Italian Rum Pastry Cake

Ingredients

• 1 (18.25 ounce) box cake mix*
• 1 small box regular chocolate pudding mix
• 1 small box regular vanilla pudding mix
• Dark rum or Myers fruit rum
• Whipping cream
• Vanilla extract
• granulated sugar
• Maraschino cherries (optional)
• Chocolate sprinkles or finely chopped nuts

Instructions

1. Bake the cake in two layers.
2. Prepare puddings using whole milk.
3. After the cake has cooled, cut each layer in half. Soak the inside of the layers with rum, but do not over-soak.
4. When the pudding is cool, add the chocolate to one layer and the vanilla to the other layer.
5. To fill the middle of the four layers, use whipped cream made with vanilla extract and granulated sugar . You can also add drained, halved maraschino cherries to the middle layer, if desired.
6. Use whipped cream to cover the top and sides of the cake.
7. Decorate with pastry flowers or candied flowers, if desired.
8. Decorate with chocolate sprinkles or nuts, if desired.

Notes

* 18.25 ounce boxes of cake mix have been replaced by 16.5 ounce and 15.25 ounce boxes. To compensate for the volume loss in a 16 ounce box, whisk 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour into the dry cake mix before proceeding with the recipe. To compensate for the volume loss in a 15.25 ounce box, add 1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon baking powder.

While preparing each layer, keep all ingredients and cake layers not being used in the refrigerator, taking them from the refrigerator as you need to work with them.