Pumpkin Spice Loaf Cake with Rum Soaking Syrup

1 Box of Nordic Ware’s Pumpkin Spice Loaf Cake Mix:

• Mix packets
• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup water
• 4 eggs

Rum Soaking Syrup

• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup water
• 1 Tbsp butter
• ½ tsp vanilla
• 2 Tbsp good quality rum or bourbon
• pinch of salt

Prepare a 5-6 cup loaf or cake pan with baking spray with flour and use a prastry brush to evenly coat the pan. Prepare Pumpkin Spice Loaf Cake Mix and bake according to package instructions.

While cake is baking, bring sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan. Boil 5 minutes on low, stirring constantly. Add butter, vanilla, rum and salt and cook until syrupy consistency is reached. Remove from heat to cool 2-3 minutes.

Once cake is done baking, let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Invert and cool on rack for another 5 minutes. Return cake to pan. Using a wooden skewer or chopstick, poke 1-2 dozen holes into the underside of cake. Pour ¼ cup of rum syrup into cake and allow to soak in fully. Repeat this 3 times, reserving the remaining syrup. Invert cake back onto cooling rack and brush remaining syrup onto cake’s surface.