Stuff You Should Make in 2011

If you didn't try them in 2010, these are the recipes you should try in 2011.

My Favorites of the Year:

Mimsy's Spiced Rum Apple Cake

This is my own recipe and it's fabulous if I do say so myself. The concept is a blend of various apple cake recipes I've tried before, but this one involves creating a "paste" of spiced rum and dates that are blended into the batter.

Mimsy's Spiced Rum Apple Cake
1/2 cup chopped dates
1/3 cup rum
1 cup unsalted butter
Combine and heat to a just below a simmer in a tiny sauce pan, then remove from heat. Soak for 1 hour. (You can also do this in a bowl in the microwave)

1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
3 sour apples (such as Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
2 eggs
Stir into the date mixture set aside.

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
Sift together in a mixing bowl, then combine with date mixture until moistened. Spread in a 9 X 13" greased pan and bake for about 1 hour or until done. Serve with Spiced Rum Sauce.

Spiced Rum Sauce
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2/3 cup cream
2 1/2 Tbsp spiced rum
Combine in a small saucepan. Cook over medium high heat, stirring constantly until it comes to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.