Pumpkin Rum Cake with Sparkling Moscato

As we enter the chilly embrace of mid-autumn, we are getting ready to create all of our favorite warming fall-time treats! This week, we are enjoying a cozy autumnal twist on a classic holiday dessert: rum cake. Sweet, spiced, and perfectly moist, this dessert is perfect for special occasions and gatherings with loved ones. 

This recipe creates a classy and impressive cake, packed with flavor, and it’s easy as can be.Of course, it doesn't hurt that it's a little bit boozy after an infusion of butter and rum. Using cake mix as a base, pecans for texture, and both canned pumpkin and sour cream for rich density, this imaginative combination makes a delicious dessert that might become a new fall and holiday favorite! 

Spiced Rum Pumpkin Pecan Cake

Ingredients

• For the Pumpkin Pecan Cake:
• 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
• 1 package (18.25 oz) yellow cake mix
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 cup sour cream
• tap here
• 3 eggs
• 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• For the Spiced Rum Glaze:
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup spiced rum

Instructions

1. Grease or spray with non-stick cooking spray a 12-cup Bundt pan; evenly sprinkle nuts over bottom; set aside.
2. In large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, pumpkin, sour cream, eggs, pie spice and vanilla extract; beat with electric mixer on low until blended. Increase speed to high and beat 2 minutes or until light and fluffy. 
3. Pour batter into prepared pan.
4. Bake at 350°F for 35 to 45 minutes or until wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean.
5. While cake is baking, prepare the glaze.
6. Combine in heavy saucepan, 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water and bring to boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring constantly.
7. Remove from heat and add 1/2 cup spiced rum.
8. Set aside to cool.
9. Once cake is removed from the oven, allow the cake to cool in pan 10 minutes.
10. Poke holes into cake (while still in pan) with long pick.
11. Pour half of Spiced Rum Glaze over cake and let stand 5 minutes, then invert cake onto serving plate.
12. Poke additional holes on top of cake with pick.
13. Pour the remaining Spiced Rum Glaze over cake. Cool.

Recipe by Peabody at Sweet Recipeas

We recommend letting your cake cool at room temperature, then cutting generous slices to enjoy! This cake can be enjoyed à la mode with vanilla bean or pecan praline ice cream, but it’s so rich and moist you can skip the ice cream entirely! To lean into this luxurious treat, we recommend serving this Pumpkin Pecan Rum cake with our sparkling Moscato, a dessert wine that pairs sweetness with bright effervescence. 

What confections will you bake up this fall? Tag us @rubinoestates on Instagram with your favorite wine and sweet treat combinations!

Spotlight on Sangiovese

        This month, we are celebrating Sangiovese. This quintessential Italian grape grows prolifically in its home region of Tuscany, and is the most planted varietal in Italy. In the US, it’s a precious find, with fewer than 1,500 acres planted here in California. In 2007, Sangiovese was given a place in our estate vineyard, and we have proudly cultivated and shared it ever since. Its character is bright and vibrant, with an unmistakable ruby red hue that shines in your glass. Here at Rubino Estates, Sangiovese often goes by the endearing nickname, “Sangio.”

        As a varietal, Sangiovese is approachable, unpretentious, and a thing of beauty, well-suited to pairing with many of our favorite Italian dishes due to its characteristic acidity. In Italy, Sangiovese is a crown jewel, making up the foundation of both Chianti Classico and Super Tuscans. These gorgeous wines are well-respected worldwide. Still, Sangiovese is relatively obscure in California because, in general, Bordeaux-style wines have more name recognition in the United States. 

        In the 1980s, a subtle but impactful Cal-Ital movement took hold of the wine scene, wherein California’s wine lovers began to reach beyond French classics like Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir and explore the delicious world of Italian reds, Sangiovese included. As a Cal-Ital winery, Rubino Estates celebrates and encourages that exploration!

        The alluring deep purple grapes of Sangiovese produce the gorgeous red color and cherry flavors, with incredible flavor variation determined by the growing environment. With any Sangiovese, you can expect juicy fruit flavors, especially red and black cherry and wild strawberry. Depending on the winemaking style, you can also find fun accent notes like fresh herbs, spice, smoke, and even espresso. Oak aging imparts earthy and savory notes to this wine as well.

        Our Riserva Collection Sangiovese boasts juicy flavors and aromas you can relish. With balanced elements of fruit, acid, and tannin, it’s a pairing superstar, especially with pizza and pasta, but also with rare steak, rich chicken and mushroom dishes, and anything with tomato sauce. Even on its own, this wine dazzles! A sumptuous nose of bright red fruit mingles with aromas of allspice. On the palate, lush notes of cherry and ripe plum meet a whisper of tart raspberry. The signature food-friendly acidity of this varietal also shines in this vintage, complimented by a medium weight on the palate and a kiss of tannin. A flirty finish of cherry and vanilla lures you in for another sip.

         If you want to enjoy an old-world Italian wine while still shopping locally, then this Sangiovese is perfect for you. Best of all, it’s on sale, so shop now before the month is over!