HappyTummy              

Simple. Pretty. Delicious. That pretty much describes this recipe. And isn’t that what you want in a pound cake?

• Simple: It’s very easy to make. Especially if you aren’t using the vanilla beans (I used vanilla extract).
• Pretty: You don’t need fancy garnishes. Just a simple syrup wash will do. I made a rum-flavored whip cream, but really, that’s unnecessary.
• Delicious: It may look plain, but it tastes great. It’s got a deep, vanilla flavor; a tight, dense texture; and a wonderful like-you-just-walked-into-a-bakery scent. Yum.

I’ve wanted to make this recipe since I first got Baking: From My Home to Yours two years ago. I’ve always been a fan of pound cakes, and the addition of rum made it sound that much more delicious. Now perhaps that is the pregnant woman in me that is swooning, although by the time you read this, I’ll have already had my baby girl. But know that when I was making this cake, I was breathing in the intoxicating scent of rum and savoring its whisper of flavor in the cake. While I’m not a heavy drinker at all, nine months of having none can make you crazy for alcohol!

I made a rum whipped cream with the leftover heavy cream. It was light and airy, and a perfect compliment to the dense cake. My favorite way of eating it? Cold, straight from the refrigerator. This cake didn’t disappoint. Just as Dorie writes, you could mistake it for a Sara Lee pound cake. It’s that good.

Thanks to Wendy of Pink Stripes for picking this lovely recipe. The recipe for my adapted version of this cake is below, but if you want the real deal, visit Wendy’s blog Pink Stripes.

Recipe: Rum-Drenched Vanilla Cakes
Adapted from Baking:From My Home to Yours

For the cakes:

• 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cups white whole wheat flour
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup plus 2 tbsp. turbinado sugar
• 2 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup Egg Beaters
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. dark rum
• 7 tbsp. Smart Balance 50/50 butter blend, melted and cooled

For the syrup:

• 1/3 cup water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup dark rum

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a loaf pan, dust the inside with flour and tap out the excess. Place the pan on an insulated baking sheet or on two regular sheets stacked one on top of the other.

Sift the flours, baking powder, and salt together.

Place the sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add the eggs and whisk them into the sugar, beating until they are thoroughly incorporated. Whisk in the vanilla extract. Then whisk in the heavy cream, followed by the rum. Continuing with the whisk, gently mix in the dry ingredients in 3 additions. The batter will be smooth and thick. Remove the bowl from the mixer and using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the melted butter in 2 or 3 additions.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans, filling them about 3/4 full. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a cake comes out clean. While the cakes are baking, prepare the rum syrup. Stir the water and sugar together in a small saucepan over medium heat until the sugar melts, then bring to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the rum. Pour the syrup into a liquid measuring cup and let cool.

When the cakes are done baking, let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Gently turn out onto a wire rack. Place a plate or baking sheet below the wire rack to catch excess syrup. Poke holes all over the cakes using a long, thin skewer. Pour the syrup all over the cakes (you will not need to use it all). Leave the cakes on the rack to cool to room temperature.

Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Recipe: Rum Whipped Cream

• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon dark rum

Before starting, make sure you’ve chilled a mixing bowl in the freezer.

Whip the cream in the bowl using an electric mixer. When the cream starts to stiffen a big, add the sugar and rum. Continue whipping until the sugar is dissolved and everything is thoroughly mixed. You’ll be done when you see fairly stiff peaks.

Serve cold.