Italian Orange Rum Cake

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. grated orange rind
3 Tbsp. fresh orange juice
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
Orange-Rum Topping
Orange slices, candied cherries, and whipped cream
rosettes

Beat eggs until light. Gradually beat in sugar and continue to mix until mixture is thick and lemon- colored. Use an electric beater if possible, and beat at high speed for about 5 min. Stir in orange rind and juice. Sift flour with baking powder 3 times and fold into batter. Pour buttered and floured 9" springform pan. Bake in preheated 350* oven for 30 min., or until cake tests done. Cool in pan. Pour Orange-Rum Topping over cooled cake and chill until serving time. Remove from pan. Decorate with oranges, cherries, and whipped cream rosettes.

Orange-Rum Topping

1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
1 cup hot milk
3/4 cup sugar
4 egg yolks, lightly beaten
2/3 cup dark rum
1 large orange, peeled and sectioned
1 cup heavy cream, whipped

Soften gelatin in cold water. Stir in hot milk and sugar. Cook over low heat until mixture is hot. Do not let boil. Gradually pour over egg yolks, stirring constantly. Add the rum. Set in bowl of cracked ice and stir constantly until cool and beginning to set. Fold in orange sections and whipped cream.

Jamaican Holiday Rum Cake

1 pound butter
4 cups flour (sifted 4 times)
4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup dark sugar
3 tablespoons browning
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup Jamaican white rum
2 cups port wine
8 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 cup cherry diced
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tsp. rose water
1/2 cup raisins
1 tsp. almond essence
2 ounces dried papaya (chopped)
1/2 cup chopped dates

First prepare the fruits. Place chopped fruits, raisins, cherries, dates in a saucepan and cover with port wine. Heat over stove until raisins are slightly puffed. Allow to cool and stand in a refrigerator for at least a day (longer if desired). Drain wine from fruits. Combine with rum to make 1/2 cup. Then put it all together. Cream the butter and both sugars. Add eggs, nutmeg, vanilla and cloves. Mix together with flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add browning, then rum and wine. Combine. Fold in prepared fruits, almond essence, rose water. Line bottom of baking pans with wax paper Use butter to grease paper and inside of pan. Then lightly dust with flour. Place cake mixture into prepared baking pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Bake at 325 to 350 degrees until a pick inserted comes out clean. Let cool in pan for about 10 minutes, then cool on wire rack. If desired, soak cheese cloth in rum and wrap around cake. Cover (or wrap in aluminum foil) and allow to ripen for several days Flavor and tastiness will increases with age.

Rum Pecan Pound Cake
Makes 10 to 12 servings

2 tablespoons coarse chopped pecans
1 cup butter, softened
3 cups sugar
6 eggs
3 cups flour
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons rum extract

1 cup heavy cream, chilled
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup dark rum

Butter and flour a 9-inch tube pan. Sprinkle pecans on bottom. Cream butter and sugar in bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing just to blend. Stir in cream and extract. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake at 300F for 90 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool on rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Combine cream, powdered sugar and rum and whip until soft peaks form. To serve, cut cake into wedges and spoon rum cream over cake.