Today I played hooky and went on the kindergarten field trip to Southwick’s Zoo in Mendon. It’s a decent zoo and the kids totally loved it. They ran from one exhibit to the next (screaming all the way – ugh) and they were EXHAUSTED by the time they got back to school (so was I!). According to Adlani, the highlights were the porcupines and when the goat ate our map in the petting zoo. It wasn’t crowded and the weather was nice and cool, so it was a good day. Hopefully we have continued good luck when Norah’s preschool class goes on the same field trip next week.
The first couple of field trips I chaperoned, I didn’t know any better so I rode the bus. I don’t really mind riding the bus except that it makes me a little queasy sometimes, but it’s so much more fun to ride with my friends and get some mommy-time in on the way. We had 5 kindergarten moms in Lana’s car and we have a total of 12 kids between us, so there was plenty of kid-talk and swapping of stories. I don’t know what I’d do without reinforcement from other moms that we’re all dealing with similar challenges and handling them the best we can.
Lana gave me the brilliant idea of bringing rum cake for the ride, and it really hit the spot after a couple of hours at the zoo. I think I’ve made that rum cake at least 50 times since I got the recipe a few years ago, and it’s really easy. If you want to make rum cake for your next field trip, here’s the recipe:
Grease and flour a bundt pan, then sprinkle with 1/2 cup of chopped pecans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Mix the following:
1 butter recipe yellow cake mix (I use Betty Crocker)
1 package instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
1/2 cup Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
1/2 cup water
dash of nutmeg, cinnamon, and ground clove
Pour over pecans in bundt pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes.
Just before the cake is done, make the glaze:
Melt 1 stick of butter with 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup of rum, and 1/4 cup of water. Boil for about 3 minutes. When cake is done baking, pour glaze over it while the cake is still in the bundt pan. Let the cake sit in the pan until cool, then invert onto a plate and chow down!
3 comments
Those pictures are so adorable. I love the recipe. Thanks for sharing.
This is the best rum cake ever. NO ONE will NOT love this cake! I warn you though…it is easy to just keep cutting off small pieces to nibble on, telling yourself that you are only having a small piece. Then you look at the cake and realize half of it is gone.
god, i love that rum cake! 😉