Happy Birthday Jesus #BundtBakers

Happy Birthday Everybody!!!  Our friend Sue, of Palatable Pastime, is hosting our Bundt Bakers Group today.  Sue invited us to share a Birthday Bundt today because "Everybody has a Birthday during the year, so let's celebrate Everybody's Birthday.

#BundtBakers is a group of bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bundts with a common ingredient or theme. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme or ingredient. You can see all our of lovely Bundts by following our Pinterest board. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about #BundtBakers, can be found on our home page.

I do have family and friends that celebrate birthdays in January but none for whom I bake a cake.  The last birthday cake I made was served on Christmas Day when we sang Happy Birthday to Jesus whose birth we were celebrating.

I made a wonderful Eggnog Bundt with a Buttered Rum Sauce and we sang Happy Birthday to our Lord as is our tradition that has been passed down from when I was a child.  My mother would always make a sheet cake with a bed of coconut holding a baby Jesus.  My Mom would have birthday candles on the cake and the youngest child would have the honor of blowing out the candles.  I don't make the same cake each year and I don't have candles but we do sing and recognize why it is that we are all gathered at the table.

This cake came about because I had Frank on a mission to make me a Hot Buttered Rum for this post. He was doing a google search and evidently liked this recipe because he printed it out and left it on the kitchen counter for me.  The recipe was for a pound cake that I knew from experience would bake up very well in a bundt pan.

Frank loves eggnog, so I am sure that is what caught his attention with this cake.  I love buttered rum so I was game.  I also liked that I could make this cake on Christmas Eve before we left the house for our visit at Frank's brother's house.

I knew that I could make the buttered rum sauce early in the day and just reheat it right before serving.  

I served it up simply with a dollop of whipped cream on the side.  This cake was a huge hit with everyone but was especially loved by my sister, Dawn, who said, no less than 3 times, "you have to blog this cake, this is the best cake ever".  Every cook and baker loves to have their creations praised so this was a wonderful Christmas gift for me.

This cake is filled with Holiday flavors, however I think it would be good for any of the cold winter months.  Why not serve it up to your Valentine or to your next loved one that celebrates a winter birthday.  They will be thrilled.

Eggnog Bundt with Hot Buttered Rum Sauce

slightly adapted from McCormick Spice Company

2 c. flour

1 t. baking powder

pinch of salt

3/4 c. milk

1/4 c. half and half

1/2 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. freshly ground nutmeg

1/4 t. ground cloves

1 t. vanilla paste

1 stick butter, room temperature

1 1/4 c. sugar

3 eggs

Rum Sauce:

1 c. brown sugar, packed

1 stick butter

1/2 c. heavy cream

1/4 c. dark rum

1 T. vanilla extract

Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl, set aside.  Mix milk, half and half, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves in a 2 c. measuring cup, set aside.

In the large bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the sugar and butter until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each.  Gradually add in the flour mixture, alternating with the milk mixture, on low speed until just combined.  Pour into a bundt pan that has been liberally treated with baking spray.

Bake in a preheated 350* oven  for 50-60 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the center removes cleanly.  Cool in pan for 10 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Rum Sauce: Combine brown sugar, butter and cream in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, over med high heat.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, until slightly thickened. Stir in rum and vanilla and return to a boil.  

You can pour the rum sauce over the entire cake or (as I did) slice the cake and drizzle each piece with a generous  amount of sauce and a dollop of whipped cream. Print Recipe

Don’t forget to take a peek at what other talented bakers have baked this month:

• Banana Bundt Cake with Vanilla Caramel Glaze from All That’s Left Are the Crumbs
• Birthday Buttered Rum Cake from Faith Hope Love and Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Bundt Cake de Bollo, Canela y Nutella from La Mejor Manera de Hacer
• Confetti Birthday Bundt Cake from Palatable Pastime
• Confetti Lime and Cheese Bundt Cake from Bizcocheando
• Cookies and Cream Sprinkle Bundt Cake from Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Doughnut Funfetti Bundt Cake from Kids and Chic
• Eggnog Bundt with Hot Buttered Rum Sauce from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Lemon and Prosecco Bundt from Food Lust People Love
• Piñata Birthday Bundt Cake from Patty’s Cake
• Piñata Bundt Cake from I Love Bundt Cakes
• Sugar Cookie Bundt Cake from Cookaholic Wife
• Tropical Birthday Bundt Cake from Basic N Delicious