PART I: BACARDI PINEAPPLE CAKE WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE AND CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM

PART I: BACARDI PINEAPPLE CAKE WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE AND CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM image

Number Of Ingredients 36

Butter cake:
1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup Bacardi rum
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pineapple rum syrup:
1/4 cup Bacardi rum
1/4 cup hazelnut or vanilla syrup
1/4 pineapple juice Pineapple filling:
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 cups crushed pineapple (drain but reserve the juice for later use)
Dash salt
Caramel sauce:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/8 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup confectioners' sugar
Buttercream frosting base:
1 cup white chocolate pieces
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
3 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
2 teaspoons Bacardi rum
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
Additional melted white chocolate for garnish

Steps:

To prepare cake: Mix flour, graham crumbs, baking powder, and salt; set aside. Cream sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl, beating until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add half of the flour mixture then half of the milk and rum. Add vanilla. Mix until blended; add remaining flour, milk and rum, and beat until smooth. The batter will be thick. Spread batter in two greased and floured 8-inch layer cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 35 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly touched near center. For the pineapple rum syrup: In a 1-cup measuring cup, combine rum, hazelnut or vanilla syrup and reserved pineapple juice (from the crushed pineapple used in the pineapple filling). Set aside. For the pineapple filling: In a small saucepan, over medium to medium-low heat, combine 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 tablespoon butter and 1 1/2 cups drained crushed pineapple (reserving juice for rum syrup), dash salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until thick and clear. Cool before using. For instructions for caramel sauce, buttercream frosting base and cake assembly, see PART II.