A recipe Kim found from work. One of the professor’s wives (Ann Hawley) at Birmingham-Southern College prepared this for a Christmas party. It became a Christmas favorite.

This picture was taken at the end of John and Kim’s wedding.

Cake:

1 cup chopped pecans

1 18 ½ oz. yellow cake mix

1 3 ¾ package JELL-O instant vanilla pudding

4 eggs

½ cup vegetable oil

½ cup dark rum (80 proof)

Glaze:

¼ lb. Butter

¼ cup water

1 cup sugar

½ cup dark rum

Preheat oven to 325º F. Grease and flour a 12 cup Bundt pan. Sprinkle a little water in the bottom of the pan then spread the nuts in the bottom of the pan. Mix all cake ingredients and pour batter over nuts. Bake 1 hour. Cool. Invert on a serving plate. Prick the top multiple times with a toothpick or fork.

For glaze: Melt butter in a saucepan. Stir in the water and sugar. Boil 5 minutes stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and add the rum. Drizzle and smooth glaze evenly over the top and sides. Allow the cake to absorb the liquid. Continue until the glaze is completely used.

Desserts, 2001