Inspired by the ice cream, I really wanted to make a rum-flavoured cake. This is adapted from Nigella's recipe, which uses applesauce. If you don't have applesauce you could use any mashed/stewed fruit or even yoghurt. I omitted her cocoa powder but I'm sure it would be just as nice with it too. Start preparing the cake the day before you want to make it, by soaking the raisins overnight.


1 c raisins

2/3 c rum (dark rum is preferred but white will work too)

120 g butter, softened

1 c sugar (I used a mix of golden and coconut)

2 eggs

1 1/2 c applesauce

1 c plain flour

1 c wholemeal flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 c chopped walnuts


Soak the raisins in the rum in a jar or bowl for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 180C. Grease your cake tin or bundt tin.

In a large bowl cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs, one a a time. Stir in the applesauce.

Sift in the flours, baking soda, spices and salt. Stir in the raisins and any leftover rum, and walnuts.

Spoon batter into your tin and bake for around 35-40 minutes, until cooked through.

Leave in the tin on a wire rack to cool.

This is a lovely tea cake with a hot cuppa but if you want some decadence, serve with custard or rum-tinged whipped cream. You could even make a rum-flavoured sugar syrup to drizzle over.