I got this recipe from my stepmother, Pat. The rum flavors seem very Christmas-like to me, and I think it's an easy, sweet offering for brunch.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 to 60 minutes
Yield: about 12 servings

For the cake: 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
18.5 oz. package yellow cake mix (not "pudding in the mix" style)
3.75 oz. package vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
1/2 cup cold water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup Bacardi dark rum

For the glaze: 4 oz. butter
1/4 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup Bacardi dark rum

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 12-cup capacity Bundt cake pan. Sprinkle nuts in the bottom of the pan. Make the cake: Mix cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, cold water, vegetable oil, and rum together until combined. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake until a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 45 to 60 minutes.

While cake is baking, make glaze: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the water and sugar. Increase heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, then remove from heat and stir in rum. Set aside until cake is ready to be glazed.

When cake is done, cool on a rack for 10 minutes, then invert out of the pan and set it back on the rack. Prick the top of the cake several times with a wooden skewer. Using a pastry brush, brush the cake with the glaze until it is all absorbed. Let cool completely, then slice and serve. Or wrap tightly with plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 1 day. If desired, dust the cake with powdered sugar just before serving.