Buttered Rum Crunch Cake

This cake was so nice I made it twice - in three days. It has a deliciously soft and buttery crumb with a crunchy caramelised crust and a good soaking of boozy rum sauce.

Cake:
fine demerara sugar, for lining (50 g)
butter (125 g)
vegetable or sunflower oil (45 mL)
buttermilk or amasi (125 mL)
Sugar Baron barrel-aged rum (125 mL)
pure vanilla extract (15 mL)
6 large egg yolks, at room temperature
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
fine demerara sugar (60 + 340 g)
cake flour (320 g)
1¼ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp fine sea salt
¼ tsp. baking soda

Sauce:
fine demerara sugar (120 g)
water (60 mL)
butter (110 g)
Sugar Baron barrel-aged rum (60 mL)

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4). Position the oven rack so that the cake will be in the middle of the oven.

Prepare a Bundt mould by brushing with butter and coating the inside well with the fine demerara sugar. Set aside.

Place the butter in a large measuring jug and melt in the microwave. Add the oil, buttermilk, rum, vanilla and egg yolks and whisk to combine.

Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and whisk until soft peaks form. Gradually add 60 g of the sugar to form a thick glossy meringue. Transfer to a separate bowl.

In the same bowl as you whipped the meringue, place the flour, baking powder, salt, bicarbonate of soda and remaining 340 g sugar. With the whisk attachment running on medium speed gradually add the combined wet ingredients until just combined. Don’t overmix.

Stir in a third of the meringue with a spatula then fold the rest of the meringue in carefully. Pour into the prepared mould. Bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.

While the cake is baking prepare the sauce; place the sugar and water in a saucepan and simmer until dissolved. Add the butter and stir to combine. Finally, add the rum.

As soon as the cake comes out the oven, pierce it all over using a toothpick or skewer. Pour half of the warm sauce over the cake and allow to soak.

Leave to cool for 5 minutes then carefully unmould the cake and pour the remaining sauce over the top.

Serve warm (or at room temperature) with double cream, creme fraiche or real homemade vanilla ice cream.