Apricot Rum Cake

Total Time: 1 hr 45 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 15 mins

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup dried apricot halves, coarsely chopped
• 3/4 cup golden rum
• 1 (16 ounce) can apricot halves, drained
• 1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 (12 ounce) jar apricot preserves

Recipe

• 1 in a small bowl, combine chopped dried apricots and 1/4 c run. let stand 20 minutes.
• 2 heat oven to 325º. generously grease and flour a 10-inch turk's turban mold or tube pan.
• 3 in a food processor or blender process apricot halves until pureed. stir in dried apricots with rum.
• 4 in a large bowl, with electric mixer beat butter, sour cream, eggs, vanilla, and sugar until well blended.
• 5 add flour, salt, baking soda, and apricot puree mixture. beat at low speed just until combined, scraping side of bowl frequently.
• 6 pour batter into prepared pan. bake 1 1/4 hours or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. cool in pan 5 minutes. loosen edges, invert and unmold cake onto flameproof plate with rim.
• 7 in small saucepan, heat apricot preserves. strain and stir in 1/4 cup rum. brush apricot glaze over cake every few minutes while it's cooling until all glaze is used.
• 8 if desired, garnish cake plate with clusters of seedless green grapes and fresh leaves. bring cake to serving cart or side table. in a long handled ladle, gently warm remaining rum until vapors rise. ignite and pour over cake. when flames subside, slice cake and serve.