Shelly's Recipe

SPICE CAKE WITH TIPSY VANILLA-RUM SAUCE

Category: Cakes

2-1/2 cups flour
1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and pepper in a large bowl. Set aside.

Beat butter and sugars at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add vanilla extract and eggs, 1 at a time, stopping to scrape sides of bowl as needed.

Add flour mixture to butter alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour. Stir in coconut.

Pour half of batter into greased and floured 10 inch Bundt pan. Spoon 1-1/2 cups Tropical Fruit Mix (see recipe below) over batter; top with remaining batter. Bake at 350o F for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Poke holes in cake with a wooden skewer; pour half of Tipsy Vanilla-Rum Sauce (recipe below) over cake. Let cool in pan 1 hour.

Invert cake onto a serving plate, drizzle with remaining sauce and sprinkle with remaining fruit mix.

Tropical Fruit Mix
1/2 cup dried papaya
1/2 cup dried pineapple
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup roasted, salted macadamia nuts

Combine ingredients in a food processor; process until chopped. Makes 2 cups.

Tipsy Vanilla-Rum Sauce
1/2 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup vanilla-flavored rum

Combine first three ingredients in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and stir in rum. Makes 2 cups.