Norton's Rum Cake

After my father was gone in the 1970s, my sister (a die-hard round dancer) persuaded my mother to get out more and to take up round and square dancing.  Mother fought the idea for awhile, but finally got up the nerve to venture out on her own and met the most wonderful man who became her dance partner and a friend of the family for many years to come.  Norton was always the perfect gentleman, soft-spoken with a dry wit, a great dancer, and a good cook.

The dances were always the occasion for good food contributed by the club members and Norton’s favorite item to bring was his famous rum cake.  Although alcohol was strictly forbidden at dances, everyone looked the other way when Norton walked in with his cake.  Erma Bombeck wrote about the joy of being at a PTA meeting and having someone bring in anything with alcohol in it.  It was the same way at these teetotaler dances – everybody rushed to the table when Norton’s Rum Cake was there.

I don’t use cake mix very often, but it works so well with this cake that I’ve never tried anything else.  It’s delicious and easy to make.

NORTON’S RUM CAKE

To make the cake:

• 18.25-18.5 oz. box of yellow cake mix (I use Betty Crocker Super Moist)
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 1/2 cup dark rum (Bacardi)
• 1/2 cup oil (canola)
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 315 degrees F
Grease and flour a 10-cup tube or Bundt cake pan

Place all ingredients in the large bowl of an electric mixer and beat at medium speed for 3 minutes.  Pour into greased and floured 10-cup tube or Bundt pan and bake @ 315 degrees F for approximately one hour until a tester inserted near the center of the cake comes out clean.

With cake still in pan, allow to cool on a rack for 5 minutes.

Run a knife around the edges and tube portion to loosen.  Invert cake onto rack.

While cake is cooling, make the Rum Glaze:

RUM GLAZE

• 8 Tblsp. (1/4 lb.) butter
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup dark rum (Bacardi)

In a small saucepan, melt the butter.  Then stir in the water and sugar.  Bring to a boil and let boil for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in the rum.

While cake is warm, poke holes in the cake with a skewer and pour the sauce over the cake.  It will take several minutes for the cake to absorb the glaze – just wait a few seconds and ladle on some more sauce until it is all used.

Let cake cool completely before cutting and serving.

I would love to have one more chance to sit alongside my mother in her beautiful square dance dress with matching shoes and earrings, watching Norton as he smiles and accepts the compliments of all the dancers on his wonderful cake.

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