Marinated Strawberry Shortcakes

What could be more traditional than Strawberry Shortcakes on the 4th of July?  Strawberries are at the peak of the season right now and the ones we picked up are sweet, juicy and HUGE!  I couldn't wait to serve these on a simple pound cake, but I wanted to add just a little oomph.  Just a little something to make the strawberries shine.  The answer..was rum!

This is a short and simple recipe and can be pulled together quickly.  Since I was a little short on time, I used a pound cake mix and baked it in 2 8" x 4" loaf pans.  This way the cake cooks in just 30 minutes and you have 2 short cakes that slice up perfectly.

For the strawberries

3 Cups  Strawberries, divide in half, cut 1/2 into small pieces, the other 1/2 into larger pieces
3 TB  Sugar
1 1/2 TB  Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum
1 1/2 TB  Dark Rum

Combine the strawberries, sugar and rums in a glass dish and stir.  Allow to marinate at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours.  If you only have one type of rum that works fine also, just use 3 TB.

To serve, cut 2 slices of pound cake and place one on a plate.  Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of berries onto the cake, top with the second slice of cake and add 2-3 additional tablespoons of berries.  Top with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of powdered sugar and serve.

So simple, so quick and a great dessert for a hot summer night.  Enjoy!!