Cake - Bacardi Chocolate Rum Cake

You need a 10" tube pan or 12 cup bunt pan to make this cake.

1 cup Bacardi gold rum
1 pkg (18 1/2 ounces) chocolate cake mix
1 pkg. chocolate instant pudding/pie filling
3/4 cups water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 pkg. (12 oz) semisweet chocolate
1 cup raspberry preserves
2 tablespoons shortening
1 oz. white chocolate

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Combine cake mix, pudding, eggs, 1/2 cup of rum, water and oil in mixing bowl.  Beat at low speed until moistened, then beat at medium speed for 2 minutes.  Stir in 1 cup of chocolate pieces.

Pour into prepared greased pan.  Bake 50-60 minutes until cake tests done.  CHECK AT 50 minutes becuase the bottom of a bunt cake burns easily & you can't see it until you unpan the cake.  Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then remove from pan and cool on rack. 

Raspberry filling:
In a small saucepan, heat the raspberry preserves and remaining 1/2 cup of rum.  Strain heated mixture through sieve to remove seeds.  Place cake on serving plate.  Prick surface of cake with a fork and brush the raspberry glaze evenly over the cake allowing the cake to absorb the glaze.  Repeat until all glaze has been used.

Frosting:  (Be sure cake is room temperature before you apply the frosting).
In a bowl, combine remaining 1 cup chocolate pieces and shortening.  Microwave on high until melted (about 1 minute).  Stir until smooth.  Spoon chocolate icing over cake.  Let stand 10 minutes until mixture frosting begins to firm slightly.  In a small bowl, combine white chocolate and 1 teaspoon water.  Microwave on high about 30 seconds or until melted.  Stir well and drizzle over the chocolate icing.

I actually wrote to the Bacardi company and they sent me this recipe.  It's not really what I was looking for (had a rum layer cake years ago that was great and that's what I asked about) but it did turn out to be a very good dessert.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Basic cream cheese frosting

2 packages cream cheese, 8 oz each
1 stick butter
2 cups sifted confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla extract

Allow butter and cream cheese to soften.  Do not melt the butter or the frosting will not hold up.

In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar. Store in the refrigerator after use.

Avocado Cream Sauce

Perfect to serve over chicken enchiladas

2 Tbsp. butter

2 Tbsp. flour

2 cups chicken broth

¾ cup sour cream

½ tsp. cumin

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. garlic powder

¼ tsp. pepper

2 California avocados, peeled and pitted

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

juice of one lime

·  Melt the butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the flour, whisking until golden and bubbly, about 2-3 minutes.

·  Slowly whisk the broth into the flour mixture. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes.

·  Stir in the sour cream, cumin, salt, garlic powder and pepper, whisking if necessary to remove any lumps.

·  Remove from heat and transfer mixture to a blender or food processor. Add avocados, cilantro and lime juice, and pulse until smooth and well-blended. (Be sure to remove the lid occasionally so that the heat can escape.)

·  Season with additional salt or pepper if needed.