I Travel Down the Lesser Antilles and Jump to South America

I originally had four books slated for the Caribbean; I ended up reading ten. I wanted to add a book for Puerto Rico, and another book for the Bahamas, but it was time to move on to South America. Before I left, I celebrated with making a rum cake that my fellow GRer, Jenny, found from "Southern Living". I adapted it some, as the recipe called for an addition 10 tablespoons of butter to be added to the rum soaking syrup. I didn't see how the cake needed it (or indeed could absorb that much additional fat without dissolving into a soggy mass); as it was the cake was very moist and delicious. Here's my version of the cake. Thanks, Jenny! Here's the recipe from jennybakesblogspot.com:

Rum Cake

• 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons grated lemon rind
• 1/2 cup dark rum
• 1/4 cup banana liqueur
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whipping cream
• Rum Syrup
• Powdered sugar 

Beat butter and granulated sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla, beating until blended. Add lemon rind, beating until blended. Gradually add rum and banana liqueur, beating until blended. (Batter will look curdled.)

Stir together flour and next 3 ingredients; add to batter alternately with whipping cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat batter at low speed just until blended after each addition. Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch Bundt pan.

Bake at 350° for 55 to 60 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean.

Cool in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes. Pierce cake multiple times using a metal or wooden skewer. Pour Rum Syrup evenly over cake. Let stand 45 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on a wire rack. Sprinkle evenly with powdered sugar before serving.

I didn't link onto the rest of the recipe for the rum syrup, as I made up my own soaking syrup. I just boiled a cup of sugar with one quarter cup each of water, dark rum, and banana liqueur to dissolve, then let simmer for five minutes before poking about a dozen and a half holes in the still-warm cake and pouring over. I served it with whipped cream and pineapple. A real calorie and cholesterol bomb, in the fine tradition of "Southern Living"'s always wonderful cakes, but worth the calories.

But as I said, it is time to move onto South America. It's the spot I've been most dreading on my tour, as I seem to have hit a guy-wall (a macho guy-wall) when compiling my list; I am also not usually a big fan of magic realism. To ease my way into the continent, I added a book by a Venezuelan woman author: "The Disappearance of Irene dos Santos".