I made it this weekend; it was perfect, hit the spot. The crumb was what I wanted. Sis tasted it and included in her review, I like the texture. Not too sweet either. Sis and I love lemon things to be really lemony, after all, that's what lemons are about. Of course, I cheated. I added lemon juice to the cake itself, and the glaze became more like frosting (it was thick! Oops) made totally with lemon juice so you got at least one or two really tart bites guaranteed. Good stuff. Thanks!

I used to call Rum Baba rum balls, so just in case you meant a yeast cake soaked in an incredible rum bath, here's a recipe. This one uses a Bundt pan but it is easily done in large muffin tins and served on a cupcake paper to hold in the syrup. Baba Au Rhum (Rum Baba) by Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa) For the rum syrup 1 cup sugar 1 tablespoon ReaLemon juice 2/3 cup good dark rum teaspoon pure vanilla extract For the whipped cream 2 cups cold heavy cream 1 tablespoons sugar 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract For the baba 1/3 cup dried currants 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest 1 tablespoon good dark rum 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature 1/2 cup milk 1/4 ounce fast-rising active dry yeast 2 tablespoons sugar 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt Glaze 3/4 cup apricot preserves 1. Make the rum syrup:. 2. Place the sugar, lemon juice and 1 1/2 cups water in a small saucepan and cook over high heat until the sugar dissolves. Pour into a 4-cup heatproof measuring cup and allow to cool. Add the rum and vanilla and set aside. 3. Make the whipped cream:. 4. Whip the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. When it starts to thicken, add the sugar and vanilla and continue to whip until the cream forms stiff peaks. Don't overheat, or you'll end up with butter! 5. Make the baba:. 6. Combine the currants, lemon zest and rum in a small bowl and set aside. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and brush a 5-cup (6 1/2 X 3 1/2-inch) tube pan or kugelhopf mold with the melted butter. Be sure to coat every crevice of the pan. Heat the milk to 115°F (46°C) and then pour it into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Stir in the yeast and sugar and allow to sit for 5 minutes. 7. With the mixer on low speed, first add the eggs, then the flour, salt, and remaining 4 tablespoons of butter. Raise the speed to medium-high and beat for 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and beater to form the dough into a ball. It will be very soft. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and allow it to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. 8. Drain the currants and zest (empty the rum remaining into the prepared syrup), fold them into the dough with a spatula, and spoon into the prepared pan. Smooth the top, cover the pan with a damp towel, and allow to rise until the dough reaches the top of the pan, 50 minutes to 1 hour. 9. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and make the rum syrup. Bake the cake for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then tap it out of the cake pan onto a baking rack set over a sheet pan. 10. Pour all of the rum syrup very slowly onto the warm cake, allowing it all to soak in thoroughly. Amazingly, the liquid will be absorbed into the cake, so be sure to use all of the syrup. 11. Heat the preserves with 1 tablespoon of water until runny, press it through a sieve, and brush it on the cake. Serve with whipped cream piped into the middle of the cake plus an extra bowl on the side.

I have been absent from this forum for so long. Lots of family issues, etc. But, so nice to lurk here. It has been so long. Nice to see familiar names still posting their wonderful recipes and ideas and tips. I'd like to comment about this cake as it has been a holiday staple for me for 25+ years. There are so many variations on this cake. I am sure they are all delicious. I noticed only one post mentions using a bundt pan. My recipe calls for a bundt pan and a Duncan Hines Supreme Yellow Cake mix. Do they even sell that any more? It also calls for Meyer Dark Rum, which compumom mentioned. I always use Meyers. Also calls for 1/2 cup oil, as most I see call for 1/3 cup. This recipe is so good, I hesitate making it unless I am serving it or taking it somewhere as I tend to eat too much of it myself. The glaze it calls for uses 3/4 cup Meyers Dark Rum and 1/2 cup water in addition to 1 cup sugar and 1/4 lb butter, brought to a boil and cooked for 5 minutes and then poured into the poked holes of the bundt cake.

BTW -- I do not mix the chopped nuts into the batter - only put them into the bottom of the bundt pan before the batter goes in. I also use Pecans only. My take on the Giant Food glaze for this rum cake includes McCormick Imitation Rum Extract. The flavor of the McCormick Imitation Rum extract is exactly the same as that used in the Giant Food cake. I am almost 100% sure the store bakery did not use real rum. DL