to make a rum glaze for extra rum flavor. Mix 1 tablespoon rum and 2 teaspoons half and half with a 1/2 cup powdered sugar. If the glaze is too thick add more half and half, too thin add more powder sugar. Drizzle over cooled cake.

Happy New Years everyone!

See you in 2017!

This recipe was originally published by Alba I King in Spotsylvania Favorites Cookbook copyright 1985.