Glazed Spiced Rum Pound Cakes

Marcus is four months old and Tyler sent a photo of him in a tiny Houston Texans onesie, which means Tyler is already indoctrinating his son into sports fandom before the boy can hold his own head up. This is correct parenting. I approve.

Spent the week quietly mulling the retirement question. I haven't told anyone yet. I'm in the gathering-information phase, which is my version of decision-making: I don't ask for opinions until I've formed one. The retirement package is decent — not lavish, but combined with Social Security in fifteen years and the savings I've rebuilt after the restaurant investment, it's enough. Enough is the operative word. I don't need much. The house is paid down. The smoker runs on wood, which is cheap. My primary expenses are food, gas, and La Croix. I have simple needs. Simple needs make big decisions easier.

The restaurant's soft opening is being planned for late May. Lily and James are assembling a staff — a sous chef, two line cooks, a dishwasher, and front-of-house. James has been running the kitchen through practice services: cooking the full menu for friends who provide feedback. The brisket is dialed in (my recipe, his execution — he's honored the process). The jollof rice is his masterpiece. The fusion sausage is the thing people won't expect and won't stop ordering. The spring rolls are Mai's, taught to a prep cook named Maria who makes them at eighty percent of Mai's quality, which is still better than ninety-nine percent of spring rolls anywhere.

Made smoked chicken thighs with a miso-fish sauce glaze — a new experiment. The miso adds a Japanese umami layer to the Vietnamese fish sauce and the combination on smoked chicken is remarkable. The glaze caramelizes into a dark, complex bark that tastes like three countries agreed on something delicious. I sent the recipe to James. He said, "Can I steal this?" I said, "It's not stealing if I give it to you."

The week I spent mulling retirement, I also spent in the kitchen — because that’s how I think. The miso-fish sauce chicken was the savory experiment, but late in the evening I wanted something that felt like a small reward, something with a glaze that caramelized and darkened into something more interesting than it started as. That’s what this pound cake is. I sent the chicken recipe to James for the restaurant, but I kept this one for myself — at least until now.

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 45 min | Total Time: 1 hr 5 min | Servings: 8

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons dark spiced rum, divided
For the glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons dark spiced rum
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1–2 teaspoons whole milk, as needed

Instructions

Preheat and prepare. Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Grease and lightly flour a standard loaf pan or eight individual mini loaf pans. Set aside.
Whisk the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt until evenly combined.
Cream butter and sugar. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium-high speed for 3–4 minutes, until pale and fluffy. Scrape down the sides as needed.
Add eggs and vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of the spiced rum.
Alternate dry and wet. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix only until just combined — do not overmix.
Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s). Bake for 40–45 minutes for a full loaf, or 22–26 minutes for mini loaves, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is golden.
Soak while warm. While the cake is still warm in the pan, brush the remaining 1 tablespoon of rum over the top. Let it absorb for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the glaze. Whisk together the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons spiced rum, and melted butter. Add milk one teaspoon at a time until the glaze is pourable but still thick enough to coat. It should drip slowly off a spoon.
Glaze and set. Spoon the glaze over the cooled cake(s), letting it run down the sides. Allow the glaze to set for 10–15 minutes before slicing. The glaze will firm slightly and turn glossy.

Nutrition (per serving)

Glazed Spiced Rum Pound Cakes — When the Experiment Deserves a Celebration