I prefer from scratch. I did a little research on some recipes and came up with this one. I decided to make little bundtlettes but it could be made in a standard sized bundt pan or in loaf pans. Vanilla Bean Butter-Rum Poundcakes 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 1 cup granulated sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 vanilla bean 1-1/2 cups flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature Glaze 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup butter 1-1/2 tablespoons water pinch of salt 2 tablespoons dark rum Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter and flour muffin tin. Cream butter in bowl of mixer. Slowly add sugar and beat for two minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition of egg. Add vanilla extract. Split vanilla bean and scrape inside into batter. Reserve vanilla bean pod. Beat for approximately two more minutes, until batter is fluffy and creamy. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. At low speed, add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, ending with flour mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake for 30 - 35 minutes, or until golden and cake tester comes out clean. Remove pan to cooling rack set over baking sheet for 5 minutes. Remove cakes from pan to cooling rack. Poke several holes in each cake with thin skewer/ cake tester. Pour glaze slowly over cakes until cakes absorb glaze and glaze is used up. Serve when completely cooled. Make glaze: Put sugar, butter, water, vanilla pod, and salt to small saucepan. Stirring constantly, bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in rum. Remove pod when ready to pour over cakes. Lori Here is a link that might be useful: All That Splatters - Vanilla Bean Butter Rum Poundcakes

Ok Rum cake turned out wonderful as always Bacardi Rum Cake 1 yellow cake mix with pudding in the mix 3 eggs 1/2 cup water 1/3 cup oil 1/2 cup rum ( light or dark) Mix pour into greased and floured bundt pan bake 1 hour 325 Glaze 1 stick butter (1/4 cup ) 1/4 cup water 1 cup sugar Bring to a boil, boil 5 minutes while stirring take off heat. Add rum 1/2 cup rum Pour over cake while warm and still in the pan wait 30 minutes turn onto serving plate. Patty

All of these are tried and family approved :-) The banana cake doesn't start with a mix, but I'm sending it anyway since you say he loves bananas. Becky * Exported from MasterCook * Death By Chocolate Recipe By :Tamara Chatham Serving Size : 12 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1 box chocolate cake mix 1 small package instant chocolate pudding mix 12 ounces chocolate chips 4 eggs 1 cup sour cream 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup oil Mix all ingredients, except chocolate chips. Dust chocolate chips with flour. Remove excess flour, and fold into cake mixture. Bake in greased and floured bundt cake pan at temperature indicated on cake mix box. Dust with powdered sugar. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - NOTES : Tamara likes to refrigerate the cake before serving, as the texture becomes denser and the cholcolate chips harden. * Exported from MasterCook * Italian Love Cake Recipe By : Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1 box fudge marble cake mix (or chocolate) 2 pounds ricotta cheese 1 cup sugar 4 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 box instant chocolate pudding -- (3 3/4 oz.) 1 cup milk 8 ounces non-dairy whipped topping -- thawed Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cake as directed on box and pour into greased and floured 9 x 13 pan. In separate bowl, combine ricotta, sugar, eggs, and vanilla; mix well. Spoon over unbaked cake. Bake cake for 1 hour. Cool. Mix instant pudding with milk; fold in whipped topping. Spread over cake; refrigerate. Yield: 12 servings. Source: "http://busycooks.about.com" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook * Chocolate Thunder Cake Recipe By : Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1 box German chocolate cake mix 1 can sweetened condensed milk -- (14 ounce) 1 jar fudge ice cream topping -- (8 ounce) 1 container frozen whipped topping -- (16 ounce) thawed 2 8 ounce Heath candy bars -- crushed Bake cake in a 9-by-13-ounce pan as directed on package. Let cool 25 to 30 minutes. Poke holes in cake with wooden spoon handle. Pour on sweetened condensed milk; spread evenly. Wait 5 minutes. Spread fudge topping over cake. Wait 5 minutes. Spread whipped topping over cake and sprinkle with crushed candy bars. Chill thoroughly before serving. Makes 16 servings. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook * Banana Cake Recipe By : Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 3/4 cup butter 2 1/8 cups white sugar 3 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 cups buttermilk 2 teaspoons lemon juice 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas Frosting: 1/2 cup butter -- softened 1 package cream cheese (8 ounces) -- softened 3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar (1 lb box) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract DIRECTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan. In a small bowl, mix mashed bananas with lemon juice, set aside. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. 2. In a large bowl, cream 3/4 cup butter and 2 1/8 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Stir in banana mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan. 3. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place directly into freezer for 45 minutes. This will make the cake very moist. 4. For the frosting: In a large bowl, cream 1/2 cup butter and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add confectioners sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high until frosting is smooth. Spread on cooled cake. Source: "www.allrecipes.com" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - NOTES : I had to cook this for more than hour to get it cooked through, but it was very moist. Toasted chopped walnuts on top would be a nice addition. Use a metal pan (not glass) to bake it in if you're going to put it in the freezer! * Exported from MasterCook * Grandma's Rum Cake Recipe By :Teri Morrison Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1 package Duncan Hines yellow cake mix 1 package vanilla instant pudding (4 serving size) 1/3 cup oil 1 cup water 4 eggs 3/4 chopped pecans Glaze: 1/2 cup butter 1/4 cup water 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup Bacardi Rum (80 proof) Mix together cake mix, pudding, oil, water and eggs in large bowl until well blended. Spread evenly chopped nuts on the bottom of greased Bundt pan. Pour prepared cake mix into pan and bake as directed on cake mix box in a 350* oven. Cake is done when toothpick inserted in center of cake comes clean. While cake is cooling. Melt butter in saucepan, stir in water and sugar. Boil for 5 minutes while stirring constantly. Then stir in rum. After cake cools for 10 minutes pour glaze over cake letting it run down all the sides and center. Let it soak into the cake for a while. Let cake cool until you can handle cake pan to invert. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - NOTES : I like to use Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum. This cake really tastes best after it's had a couple of days for the flavors to blend.

Here's my grandmother's angel food cake recipe. Have no idea how she whipped those egg whites without an electric mixer but no such things when my mother was growing up (mother born in 1908). She always made one for the birthdays of her 6 children, my mother made it for me, I made it for my children and now for two local grandchildren. ALL have loved it! MEMO's Angel Food Cake Whites from 1 doz extra large or jumbo eggs. Eggs should be a week or two old - no new eggs - and should be at room temp 1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar 1 cup sifted cake flour such as Swans Down 1 heaping tsp cream of tartar 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 heaping tsp almond extract Beat egg whites a few beats and add salt. Beat till frothy and add cream of tartar. Continue beating until they make good peaks. Sift sugar twice and sift into egg whites while beating. Add extracts while beating. Sift flour three times and gently fold it, by hand, into egg whites. Put angel food cake pan under running cold water in the sink. Dry pan. Scoop batter into cake pan, gently, and even it on top. Put cake in a cold oven and bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour. Check after 50 minutes and if cake is very lightly browned and pulling away from the sides of the pan, it is done. Cool pan upside down (Pans often have legs for this. If not, turn it over a tall, skinny bottle) When completely cooled, remove from tube pan and place on a plate, removing the tube part carefully, with a long, slim knife. Eat as is or first as desired.