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1
Preheat oven to 325F.
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2
and butter and flour a loaf pan, 9 by 5 by 3 inches, knocking out excess flour.
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3
Onto a sheet of wax paper sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.
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4
In a bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed cream butter 1 minute and beat in sugar in a steady stream, beating until light and fluffy.
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5
Add eggs, a little at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping bowl occasionally.
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6
Beat in rum until mixture is pale and fluffy.
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7
Add flour mixture, one third at a time, beating well after each addition, and beat until batter is smooth.
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8
Spoon batter into prepared pan, smoothing top, and bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out clean, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.
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9
Cool cake in pan on a rack 10 minutes.
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10
Invert cake onto rack and cool completely.
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11
In a small saucepan combine sugar and water and boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved, 2 minutes.
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12
Remove pan from heat and stir in rum.
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13
Cool syrup to room temperature.
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14
In a metal bowl stir together ice cream and nuts and freeze until needed.
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15
Line cleaned loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving a 3-inch overhang on short sides.
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16
Halve cake horizontally with a serrated knife and reserve bottom half for another use.
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17
Halve remaining cake horizontally and put bottom layer in loaf pan.
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18
Brush layer in loaf pan and cut side of other layer with syrup.
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19
Working quickly, spread ice cream evenly over cake layer in loaf pan and top with remaining cake layer, rounded side up.
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20
Freeze cake, covered, until frozen hard, about 6 hours.
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21
Cake may be made 3 days ahead and kept frozen.
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22
Preheat oven to 450F.
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23
In a large bowl with an electric mixer stir together egg whites, salt, and sugar.
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24
Set bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and stir mixture just until sugar is dissolved.
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25
Remove bowl from pan and with mixer beat meringue until it holds stiff, glossy peaks.
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26
Working quickly, remove cake from pan and arrange, flat side down, on an ovenproof shallow platter.
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27
With a rubber spatula spread top and sides of cake with a generous layer of meringue, covering it completely.
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28
Transfer remaining meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe it generously on and around dessert.
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29
Bake dessert in middle of oven 4 to 5 minutes, or until meringue is golden brown.
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30
Serve immediately.
