MarthaRayDeen's Caribbean Rum Cake

MARTHRAYDEEN'S CARIBBEAN RUM CAKE DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

CAKE

2 cups cake flour (or 1 3/4 c. all purpose flour + 1/4 c. corn starch)

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, cut into bits

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

*********** (combine first 6 ingredients before adding others)**************

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

1 (3 1/2 ounce) package vanilla instant pudding mix

1/2 cup milk

4 eggs

1/4 cup dark rum + 1/4 cup Cruzan Vanilla rum (1/2 cup combined)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

GLAZE:

1/2 cup butter (do not substitute)

1/4 cup water

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup Cruzan Vanilla Rum

Directions:

• Spray a Large Bundt pan with Pam, then sprinkle the chopped walnuts into bottom of pan, with an even distribution.
• Combine the first 6 ingredients and mix until it has a gravel/sand consistency (I used a food processor to combine it)
• Add pudding mix, milk, eggs, rum, oil, and vanilla and combine on medium speed with electric mixer for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping the bowl halfway through.
• Pour mixture over nuts in Bundt pan.
• Bake at 325 degrees for 55 minutes, or until golden and toothpick comes out clean.
• Remove cake from the oven and place it on a cooling rack (do not remove from bundt pan)
• Prepare the glaze by combining butter, water, and sugar in a pan and bring to boil, stirring constantly.  Continue to boil for 3-5 minutes until the sugar is completely dissolved and the liquid begins to thicken up. 
• Remove glaze from heat and stir in the rum, continuing to stir.  It will bubble up and be a little thinner than you think it shold be, but this is ok, it will be great when you finish!
• Pour the warm glaze, a little bit at a time, over the cooling cake inside the bundt pan.  I poked a few holes in mine, to let the rum glaze soak through the cake.  It will take a little time to get all of the syrup glaze poured over, but believe me, it's worth the time.  
• When you've got all of the syrup glaze poured over the cake, let it cool to room temperature, then cover with foil or plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight. (keeping it in the bundt pan)
• The next day, submerge the bundt pan bottom into a little warm water to warm the glaze (and unstick from the pan), then invert onto a cake platter.