3-Layer Spiced Butter Rum Cake

Why I Love This Recipe
Nothing makes the Holidays better like BOOZE. Make the CAKE 2 days prior to serving, because you're going to soak it in BOOZE periodically before assembling and decorating. It's an old trick people down south used to preserve cakes, with an added bonus (BOOZE)!
Ingredients You'll Need
3 ROUND cake pans
1 box Butter Pecan cake mix
4 Eggs
1/2c unsalted Butter, softened
Chai Tea
a FIFTH of Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum (or Capt Morgan, or Myers- you pick)
1/2tsp ea: Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves, Ginger
1c chopped dried, pitted Dates
1/2c chopped Pecans, plus:
1/2c crushed Pecans for decorating
1 pkg Cream Cheese
3/4c Confectioner's Sugar
splash of Milk plus:
MORE RUM
Directions
CAKE- 2 DAYS IN ADVANCE:
* Preheat oven per box instructions.
* Make tea; pour 1c into bowl; add 1c RUM; add DATES and allow to sit and plump til tea cools; strain, reserving liquid, and set dates aside.
* Blend together CAKE MIX and EGGS, using BUTTER and 2c of reserved TEA/RUM, adding MORE RUM if necessary, IN PLACE OF water/margerine per box instructions.
* Add SPICES; using electric mixer, beat 2-3min til softly whipped.
* Fold in DATES and CHOPPED PECANS.
* Pour into THREE (3) round pans sprayed w/cooking spray over sides & bottom; bake per box instructions, inserting toothpick in center to check for doneness (approx 30 min).
* Remove from oven and LEAVE IN PANS; when no longer hot, poke holes in cakes with a fork; sprinkle RUM over cakes (hold your thumb over bottle opening like it's a garden hose, pour & shake) and go do something else for a while.
* SPRINKLE RUM over cakes every 6-8hrs over course of 2 days before assembling cake.
FROSTING & SERVING:
* With electric mixer, cream sugar and cream cheese, alternately adding milk AND RUM as needed to make smooth and fluffy.
* Frost cake between each layer and up the sides, then sprinkle by tipping cake at a slight angle (careful it doesn't slide!) CRUSHED PECANS over sides til covered. Decorate the top as however you please!!
* You should have gone thru at least 1/2 that Fifth of Rum making this cake. And your guests aren't going to mind this a bit- but do warn them it's 92 PROOF, so they can opt out of they wish!!