ASHLAND — Who doesn’t love a good holiday, especially when it’s obscure and centers around food.

Most people don’t know that today is National Bundt Day. I didn’t, until I happened across it while surfing the web.

Often the butt of jokes, Bundt cakes are easier than most to make and many are delicious. I don’t know how the jokes started, but I refuse to participate, especially after trying these cake recipes.

The first one is from the Bacardi Rum Co. My aunt, who hated cooking and rarely did, made this one for the holidays and never held back on the rum.

BACARDI RUM CAKE

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1 18-ounce package yellow cake mix

1 3-3⁄4 ounce package jello instant vanilla pudding

4 eggs

1⁄2 cup cold water

1⁄2 cup wesson oil

1⁄2 cup Bacardi dark rum (80 proof)

Preheat oven to 325 deg. grease and flour 10 inch tube or 12 cup bundt pan. Sprinkle nuts over bottom of pan. mix all cake ingredients together. Pour batter over nuts. bake 1 hour cool, invert on serving plate. prick top, drizzle and smooth glaze evenly over top and sides. Allow cake to absorb glaze. Repeat till glaze is used up.

Glaze

1⁄4 lb. butter

1⁄4 cup water

1 cup granulated sugar

1⁄2 cup Bacardi dark rum

Melt butter in saucepan, stir in water and sugar, boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly, remove from heat, stir in rum, serve with cool whip. Optional: decorate with whole maraschino cherries and border of sugar frosting or whipped cream. Serve with seedless green grapes dusted with powered sugar.

WHITE CHOCOLATE POUND CAKE

 8 squares (1 ounce each) white baking chocolate

1 cup butter (no substitutes) softened

2 cups plus 2 tbls. sugar divided

5 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1⁄2 teaspoon almond extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream

Glaze

4 squares (1 ounce each) semisweet baking chocolate, melted

4 squares (1 ounce each) white baking chocolate, melted

Whole fresh strawberries, optional

Chop four squares of white chocolate and melt the other four, set both aside. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in extracts and the melted chocolate. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda, add to the creamed mixture alternatly with sour cream. Beat just until combined. Grease a 10-inch fluted tube pan, Sprinkle with half of the chopped chocolate. repeat, pour remaining batter on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, Cool for 10 minutes remove from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle semisweet and white chocolate over cake. Garnish with strawberries, if desired.

Regina Gillum

Riverview Club

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This is not one I’d hold until Valentine’s Day. It could easily be changed up for any upcoming occasion.

CHOCOLATE VALENTINE CAKE

1 1⁄2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

2 cups (19 ounce can) cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed)

4 eggs or 1 cup egg substituter

1 cup sugar

1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder

1 tbl. powdered sugar

In small bowl melt chocolate in microwave oven, 2 minutes on medium power, in blender or food processor, combine beans and eggs, add sugar, baking powder and chocolate process until smooth, pour batter into non-stick 9 inch heart shaped or round cake pan, Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean, cool, sprinkle with sugar, Cut in 10 wedges serve with raspberry sauce.

Quick Microwave Sauce

1⁄2 cup seedless raspberry jam

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 pint fresh raspberries

in a bowl, microwave jam until melted, 1 minute, stir in juice and berries.

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When I was in college, I roomed with a woman who was an award-winning cook. She shared this delicious recipe.

CHOCOLATE CHIP CAKE

Combine the following and beat two minutes:

1 yellow cake mix

2 small instant chocolate pudding mixes

1⁄2 cup oil

1 and 1⁄2 cups water

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 eggs



Stir in a 12-ounce package of chocolate chips. Pour into greased, floured tube or Bundt pan and bake for an hour at 325 degrees. Cool in pan 20 minutes and remove from pan.

You can glaze it with 1 cup sifted confectioner's sugar and two tablespoons milk, or add cocoa powder for a chocolate glaze, but try it without first.

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As Thanksgiving approaches, many think about how to decorate.

Hayneedle.com recommends the following tips:

‰Don’t go overboard with turkeys — The last thing you want to do is buy every wine glass, dinner plate, or serving spoon with a turkey on it; the décor will feel juvenile and crowded. Instead, buy a few elegant, attention-grabbing pieces such as a bronze serving platter or deep red wine glasses.

‰Buy for the season, not the day — There are too many holidays in the fall and winter to attempt to redecorate your entire home for each one. Buy and decorate with pieces that will last until New Years instead of Black Friday.

‰Avoid wasteful purchases — You’re allowed to have a gourd or two on your kitchen table but limit these purchases as much as possible.  When buying individual pieces, think about how they would stand on their own any other time of year. If you wouldn’t put it out in March, don’t buy it.

‰Choose a limited color scheme — Trying to make your home look like sparkling foliage on a sunny fall afternoon may end up blinding your guests. Instead of incorporating all fall colors, pick one or two of your favorites to go with a neutral such as brown, bronze, or silver, which can carry through upcoming holidays.

‰Create a delicious ambience — If you’re lucky enough to have a working fireplace, purchase some out-of-the-ordinary wood such as kindling from apple trees to create a scrumptious smelling fire. Don’t have a functioning fireplace? Purchase a large candelabra and fill it with seasonally scented tea-lights.

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While I don’t claim to be an expert cook, I do like to cook and love to eat. Readers are encouraged to send questions about food and cooking; I’ll try to find the answers. Also, if you’re looking for a specific recipe, send your request, or if you can offer a recipe to someone looking for something specific, please send e-mail to lward@dailyindependent.com.