CAKE GLAZING RECIPE RECIPES

Steps:

• For the almond paste, place the sugar and ground almonds in a bowl. Add enough beaten egg and mix to a fairly soft consistency. Add the almond essence and knead for 1 minute until the paste is smooth and pliable. Roll out a third of the almond paste to make a circle 18cm/7in in diameter and reserve the remainder for the cake topping.
• Preheat oven to 140C/120C Fan/Gas 1. Grease and line a 18cm/7in cake tin.
• For the cake, cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs until well incorporated and then sift in the flour, salt and mixed spice (if using) a little at a time. Finally, add the mixed dried fruit, peel and grated lemon zest and stir into the mixture.
• Put half the mixture into the cake tin. Smooth the top and cover with the circle of almond paste. Add the rest of the cake mixture and smooth the top leaving a slight dip in the centre to allow for the cake to rise. Bake in the preheated oven for 1¾ hours. Test by inserting a skewer in the middle – if it comes out clean, it is ready. Once baked, remove from the oven and set aside to cool on a wire rack.
• Brush the top of the cooled cake with the apricot jam. Divide the remainder of the almond paste in half. Roll out a circle to cover the top of the cake with one half and form 11 small balls with the other half. Place the circle of paste on the jam glaze and set the balls round the edge. Brush the cake topping with a little beaten egg.
• Preheat the grill to high. Place the cake onto a baking tray and grill for 1–2 minutes, or until the top of the marzipan begins to brown. Alternatively, lightly heat the cake topping using a cook's blowtorch, until the marzipan is golden brown.

Steps:

• Prepare the cake pan by misting with vegetable oil and placing pecans in bottom of bundt pan if desired. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Place cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, oil, 1.3 cup of rum, water, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl and beat with electric mixer on low speed until the ingredients are just incorporated (about 30 seconds). Stop mixing and scrape down the sides of the bowl with rubber spatula.
• Increase the speed of the machine to medium and beat the batter until smooth (1 1/2 to 2 minutes longer).
• Pour batter into prepared cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
• Place cake in oven and bake until the top springs back when lightly pressed with finger. Approximately 40 to 45 minutes.
• While the cake is baking, make the buttered rum glaze. Place butter in small sauce pan over low heat and stir until melted. Add the brown sugar and 3 tbsp of rum and stir to combine. Cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture boils and thickens (approx 3 minutes). Remove from heat and let the glaze cool.
• Transfer the Bundt pan to a wire rack and let cake cook for 10 minutes. The gently shake the pan and invert it on a wire rack to cool. Let cool. Cool for at least 10 minutes.
• Using wooden skewers ( I use toothpicks), poke a dozen holes in the top of the cake and very slowly pour over warm cake so that the glaze can soak into the cake.
• Store this cake in a cake saver at room temp for up to 3 days. Freeze unglazed cake for up to 3 months. Let cake thaw overnight on countertop before glazing.