Bahamian Rum Cake

Name: Bahamian Rum Cake
Yield: makes one 10-inch (25-cm) cake; 10 to 12 servings
Ingredients: 3 cups (420 g) all-purpose flour; 1/2 teaspoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 3/4 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg; 1 cup (8 ounces/225 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature; 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar; 3 large eggs, at room temperature; 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature; 1 tablespoon vanilla extract; 3/4 cup (180 ml) canned Thai coconut milk; 3/4 cup (180 ml) canned Thai coconut milk; 6 tablespoons (75 g) granulated sugar; 1/2 cup (125 ml) dark rum; 4 tablespoons (2 ounces/60 g) unsalted or salted butter, cut into pieces; 6 tablespoons (90 ml) heavy cream; 6 tablespoons (90 g) dark brown sugar; Pinch of salt; 1 tablespoon dark rum; 1/2 cup (40 g) dried large-flake coconut (unsweetened or sweetened), toasted

December 9, 2011

I had a cake crisis at Club Med in the Bahamas. A round yellow tin was waiting in my room when I arrived, and when I pried off the lid, inside was a small rum cake. Curious, I sliced off a small wedge, and then another, and then another. It took every bit of willpower in me not the finish the entire cake right then and there. But I thought that I should I save half to share with my partner who’d gone for a swim. We went to lunch, and when we returned to the room, the other half of the cake was missing, apparently the work of an overzealous housekeeper, or one who liked the cake as much as I did. When I got home from that trip, I set to work recreating that lovely golden cake with island flavor courtesy of a little dose of coconut milk and a lot of dark rum. I added a tasty coconut-rum glaze for good measure, although you can skip it if swimsuit season is around the corner. If you make this cake, be sure to keep an eye on any leftovers.

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