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1
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. While waiting, grease and flour a 13x9 inch pan. You can also use two 9 inch pans or three 8 inch pans if you prefer a layer cake.
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2
Start with the cake ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, mix the sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla on low speed until the mixture begins to get fluffy. This usually takes two or three minutes if your butter is nice and soft.
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3
Beat the mixture on high speed (the highest your mixer will go!) for five minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl to ensure complete mixing. This step is very important; do not skip it to save time! It will make all the difference in the fluffiness of the cake. The mixture should be pale and resemble cheesecake filling by the time you are finished mixing.
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4
Beat in the flour, baking powder, salt and milk alternately on low speed. The mixture will thicken considerably as more flour is added. This is great for giving those arm muscles a workout!
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5
Add the rum or rum flavoring and give the mixture a final mix on low speed. You can add a little more rum if you're so inclined, but too much will ruin the consistency of the cake. Save it for the glaze or get yourself a drink!
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6
Pour the mixture into your pan(s).
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7
Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. For 13x9 pans this is approximately 45-50 minutes; for layers this is approximately 30-35 minutes.
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8
Let the cake cool while you make the glaze.
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9
Heat the butter in a small saucepan over low heat until it is fully melted.
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10
Slowly add the rum or rum flavoring and the powdered sugar. Make sure you take the time to dissolve the sugar, it can take a few minutes to fully melt. The glaze should thicken considerably by the time the last of the sugar is added. You can add more rum than the amount listed if you're so inclined, but too much will cause consistency problems.
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11
If the glaze is too thick, add hot water one tablespoon at a time until it reaches the consistency you want. For this cake I prefer leaving it on the thicker side (1-2 tablespoons of water at the most) but it is a matter of personal taste.
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12
Add the nutmeg and cinnamon. These spices are optional, but they add a lot of character to the glaze and give it a flavor similar to a hot buttered rum - yum! Add more if you like this combination, the amounts listed are conservative for what my family in particular enjoys!
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13
Let the glaze cool for a minute or two and then pour it over the top of the cooled cake. Use a spatula or spoon to help make sure the cake gets fully covered if the glaze is on the thicker side. To really make sure the glaze gets into the cake, you can poke holes in the top of the cake with a fork before pouring - this will help the cake soak up the glaze.
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14
Let the cake sit for at least half an hour before serving. This will give the glaze time to harden up a little and become more like a smooth frosting than a wet glaze.
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15
Serve and enjoy! You can sprinkle a little extra nutmeg and cinnamon over the top for presentation, but I've found that the taste of the cake requires no bells and whistles to get attention! It may look and feel simple, but this is deceptive once you get a taste of what you've made.
