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I tried my hand at a rum-cake this weekend, using a recipe from page 70 of the Culinaria France book.  Borders is selling these books now for $9.99 in their bargain bin, and they’re a heckuva buy.  The France, Spain, and Italy books all have easy recipes I’ve tried,  but the pictures and stories behind the foods are what really makes the books worth it to me.  I used rum-soaked raisins instead of currants, and had to cut back on the butter used in the cake because I did not have 6.5 tablespoons even available!  Still the cake part wasn’t bad, and the Malibu coconut rum I used was definitely tasty.  The syrup made to go along with cake was the best part, I thought.  2 parts water to 1 part sugar and some grated orange rind, boiling the mixture, and adding another half-cup of rum when it was removed from the heat.  Dip the cake in the syrup and you can really taste the rum!  Good stuff.