There is an adage which goes "as American as apple pie." It sounds nice but isn't true. Apple pie is very French in origin. Now, if that adage was "as American as pound cake," it might be more truthful. Though the origins of pound cake can be found in Europe, the perfection of this classic dessert is very American.
Due to the density of most pound cakes it is a perfect base for many fruit-oriented desserts. You serve a nice thick slice of pound cake and top it with some berries and cream. Very popular in many restaurants. This particular pound cake is not this style.
Spiced Rum and Cranberry Pound Cake is much lighter than a usual pound cake. The batter has not been weighed down with fat and with the inclusion of both the cranberries and the spiced rum, as it rises within the oven, it will attain more body.
What we do here for the ultimate in taste is to use dried cranberries. We then reconstitute the dried cranberries in the spiced rum. This does two things. First, it plumps up the dried cranberries without taking away any of their natural sweetness. Secondly, it takes the "sting" from the taste of the rum.
At Casa de Cuisine we make this very special pound cake as individual cakes, using mini bundt pans (as you'll see in the slideshow). You can make a regular type of loaf, albeit your baking time will be slightly different.
Ingredients needed to make Spiced Rum and Cranberry Pound Cake (makes 4 mini-cakes):
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup spiced rum
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup flour
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
Steps:
- Pre-heat your oven to 325 degrees. Spray 4 mini bundt pans with non-stick spray.
- In a small bowl, combine the dried cranberries and spiced rum and let sit (macerate) 15 minutes.
- Into a mixer add the butter, sugar and eggs and beat until creamy.
- Add the flour, salt and baking soda and beat until smooth.
- Into the batter fold in the cranberries and rum until combined.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared pans.
- Place in the oven and bake 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool in the pans 5 minutes.
- Remove from the pans and let cool on a rack until ready to serve.
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