Rum-dilly-yumcious Cakes

Okay... here it is. My secret is out. If you've ever received one of these sweets from me, you may now think less of me. I promise that this is the easiest yet yummiest of holiday treats.

This year I was slaving away, doing one of the few things I do not enjoy in the kitch, greasing & dusting all the cake pans (I triple this recipe for 12 cakes to gift). My husband walked in & I whined a tad about my distaste of the tedious tasks of greasing & dusting.

"Why are you making twelve? You know you don't have to make twelve cakes."

I looked at him in sheer bewilderment. "Yes I do! Its Christmas. I make twelve cakes at Christmas. That's all there is. I always make twelve cakes at Christmas!"

And that's all there was to that.

Don't worry, the recipe as follows only makes 3 loaf cakes, but once you taste it you may very well want to triple yours too!

Ingredients
Cake
1 package 2-layer Butter recipe cake mix
1 package 4-serving-size Vanilla instant pudding
4 eggs
1/2c. water
1/2c. rum
1/2c. vegetable oil
1c. chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Glaze
1c. sugar
1/2c. butter
1/4c. water
1/8c. rum

Method

Preheat oven to 325F.
Grease then flour bottom & sides of 3 foil loaf pans (8"x3"x2"). If you so choose, sprinkle chopped nuts on bottom of loaf pans.
Combine remaining cake ingredients. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds, then beat at medium speed for 2 minutes, checking for lumps.
Pour approximately 3/4 cup of batter into each of the prepared pans.
Bake 50-55 minutes. Cakes are done baking when a cake testing stick is inserted in the center & comes out clean.

While cakes are baking, prepare the glaze:
Combine sugar, butter & water in medium pot. Bring mix to a boil & stir constantly for 5 minutes. Remove from heat & OH. SO. SLOOOOWWWLLLYYYYY add the rum. (The rum will foam up & boil over rapidly, as it is being added.) Let the glaze mix sit for 15 minutes.

Cool cakes in pans for about 15 minutes, then pour glaze over cakes to heavily saturate. (I use a turkey baster.) Cakes are best gifted/ stored in tins that they are baked in, since the glaze soaks up from the bottom.

Store cakes in an airtight container for up to 3 days, otherwise refrigerate or freeze. But honestly, who allows these to sit for longer than a day??