Northern Living

A booze-filled bundt cake for merry times ahead

- TEXT OLIVER EMOCLING PHOTOGRAPH­Y PATRICK SEGOVIA

The rum cake is not exactly the best representa­tive, desserts- wise, of the festive Yuletide season. Usually served naked, the liquor-infused cake is visually nondescrip­t to the point that it looks too bland to be the centerpiec­e of the table. But there is more to this treat than meets the eye.

Chef Rhea Castro-Sycip of Flour Pot has created her version of the foreign dessert with sustainabl­e local produce. Stored in a recycled wooden box, the bundt cake’s vibrant golden crust is proof of the chef ’s use of free-range eggs in the recipe. When the dessert lands in your mouth, it reveals a soft, slightly dense, and moist texture. The rum is not overwhelmi­ng but simply imparts a hint of the liquor’s flavor along with a buttery taste. As Castro- Sycip says, you’ll taste the cake first before the rum. After a few bites, that’s when you can expect a warm feeling to travel from your palate to the stomach.

There’s no need to rush in eating a rum cake. In fact, it’s better if you hold that craving back for a while. As time passes, the rum’s taste emerges and evolves, giving the cake a bolder flavor. You can even place the cake at room temperatur­e without spoilage for two weeks. But if you’re growing a little impatient, you can always get yourself a slice to pair with a cup of joe. After all, you’ll never go wrong with a slice of cake—even a boozy one at that.

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