Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
                        -----cake-----
   1      cup           butter -- no margarine
   8      tablespoons   rum
   1 1/2  cups          sugar
   4      teaspoons     baking powder
   6                    eggs -- large *
   3 1/2  cups          flour; unbleached -- sifted
   1 1/2  teaspoons     grated lemon rind
                        ***BUTTER-CREAM FILLING***
   1      cup           sugar
   1      tablespoon    rum
     3/4  cup           water
   1      cup           butter; no margarine, unsalted
   6      large         egg yolks
                        ***PRALINE TOPPING*
   2      tablespoons   butter
     1/2  cup           water
   1      cup           sugar
   1      cup           almonds; blanched, sliced
                        ***APRICOT GLAZE***
     1/2  cup           apricot jam

Preparation:

* Egg yolks must be beaten into the cake one at a time so keep the yolks separated from each other. CAKE: To prepare cake, cream butter and sugar until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time. Mix in lemon rind and 2 T rum. Sift baking powder and flour together. Gently mix into the butter mixture. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter. Pour into a well-greased 10-inch tube pan. Bake in a preheated 325F oven for about 60 minutes or until the cake tests done. Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes and then turn out on wire rack to cool completely. Slice cake crosswise into 3 layers. Pour about 2 T of rum over each layer. Butter-Cream Filling: For butter-cream filling, boil sugar and water to 238F. (soft ball stage). Beat egg yolks until very light and fluffy, 5 to 10 minutes. While still beating the egg yolks, add the sugar syrup in a thin stream. Beat 5 minutes more, until very thick and doubled in bulk. Slowly beat in the rum. Beat the butter in a small bowl until soft and light. Beat butter into the egg mixture a little at a time. Continue beating until thick. Chill until mixture can be spread. If mixture is too soft, beat in additional butter. PRALINE TOPPING: While butter-cream is cooking, spread 2 T butter thickly in a 9 X 13-inch baking pan for praline topping. Then in a 1-quart saucepan, boil sugar an water to 238F. (soft ball stage). Stir in almonds; cook until mixture reaches 310F. or until syrup caramelizes. Pour syrup into prepared baking pan. When cool, break up praline and grind it in a blender for a few seconds. APRICOT GLAZE: Finally heat jam and press through a strainer or sieve to make apricot glaze. CAKE ASSEMBLY: To assemble cake, place bottom layer of cake on cake plate and spread with half of the butter cream. Repeat with second layer. Place third layer on top. Spread top and sides of cake with apricot glaze. Press praline powder onto glaze. Any remaining butter cream can be used to decorate the top of the cake.