eat cake

Literally half of what I do in my life, I do because I read about it in a book. Trying to run away as a kid? From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. Visiting Santorini last year? Thank Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants for that. This cake? Eat Cake, of course.

The book is about a woman who loves baking and tries to sell her cakes after her husband loses his job as a hospital administrator. The cake is about deliciousness. Boozy, rum-soaked raisins and a rum glaze make it a real hit with, well, just about anyone.

I was enlisted to make this cake for dinner the day after Thanksgiving at my grandpa-in-law's house, and it was then I realized I had never shared it with you. The horror. The ingredient list and directions both look a little long, but don't let it put you off. And don't think that it's only a Thanksgiving and/or Christmas cake. Sweet potato cake is divine year-round, and rum? Rum never goes out of style.

So bake and eat cake - and enjoy!

xoxo,
E

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sweet potato bundt cake with a lot of booze in it

ingredients:
for the cake:
3/4 cups golden raisins
1/2 cup dark rum
2 large or 3 medium-sized sweet potatoes
4 large eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup mild vegetable oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for salting the water
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup buttermilk

additional unsalted butter, at room temperature, for greasing the pan
additional all-purpose flour, for dusting the pan

glaze:
1/2 cup tightly packed dark brown sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons whipping cream
remaining rum macerating liquid from raisins

directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt cake pan.
In a small bowl, soak raisins in the rum for at least 30 minutes, up to several hours.
Peel the sweet potatoes, cut them in half, and cut each half into 4-inch slices.
Place slices into a pot of cool salted water, cover, and boil.
Reduce to gentle simmer and cook until potatoes are tender.
Drain potatoes and allow to air-dry, t hen use a potato masher to roughly mash them.
Measure out two cups of the mash and set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs briefly just to break them up.
Add sugar and beat until mixture is thick and pale, about 2 minutes with a mixer or 3 by hand.
Add vegetable oil and vanilla, then beat to blend.
Drain raisins and set aside, but add 1/4 cup of the rum macerating liquid to the batter.
Add the mashed sweet potatoes and mix until thoroughly combined.
In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Add the flour mixture to the batter in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk in two additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
Fold in the raisins.
Pour batter into bundt pan.
Bake in the center of the oven 1 hour to 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until a wooden skewer comes out clean.
Cool the cake in the pan set on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert onto the rack.
Set the rack over a baking sheet or large plate to catch glaze.
For the glaze, combine the brown sugar, butter, and cream in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan.
Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
Continue to boil until the mixture thickens, about 3 minutes, stirring often.
Remove the glaze from the heat and stir in the rum.
With a long skewer, poke holes all over the cake, concentrating on the top.
Spoon half the warm glaze over the cake.
Let the cake and the remaining glaze cool for 10-15 minutes, until it's thickened slightly.
Pour the rest of the glaze over the cake, letting it dribble down the sides, then allow the cake to cool completely before cutting and serving.

Recipe from Eat Cake, by Jeanne Ray.