Bacardi Rum Cake

1 cup chopped pecans
1 (18 1/2 oz.) pkg. yellow cake mix
1 (3 3/4 oz.) pkg. vanilla instant pudding mix
4 eggs
1/2 cup cold water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup Bacardi dark rum (80 proof)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Spray 10 inch tube pan or 12-cup bundt pan with cooking spray.  Sprinkle nuts over bottom of pan.  Mix all cake ingredients together.  Pour batter over nuts.  Bake 1 hour.  Cool.  Invert on serving plate.  Prick top.  Spoon and brush some of the glaze evenly over top and sides.  Allow cake to absorb glaze.  Repeat until glaze is used up.  Serve with whipped cream. [Note:  If using yellow cake mix with pudding already in the mix, omit instant pudding, use 3 eggs instead of 4, a cup oil instead of 1/2 cup.]

 Glaze:   1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1/4 cup water

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup Bacardi dark rum

Melt butter in saucepan.  Stir in water and sugar.  Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.  Stir in rum. 

Whipped Cream:

1 cup heavy cream

1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Put cream in mixer bowl and whip until it starts to thicken.  Add vanilla and sugar and continue whipping until cream forms peaks.  Careful, for if you whip too much, it will turn into butter.

Our friend Royce Meier made this cake on special occasions.  It is rich and delicious.