Vanilla Bean Butter-Rum Poundcakes

Do you ever just get in the mood for something? Sometimes you want something salty, maybe crunchy, maybe something chewy... Well, today, I wanted something a little gooey. I was visiting a friend, so I knew it would be safe to make a batch of something, because I could give most of it away! I've always loved butter-rum glazes on cakes, but I've never made one myself. Today was the day. Instead of a big cake, I decided to use the bundt muffin pan I had purchased awhile ago but had yet to use. Time to break it in! I integrated several recipes I found online, scraping a vanilla bean into the batter, then infusing the rest of the vanilla pod into the glaze. OOh - THAT'S the way to satisfy a 'gooey' craving!

Vanilla Bean Butter-Rum Poundcakes

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean
1-1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature

Glaze
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter
1-1/2 tablespoons water
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons dark rum

Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter and flour muffin tin.

Cream butter in bowl of mixer. Slowly add sugar and beat for two minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition of egg. Add vanilla extract. Split vanilla bean and scrape inside into batter. Reserve vanilla bean pod. Beat for approximately two more minutes, until batter is fluffy and creamy.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. At low speed, add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, ending with flour mixture.

Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake for 30 - 35 minutes, or until golden and cake tester comes out clean.

Remove pan to cooling rack set over baking sheet for 5 minutes. Remove cakes from pan to cooling rack. Poke several holes in each cake with thin skewer/ cake tester. Pour glaze slowly over cakes until cakes absorb glaze and glaze is used up. Serve when completely cooled.

Make glaze:
Put sugar, butter, water, vanilla pod, and salt to small saucepan. Stirring constantly, bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in rum. Remove pod when ready to pour over cakes.

For Printable Recipe, Click Here