Chocolate Rum Cake

2 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3 eggs
1-3/4 cups sifted cake flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup rum

Chocolate Rum Frosting (recipe follows)

Grease two 9-inch cakepans; line with wax paper, and grease again. Set aside.

Combine chocolate and water in a small saucepan; place over low heat, stirring
until chocolate melts. Set aside to cool.

Cream butter; gradually add sugar, beating well at medium speed of an electric
mixer. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Combine flour, baking powder, soda, and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately
with chocolate, mixing well after each additon. Stir in rum.

Spoon batter into prepared cakepans; bake at 350 Degrees F. for 20 to 25 minutes
or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in
pans, peel off wax paper, and cool completely on wire racks.

Spread Chocolate Rum Frosting between layers and on top of cake only.

Yield: one 2-layer cake

Chocolate Rum Frosting:

3 tablespoons semisweet chocolate morsels
1-1/2 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons rum

Combine chocolate and butter in top of a double boiler; bring water to a boil.
Reduce heat to low; cook until chocolate melts.

Combine powdered sugar, egg, milk and rum; mix until smooth. Stir in chocolate
mixture. Place bowl in a larger bowl of ice water; beat until thick and fluffy.

Yield: enough for two 9-inch layers.

Recipe from: "Chocolate Fantasies"

Orange-Rum Cake

1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup light rum
2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons grated orange rind
1 cup chopped pecans

Orange Rum Syrup

Combine orange juice and rum; set aside.

Beat butter at medium speed of an electric mixer 2 minutes or until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating at medium speed 5 to 7 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until yellow disappears.

Combine flour, baking powder, and soda; add to butter mixture alternately with orange juice mixture. Mix at low speed just until blended after each additon. Stir in orange rind.

Sprinkle pecans in bottom of a heavily buttered and floured 12-cup Bundt pan.
Pour batter evenly over pecans. Bake at 325 Degrees F. for 1 hour or until a
wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for
10 to 15 minutes; invert pan onto wire rack to loosen cake from pan; immediately
return cake to pan.

Prick cake to bottom of pan at 1-inch intervals with a long wooden skewer or cake tester. Spoon Orange-Rum Syrup over warm cake. Cool at least 3 hours in
pan. Remove cake from pan to serve. Yield: one 10-inch cake.

Orange-Rum Syrup

1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons light rum

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, stirring until sugar dissolves.

Yield: 2/3 cup

Recipe from "Treasured Recipes," Chaparral, New Mexico