"Gingerbread" House

Before we leave Christmas altogether, I wanted to share this "Gingerbread" House on Foodie Friday on Designs by Gollum. and Lady Katherine Tea Party for Tea Time Tuesday.



I got this cake pan from Williams Sonoma and it came with a gingerbread cake recipe, but our Christmas tradition is rum cake, so I just baked my rum cake recipe in the pan. The chimney actually goes all the way down, just like a regular Bundt pan! Here is another link to the Rum Cake recipe - shared many times by me!

It worked perfectly and then my daughter decorated it with icing and gum drops. Then she topped it all off with a dusting of powdered sugar.

Loved the pan - no sticking and all I did was spray with Baker's Joy.

So here is the Gingerbread House that is really a Rum House, but that just doesn't sound right!!!

My Cake Runneth Over

 For my Bridge Club dessert I decided to serve Rum Cake and fruit. I made my cake in a new toy, er, necessary cake pan that I just got. I decided to serve the cake and the fruit on the same platter and here it is:





My rum cake is the tried and true Bicardi Cake recipe:

1 box yellow Pudding in the mix cake mix (I can never find the non-pudding kind anymore)
3 eggs
1/2 c. water
1/3 c. oil
1/2 c. rum (I use light - the recipe calls for dark, so use what you like)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Prepare pan with butter and flour, Wilton's Cake Release or Baker's Joy spray
Mix ingredients until combined. Then beat on medium 2 minutes.
Pour into prepared pan and bake 50 mins to 1 hour until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Cool 15 mins in pan.

Prepare glaze:

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

Bring to boil and let boil for 5 mins.

Pour most of glaze over warm cake still in pan and let it absorb. Then turn cake out and pour the rest on the top of the cake.

Here is my new pan:



And here is a closer look at the cake:





I am linking to Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum. Be sure and check out all the wonderful ideas on her site!

Christmas Food Traditions

Thank you Gollum for hosting Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum!


For this LATE Christmas Foodie Post, I want to share two Christmas Food Traditions with you. The first is Rum Cake.



My mother made this when I was young and I have kept this tradition going with my family.

The recipe is from the Bicardi Rum Company but I make it with light rum instead of dark rum as they suggest.

Rum Cake:

cake
1 box yellow cake mix (not butter recipe or pudding in the mix) I prefer Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Classic Yellow Cake
1 3 1/2 oz. box vanilla instant pudding mix
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup rum
4 eggs

glaze
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup rum

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a large Bundt cake pan. Do not just use PAM or the cake will stick.

In a large mixing bowl combine all the cake ingredient. Mix with hand or stand mixer on medium for 2 minutes.

Pour batter into pan and bake for 45 minutes or until it tests done with a toothpick.

As soon as cake comes out of the oven, combine all glaze ingredients in a saucepan and boil for 5 minutes.

The standard recipe calls for turning the cake out onto a platter with a lip, poking holes in it with a fork and slowly pouring the glaze over the top of the cake. BUT here is how my mother taught me to do it: Just slowly pour the glaze on the cake in the Bundt pan while still warm. Let it soak in for a bit and then turn it out onto a cake plate or platter.

This cake is very moist and is even better the next day.



The next food tradition is our Christmas morning quiche.




I don't really have a recipe for this.

I use a Pillsbury pie crusts and unroll it into the quiche pan and blind bake it for about 10 mins at 325 degrees.

I spread a bit of Dijon mustard over the partially baked pie crust and spread a pound of sausage, cooked and drained over this. Then I add shredded cheese (whatever we have in the refrigerator) all over the top. Then I beat 4 eggs with some milk, salt and pepper and pour this over the sausage and cheese.

For a festive Christmas touch I add red and green bell peppers (which my daughters usually pick out as they eat!)




Thanks Gollum for hosting Foodie Friday!

I hope you all had a wonderful Merry Christmas!