Coconut Rum Cake

By pknaub

Ah, the flavors of the Caribbean... This extra-moist, tender cake is infused with two flavors—coconut and rum—that go play off each other beautifully.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cups (2 sticks + 4 tablespoons) butter, softened
• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 6 drops coconut flavor (optional)
• 1/4 cup rum (we like dark best)*
• 4 egg yolks
• 3 whole large eggs
• 2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1 cup Hi-maize Fiber (or cornstarch)
• 3/4 cup coconut milk powder**
• 1 cup milk**
• 1/4 cup rum or vanilla syrup to brush over warm cake (see recipe below)
• Rum or Vanilla Syrup
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup liquid (either water + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; or 2 tablespoons water + 2 tablespoons rum)
• Or replace with rum flavor to taste + an additional 1/4 cup milk.
• Or substitute 1 cup light coconut milk for the coconut milk powder and milk.
• Or substitute coconut flavor to taste.
• Or use rum flavor to taste, and increase the milk or cream by 3+ tablespoons.
• Glaze
• 1/2 cup coconut milk powder***
• 3 tablespoons rum****
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or cream

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 12-cup tube or bundt-style pan.
Beat the butter, sugar, baking powder, salt, and flavoring till fluffy. Beat in the rum, then the egg yolks and eggs, one at a time, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl. Whisk together the flour, Hi-maize Fiber, and coconut milk powder. Mix in alternately with the milk until all is combined. Spoon batter into the prepared pan.
Bake the cake for 50 to 60 minutes. While the cake is baking, make the rum or vanilla syrup by heating the sugar and liquid together until the sugar dissolves and the syrup is clear. Let the syrup cool before using it. Remove the cake from the oven when it's lightly browned, and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
Brush the surface of the cake with some of the rum or vanilla syrup. Allow it to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn it out onto a serving plate. Brush with the remaining rum or vanilla syrup. Cool completely before mixing glaze ingredients together. Drizzle with glaze. Yield: 12 to 16 slices.