Captain Burgess Rum Cake

Captain Burgess Rum Cake

Baking Time:  55-60 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit

Yields 12-14 servings

·                       3/4 cup softened butter

·                       1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

·                       4 large eggs

·                       3 cups all purpose flour

·                       1/4 teaspoon salt

·                       4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

·                       1/2 cup dark rum 

·                       1 cup milk

·                       1 cup raisins

·                       1 cup chopped pecans

·                       1/4 cup pecan halves

Rum Glaze

·                       1/4 cup melted butter

·                       1/4 cup water

·                       1/4 cup dark rum  (I used more)

·                       1 cup granulated sugar

 Grease 10-inch tube pan.

 Cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.

 In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder.  Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture, alternately with rum and milk, being careful to mix only until batter is smooth.  Fold in raisins and chopped pecans.

 Place pecan halves on the bottom of the tube pan.  Spread the cake batter evenly over the nuts.   

Bake in 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.  Turn the cake onto a cake rack to cool, before glazing.

 In a small saucepan, combine butter, water, sugar and rum and place over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.  Prick the cake with a small skewer and drizzle the syrup over the cake until it is all absorbed. 

Store in a tightly sealed container at a cool temperature, to mellow for a day or two, before serving.

I stored the remaining glaze in a covered container.  When we ate the cake, I warmed the glaze and served it with French Vanilla Ice-Cream on the side.  Another time, I would cook the leftover glaze a bit more to thicken it.

This recipe is probably the Blomidon Inn’s best known dessert.  The recipe is taken from the 6^th Edition of Maritime Flavours by Elaine Elliott and Virginia Lee.  The book has interesting back stories about the Maritime provinces’ finest inns and restaurants with beautiful photographs by Keith Vaughan.

The Blomidon Inn, Main Street in Wolfville, Nova Scotia was built in 1882 by Captain Rufus Burgess.  This imposing inn features exotic woods, plaster cornices, dados and marble fireplaces that were fashioned by Italian craftsmen.   The inn has 26 beautifully appointed guest rooms and two dining rooms.  

Open year round: breakfast and afternoon tea for guests, lunch and dinner for guests and the general public.  Web site:  www.blomidon.ns.ca