Hazelnut Banana Cake with Buttered Rum Glaze

Ingredients

2 cups roasted hazelnuts
5 Tbsp canola oil
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs
3/4 cup mashed ripe banana
1 Tbsp dark spiced rum
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Butter a 9-inch round pan, line with parchment and butter again.
Combine oil and sugars in a stand mixer and cream until light and fluffy; 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well between additions. Add banana, rum and lemon zest; beat to combine.
Whisk flour, baking powder and in a bowl. Add dry mixture to batter and beat until combined. Add hazelnuts. Spoon into prepared pan.
Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool for 10 minutes and then turn out onto wire rack, removing parchment paper, to cool completely. Prepare Glaze.

Notes

GLAZE
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup dark spiced rum
Melt butter in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over high heat. Add sugar and water, stirring to combine. Bring mixture to a boil for 4-5 minutes – DO NOT STIR – just watch carefully until the mixture turns an amber colour. Add rum and allow to boil for 1 minute until liquefied into a glaze. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 2 minutes. Carefully pour or spoon over cake and allow to cool for 20 minutes.