Pumpkin Rum Cake (or Coffee Cake)

Seeing as how we have seemingly really entered the fall season here in D.C., I made a number of pumpkin dishes over the weekend to test various uses of the ubiquitous can of Libby's.  I made a pumpkin chili and pumpkin rum cake.  My conclusion is that pumpkin can be added to nearly anything without really changing the flavor.

This pumpkin rum cake recipe comes from the recipe book from a "Chunkin' Punkin'" festival in Delaware. This recipe is extremely easy, but I will warn you that the end result is very sugary.  I actually much preferred it as a coffee cake with some bitter black coffee as opposed to a dessert.  To each his own though.

Ingredients:
- 1 box of yellow cake mix
- 1 box of vanilla pudding mix (about 3.4oz)
- 4 eggs
- 3/4c white rum, divided
- 1c butter, divided
- 1/2c walnuts
- 1 can pumpkin
- 1c sugar

Preheat your oven to 325.

To make the cake, combine the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, 1/2 cup of the rum, 1/2 cup butter (melted), and the can of pumpkin.  Mix well.  Pour into a cake pan.  I used a 8x13 pan, but the recipe actually calls for a bundt pan.  Bake at 325 degrees for about 30-60 minutes (30 minutes for the 8x13 pan, longer for the bundt pan).

When the cake is done, combine the remaining 1/2 cup butter, 1/4 cup rum, and 1 cup sugar in a small saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat.  Cook until the butter is melted and the sugar totally dissolved, then cook about 2 minutes longer, or until the mixture gets thick and syrupy.  Pour the glaze over the top of the cake.  Serve!