Eggnog cake 2

Eggnog cake 2

2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup whole blanched almonds
1/2 cup candied cherries
Flour
1 box butter-recipe yellow or chocolate cake mix
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups eggnog
1/4 cup melted butter
3 tablespoons rum
Confectioners' sugar, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a Bundt pan with butter and arrange the
almonds and cherries in a decorative pattern. Dust with flour and set aside.

Beat the cake mix with the nutmeg, eggs, eggnog, melted butter and rum until
batter is light and smooth, about four minutes. Pour batter into pan. Bake
for 45 minutes, or until top springs back when touched lightly with a
finger.

Cool the cake in the pan before turning it out onto a rack to cool
completely. If using the glaze, prick the cake all over with a skewer or
toothpick and spoon on the glaze that follows. If not using the glaze, serve
the cooled cake as is, or topped with a dusting of confectioners' sugar.


Rum glaze

1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons rum
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Boil the sugar and water for five minutes. Add the butter, rum and vanilla;
continue cooking until syrupy. Spoon over the warm eggnog cake.