A decadent dessert, this cake disguised as an easy quick bread makes a great breakfast the next day, too. The alcohol in the rum burns off with the cooking, but you could substitute apple juice if you prefer.

Ingredients

Loaf:

• 2 tablespoons dark rum
• 2 tablespoons water
• ½ cup raisins
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 1 cup apple sauce
• 1 apple, peeled and diced

Topping:

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

Method

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Combine rum and water in a small pot over medium heat. Add raisins, bring to a gentle simmer and simmer for 5 minutes or until raisins are plump and flavourful and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Drain and set aside.

Combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Set aside.

Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between additions. Beat in grated lemon rind. Add half of reserved flour mixture, then half of the apple sauce; repeat until all ingredients are combined. Stir in reserved raisins and diced apple.

Spoon batter into a greased 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Sprinkle brown sugar over top. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the loaf comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto cake rack. Makes 1 loaf.