Rum-raisin vanilla pound cake

This really rich, buttery, sweet, moist raisin cake spiked...scratch that...drenched with the best rum takes no prisoners.

Indulge yourself with this exotic dessert, preferably like me, with a larrrrrge steaming mug of hot black coffee... Or your favorite ice cream, or a tall glass of anything you fancy, really. 

Difficulty: not difficult

Total baking time: 2 hours

Ingredients

300g salted butter

5 cups granulated sugar

6 eggs, beaten, room temperature

3 cups yoghurt 

5 1/2 cups all purpose flour

4 tablespoons baking powder

3 cups dried raisins

2 cups rum

3 tablespoons vanilla essence 

1/2 a nutmeg, grated 

Instructions

Soak the fruits in the rum overnight. 

Heat the oven to 190°C and arrange a rack in the middle. Grease and flour a 10 inch round bundt pan and set aside. 

Sieve flour together with baking powder and nutmeg. Set aside. 

Whisk your eggs till very frothy. Set aside. 

In your mixer, cream your butter together with the vanilla essence for 5 minutes. 

With the mixer still running on a low speed, add sugar to the butter. 

Increase speed and allow to cream for 10 minutes, pausing momentarily to scrape down the sides. 

Gently pour in your well beaten eggs into the creamed mixture, allow to mix properly for 2 minutes. 

Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the yoghurt, mixing thoroughly after each addition, and ending with flour. 

Add soaked fruits into batter. By now, the fruits have soaked in all the rum. Mix properly into batter. Pour into prepared pan. 

Allow to bake for 30 minutes, then check for "doneness". 

Your cake is done when a clean toothpick comes out dry when inserted in the middle. 

Remove from oven, leave in pan for 5 minutes, then remove from mould onto cooling rack to cool completely. While the cake is still hot, using a toothpick, poke holes on top of the cake, pour rum over the cake.

Makes 15-18 servings. Enjoy. 

Eat responsibly.