Rum cake is a decadent dessert that is wildly popular around the holidays. This dense but tender cake has rum infused in the batter and once baked, it’s drenched in a rich, buttered rum syrup. Each bite will melt in your mouth and fill your senses with warm rum flavor!
One of the most important tips I can offer for the most moist, flavorful homemade rum cake is to not rush the process of soaking the warm cake with syrup. You want to give the cake time to absorb the sauce for the best results, or else most of the sauce will simply run down the sides of the cake. For more delicious Bundt cake recipes, try my butter cake, vanilla Bundt cake, or apple Bundt cake.
Rum Cake Ingredients
Flour — you need cake flour for the most light, moist rum cake. All-purpose can work in a pinch, but will alter the texture of the baked cake.
Leavening — baking powder helps the cake rise just enough so that it has a texture that isn’t too dense.
Salt — salt brings out the flavors in the cake.
Sugar — regular granulated sugar is all you need to sweeten the rum Bundt cake.
Butter — opt for unsalted butter so the cake does not turn out too salty. This is also an essential ingredient in the buttered rum glaze!
Oil — a neutral-flavored oil like vegetable oil adds richness and moisture, keeping this cake delicious for several days stored at room temperature.
Eggs — you need 3 large whole eggs and 2 egg yolks, all of which should be brought to room temperature before you start baking.
Vanilla — high-quality store-bought or homemade vanilla extract adds an addictive aroma and flavor to the cake, enhancing the flavor of the rum.
Rum — dark rum or a good quality aged rum is the best option for the most complex rum flavor.
Milk — whole milk is the ideal choice, but you can also use 2% milk in a pinch.
Glaze — the butter rum glaze infuses the cake with such a delicious rum flavor! It’s simpel to make and all you need is unsalted butter, granulated sugar, water, salt, and dark rum.
How To Make Rum Cake
1. Combine the cake flour, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl and whisk together. In another large bowl, using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the sugar, softened butter, and oil on medium speed until light and fluffy.
2. Add the eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, making sure each one is incorporated before adding the next. Add vanilla extract and beat just until combined. Stir together the dark rum and whole milk in a liquid measuring cup and set aside for the moment.
3. With the mixer on low, add one-third of the dry ingredients mixture.
4. Then add half of the rum and milk mixture. Repeat, alternating with another third of the flour mixture, the rest of the rum mixture, and finally, the last third of the flour mixture. Stop mixing and scrape down the bowl from time to time.
5. Spray a 12-cup Bundt pan with baking spray or butter, and flour it. Pour the cake batter into the pan. Then, gently tap it on a folded dish towel on the counter a few times to settle the batter. Bake at 325°F for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. When the cake has been baking for 50 minutes, start working on the glaze. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the sugar, water, and salt, and stir until fully combined. Bring the mixture to a boil. Stir in the rum. Continue boiling, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened. Remove from the heat and carefully transfer the mixture to a heat-proof bowl or measuring cup.
7. Once the cake is out of the oven, poke holes in the cake using a skewer.
8. Slowly pour half of the rum sauce over the cake, letting it soak in for 15 minutes. Then invert the cake onto a serving plate. Spoon or brush the remaining glaze over the warm cake. Serve warm, or allow the cake to cool completely. Make sure you give the rum glaze some time to soak into the cake before slicing.
Soak The Warm Cake With Rum Syrup
To get that delicious buttered rum flavor in every bite, soak the pound cake with rum syrup. This syrup soak also keeps the cake moist for several days. When the cake is fresh from the oven and still in the Bundt pan, slowly pour half the rum sauce onto the cake. Let it sit for 15 minutes so the cake soaks up all the sauce through the holes you poked in the bottom of the cake with the skewer.
Once you invert the cake and lift off the Bundt pan, it’s time to use the rest of the syrup on top of the cake while the cake is still warm. Spoon or brush the remaining syrup all over the cake. Take your time so it seeps in and doesn’t just run off the sides of the cake.
Why Use Cake Flour For Rum Cake
Cake flour is a must for the best rum cake that is soft and tender. If you don’t have cake flour, try making your own cake flour substitute! You can use all-purpose flour in a pinch, but reduce the amount to 3 cups (360g). I highly recommend using cake flour, though, because all-purpose flour will yield a slightly drier, more dense cake texture.
Serving Suggestions
This cake can be served warm or cooled, but make sure it has ample time to sit so the syrup can soak in properly. It is really tasty plain, but here are some ideas for serving if you want to dress it up a little:
- Dust with powdered sugar.
- Serve each slice with a dollop of whipped cream and fresh berries.
- Enjoy with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or pistachio ice cream.
- Drizzle with caramel sauce before or after slicing.
How to Store
Store leftovers covered with a cake dome or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Rum cake is actually a wonderful make-ahead treat because the flavors really come through after it has rested for several hours or the next day.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Measure your flour correctly. Using too much flour is a common mistake that will yield a dry cake. The most accurate way to measure flour is by using a kitchen scale. If you don’t have one, fluff your flour in its container with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off.
- Separate the eggs while cold. Eggs are easier to separate while they are still cold, so do this right when you take the eggs out of the fridge.
- Use room temperature eggs and egg yolks. Let the eggs and egg yolks sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes after they are separated before you start working on this recipe so they can warm to room temperature. This will make them much easier to incorporate into the cake batter.
- For crunch: Finely chop 1 cup of pecans or walnuts and sprinkle them in the bottom of the greased Bundt pan. Pour the batter on top of the pecans. When the cake is inverted out of the pan, the top will be covered in toasty pecans!
Frequently Asked Questions
Dark rum or aged rum gives this cake the most complex flavor and is my preferred choice when making this recipe. Light rum also works well, so if that is all you have, you can use that instead. The cake might just be a tad less flavorful. Spiced rum is also a delicious option. You don’t need top-shelf rum for this cake. A less expensive rum that you still enjoy the flavor of will work perfectly.
Yes, you can use bourbon instead of rum, but the flavor will be different. It will be tasty and have depth, but it will taste like bourbon instead of rum.
You can freeze this cake. Wrap the whole cake or individual slices tightly in a layer or two of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze in a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for a few hours or overnight in the fridge. Rum cake slices are delicious toasted! Warm a slice in a skillet with butter or pop it in the toaster until golden brown.
If you don’t have a Bundt pan, the next best thing would be a 10-inch tube pan, like what you would use to make angel food cake (just be sure it’s well-greased if the pan is not coated!). You could also try using two 9-inch loaf pans, dividing the batter between the two pans. The bake time may be reduced by 10 or 15 minutes, so keep an eye on them during baking.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this rum cake recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Rum Cake Recipe
Video
Equipment
- 10 to 12-cup Bundt pan
- Small pot
Ingredients
- 3⅔ cups cake flour (440g)
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups granulated sugar (400g)
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened (170g)
- ¼ cup vegetable oil (60ml)
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 2 egg yolks room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup dark rum (180ml)
- ½ cup whole milk (120ml)
For the Glaze:
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (85g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 2 tablespoons water
- pinch of salt
- ¼ cup dark rum (60ml)
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Combine the flour, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl then whisk together.
- In a large mixing bowl, using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the sugar, butter, and oil on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, beating until combined after each addition. Add vanilla, beating just until combined.
- Stir together the rum and whole milk in a liquid measuring cup
- With the mixer on low, add a third of the flour mixture followed by half of the rum mixture. Repeat alternating with another third of the flour mixture, the rest of the rum mixture and finally the last third of the flour mixture. Stop mixing and scrape down the bowl occasionally.
- Spray a (12-cup) Bundt pan with baking spray or butter and flour it.
- Pour the batter into pan. Gently tap it on a folded dish towel on the counter a few times to settle the batter.
- Bake for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
For the Glaze:
- After the cake has been baking for 50 minutes, make the glaze. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the sugar, water, and salt, stirring until fully combined. Bring to a boil, about 2 minutes.
- Carefully stir in the rum. Continue boiling, stirring occasionally until the sauce has thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and very carefully transfer the mixture to a heat-proof bowl or measuring cup.
- Once the cake is out of the oven, poke holes all over the bottom of the cake using a skewer. Carefully pour half of the sauce over the cake, letting it soak in for 15 minutes.
- Carefully invert the cake onto a cake plate. Spoon or brush the remaining glaze over the warm cake. The cake can be served warm or cooled completely before slicing. Store the cake covered at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Notes
- Measure your flour correctly. Using too much flour is a common mistake that will yield a dry cake. The most accurate way to measure flour is by using a kitchen scale. If you don’t have one, fluff your flour in its container with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off.
- Separate the eggs while cold. Eggs are easier to separate while they are still cold, so do this right when you take the eggs out of the fridge.
- Use room temperature eggs and egg yolks. Let the eggs and egg yolks sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes after they are separated before you start working on this recipe so they can warm to room temperature. This will make them much easier to incorporate into the cake batter.
- For crunch: Finely chop 1 cup of pecans or walnuts and sprinkle them in the bottom of the greased Bundt pan. Pour the batter on top of the pecans. When the cake is inverted out of the pan, the top will be covered in toasty pecans!
