Rum Cake
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This boozy, buttery rum cake is guaranteed to be the life of the party.
My grandmother loved to bake and was famous for her rum cake. It was the star of every family gathering, and it was impossible for anyone to walk through her kitchen without sneaking just one more thin slice. Although she kept the recipe a closely guarded secret, upon discovering my interest in cooking, she revealed that it was actually a Duncan Hines cake mix doctored up with instant vanilla pudding, butter, and lots of rum. Who knew?! These days, keeping the recipe a secret would be hard, as it’s all over the internet (just google “Bacardi rum cake”). I’ve always wanted to recreate her cake from scratch, so I came up with this recipe, which is hardly any more work than the semi-homemade version. My grandmother might beg to differ, but I believe my scratch-made version comes pretty close to her original.
“This is one of the most exquisite cakes I’ve ever made.”
Rum cake is a traditional Caribbean dessert that dates back to the days of sugar plantations, as rum is a liquor made from sugarcane. The most well-known version of Caribbean rum cake, known as black cake because of its intensely dark color, is a fruitcake made from a variety of dried fruits soaked in rum for several weeks or even months before being baked. This lighter version is made by soaking a moist butter cake in a syrup of butter, sugar, and dark rum, giving it a rich, boozy flavor. There’s almost a cup of rum in the cake, so it’s definitely not for young kids or anyone avoiding alcohol. For a similar cake that’s booze-free, try my Kentucky butter cake.
What you’ll need To Make Rum Cake
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by combining the eggs, egg yolks, rum, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
Whisk and set aside.
Combine the flour, sugars, baking powder and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Beat on low speed to combine.
Add the butter.
Beat for a few minutes until combined.
Add one-third of the liquid ingredients and mix on low to combine.
Increase the speed to medium and beat for two minutes more.
Add another third of the liquid.
Mix on low speed until just combined. Increase the speed to medium and beat for two minutes.
Add the remaining liquid.
Beat and scrape as before.
Transfer the batter to the prepared Bundt pan.
Bake the cake for 65 to 75 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Let cool on a rack for 10 minutes.
While the cake bakes, make the glaze. In a small saucepan, melt the butter.
Add the sugar and water and bring to a boil; then turn the heat down and simmer for 5 minutes until thickened.
Remove from the heat and stir in the rum.
It will thicken as it sits.
Using a toothpick or skewer, poke holes all over the bottom of the cake.
Brush or spoon half of the glaze over the cake and let it soak in.
Invert the cake onto a platter. Brush or spoon the remaining glaze over the top and sides of the cake.
Let the cake cool completely before serving.
The cake portion of this recipe is based on a recipe from Perfect Cakes by Nick Malgieri. I changed the process, replaced the all-purpose flour with cake flour, swapped the white rum for dark rum and omitted the almonds. The glaze recipe is from my grandmother.
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Rum Cake
This boozy, buttery rum cake is guaranteed to be the life of the party.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 4 large eggs
- 3 large egg yolks
- ½ cup dark rum
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2½ cups cake flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off (see note)
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
For the Glaze
- 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter
- ¼ cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons dark rum
- Generous pinch of salt
Instructions
For the Cake
- Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325°F. Spray a 12-cup Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray with flour, such as Baker's Joy or Pam with Flour. (Alternatively, grease the pan with butter and then dust with flour.)
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, rum, vanilla extract and almond extract. Set aside.
- Place the cake flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on low speed for about 30 seconds to combine. Add the butter and beat on low speed for about 2 minutes, or until the ingredients are well combined. (The mixture will look a bit like cookie dough.)
- Add a third of the liquid ingredients and mix on low speed until just incorporated. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes, then stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add another third of the liquid and mix on low speed until just combined. Increase the speed to medium and beat for two minutes, then stop the mixer and scrape again. Add the remaining liquid and beat and scrape as before.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 65 to 75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted halfway between the central tube and side of the pan comes out clean.
- Cool the cake on a rack for ten minutes.
- While the cake bakes, make the glaze. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the water and sugar and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture is slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the rum and salt.
- Using a toothpick or thin skewer, poke holes all over the bottom of the cake about ½-inch apart, going about ¾ of the way down (you will feel like you are butchering the cake; don't worry, it will be fine). Brush half of the glaze over the cake and let it soak in. If the glaze pools on the surface, poke more holes to help it sink in. Invert the cake onto a cake platter. Gradually brush the remaining glaze evenly over the top and sides of the cake, letting it soak in as you go. (Go slowly so that the glaze gets absorbed, rather than drips off the sides.) Let cool completely before serving.
- Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cake can be made up to 1 day ahead of time and stored in a cake dome or covered container at room temperature. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, double-wrap it securely with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, or place it in a heavy-duty freezer bag. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving.
- Note: It's important to use cake flour in this recipe. All-purpose flour will make the cake dry and dense.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (16 servings)
- Calories: 438
- Fat: 19 g
- Saturated fat: 12 g
- Carbohydrates: 56 g
- Sugar: 39 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Sodium: 145 mg
- Cholesterol: 127 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Very good, needed more rum syrup! So I double it.
I have read and considered a lot of rum bundt cake recipes and I finally got across your recipe which I will attempt to bake after we have settled in a bigger apartment. My boyfriend’s father loves liquor and I learned to acquire the taste for rum cake from him. As for my boyfriend, he wanted to know if your recipe has nuts because he does not like nuts. I like all the modifications you did to the recipe and the interesting story behind it and the revealed trade secrets. I read somewhere that the longer the rum cake stays untouched, the better it tastes. That is why I returned the big bundt pan I bought and exchanged it for a pan of collective 6 bundlettes. Your rum cake looks so yummy with its golden brown color and more so with its rum glaze. Thanks, now I can rest and stop looking for the best rum bundt cake recipe.
I made this cake for my son’s birthday over the weekend. It was so good. I would double the glaze next time, and continue to pour it over the cake till absorbed. I left it in the pan overnight and needed to warm slightly to release it from the pan. Thank you for the recipe. I never make any cake from a box and this was wonderful.
Can I use a hand mixer?
Sure, Janelle, it may just take a little longer to mix. Enjoy!
I am excited to try this cake! I don’t have a Bundt pan, but I do have a loaf pan that holds 6 cups of batter. Do you think a half recipe would bake well? Any idea if the baking time would be significantly different?
Thank you 🙂
Yes, I think cutting the recipe in half would work. It should take 60 – 75 minutes top bake. I’d start checking it at an hour.
Is there a way I could make this using rum extract instead of actual rum? I have made it with the real rum but it was awfully strong rum flavored and seemed like you were drinking actual rum. Hoping maybe there may be a way to make it with imitation rum extract.
Hi Tammy, because there is so much rum in this cake, I would hesitate to use extract. I’m just not confident you’d be happy with the results.
This is a very good recipe! Definitely a keeper!
I just made this cake it is really good. i will definitely be making it again, thank you for all your recipes i love all of them.
Jenn,
Thank you for this wonderful recipe. My mom wanted me to bake a Rum Cake for her. Didn’t want to use a cake box mix. Excited to find your recipe…made it and the cake was delicate. I added walnuts and coconut flakes in bundt pan. Used white Bacardi rum which was on hand. Another winner of a recipe. Thank You! Hope to post this on my blog soon, Baking is my Zen.
Jenn, Happy New Year 2017! Look forward to your creations.
Carmen
Hi Jen,
Wanted to make this cake but only have a 9 cup bundt pan. How far up would you recomend I fill it so that it doesn’t overflow when baking? Thanx.
Hi Amanda, I’d fill it up about halfway – then you can bake the remaining batter in another small pan, if you like.
Hello! I am interested in making this cake for Christmas and was wondering if it could be made the day before and add the glaze Christmas Day. Thanks!
Sure, Adriann – you can actually glaze it a day ahead too if you like. It keeps beautifully thanks to all the butter and rum :).
Hi Jenn,
I made this cake, and it was just great! I was wondering if the cake can be made in advance and refridgerated or frozen and glazed later, or glazed and frozen?
Hi Caroline, I think you could freeze it either way, but I’d probably hold off on glazing until after the cake is defrosted. I think it will look better that way.
Can I use all granulated sugar instead of the brown sugar.
Hi Arlene, I wouldn’t recommend it here– sorry!
Thank you for your response. I made the original recipe before and loved it. just needed to run out and buy brown sugar and did not want to chance make it without the brown sugar and be disappointed. Love all your recipes that I have tried.
Hi Jennifer,
Greetings from a Brit living in Mauritius…the land of rum!
Anyway I want to make your cake as an alternative Christmas cake, but can’t get cake flour here. Should I use Plain or self raising instead?
Thanks
Hi Camilla, You can easily make your own cake flour. For every cup of AP flour, remove two tablespoons, and then add two tablespoons of cornstarch back in. Be sure to whisk the flour to distribute the cornstarch evenly. Works like a charm!
Hi Jenn,
Just want to thank you for the great recipes with all the excellent instructions, from the little things that make the process more efficient, or even easier, to the big things that make the dish a success! I made your rum cake for a Christmas potluck and it was a hit! The cake looks like it will be dense, but it’s actually light and rich in flavor! I really appreciated the step by step and clear instructions. Making this cake from scratch was easier than I thought it would be, and made for a richer flavor. Thanks again!
This was a lovely cake – really light. Beautiful crumb. I’m not sure where the negative reviews are coming from. I followed the instructions as written and it turned out perfectly. I baked for 65 min @ 325 (live at sea level).
Made this cake yesterday afternoon, delicious! OUAC is quickly becoming the first website I go to for recipes because everything I’ve made has turned out fantastic with little or no modifications needed. I used to make a rum cake using a box mix years ago, but now that I only bake from scratch, I was curious to see how this one would turn out…it was really, Really good! I emddd up not using all of the glaze, but it was plenty moist with just enough rum flavor that you knew it was there but it wasn’t in your face strong. Definitely a keeper!
Edited to add I think I’ll add chopped and toasted pecans to the bottom of the pan next time also, but it really doesn’t need it. I, like others used unbleached AP flour and it worked fine. I’ve started scooping the flour into measuring cups versus scooping flour out of my container in the measuring cup and I think it really does make a difference in the final product.
Actually, this is much better with walnuts or pecans. All purpose flour works fine as well. Removed one-third of the granulated sugar with the glaze and replaced it with one-third light brown sugar…took it to a new level.
I have been making the “cheaters” boxed version of this cake for years. I recently began to get pangs of guilt when I would show up at a function with a boxed cake and take all the bows for something that couldn’t be easier. So, I decided to learn to do this from scratch. Not sure what went wrong, but it didn’t work for me at all. I followed the recipe to a “t” (minor altitude adjustments-read on) but when I was ready to pour the batter in the bundt, it was SUPER thick. Not having ever made this before, I went with it. I should have loosened it up a bit. It was just not right. Too dense, too gooey once the rum glaze soaked in. I’ll try it again to see if I get the same results but this time, if the batter is thick, I’ll thin it. I chose this recipe because I am a huge fan of Jenn’s recipes and have made several others with great success. I should mention that I’m at 7300 ft in a tropical climate so things usually need tweeking but I’ve been baking at this altitude for years and pretty much “have it down” but for now, let’s blame it on the altitude and I’ll check in again when I make it again to share the results.
Hi Jan, so sorry to hear that the cake didn’t turn out as expected! If you followed the recipe exactly, I’d have to assume it had something to do with the altitude. While it sounds like you have plenty of practice accounting for the altitude, maybe some of these tips would be helpful.
what’s the measure of each ingredient
how many eggs?
oz or 1-2oz of rum
do you use the whole box of cake flour or mix?
Just asking this will be my first Rum Cake or say first cake I bake in a long time.
Your recipe seems easy let me know and I’ll email you back.
Thank You
Hi Patricia, You’ll need a total of 7 eggs (but for 3 of them, you’ll only use the yolks) a half cup of rum, and just 2 1/2 cups of cake flour– not the whole box. Hope all that helps and that you enjoy the cake!
Hey Jenn,
I Just came back from Turks and Caicos which had a rum cake in a tin at the airport. I could not imagine it being any good mass produced like that. I am a pretty good cook and bake quite a bit. I always like making a recipe from scratch using the best ingredients. Living 30 min from New York City I am lucky to be able to find almost any ingredient needed. I looked over many Rum Cake recipes and found yours to be the best “from scratch” recipe I was looking for. Others used instant pudding or boxed cake mix. I had picked up the wrong flour, (Presto) which is self-rising so my first bake was a little off but still tasted amazing. The next day I made another cake with the Softasilk and it was perfect. I used Ron Zacapa dark rum in place of the Meyers but every thing else was exactly the same. I don’t think that rum cake in a tin could even come close to the amazing flavor of this cake. Thanks for creating a “from scratch” Rum Cake that totally rocks!
Does this get a crispy shell on the outside or does it stay moist? My daughter had mini rum cakes years ago at work and would love them for her birthday but she said those were crispy outside.
Thanks!
Hi Sharon, It does get slightly crisp/hardened on the outside from the glaze, but I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s crispy.
This cake is dangerously delicious! Thank you so much for a wonderful recipe and instructions.
This recipe turned out very well. It was just what I was looking for, I did not want to use a mix or instant pudding. My husband loved it, he always wanted me to make him a rum cake for his birthday and finally I did.
Hi, I love rum cake and have used several recipes over the years. Yours is great! Thank you. My question is: I once read that either you add hot liquid to a cool cake or vice versa. Some kind of chemistry hot/cold thing. I have a problem with my glaze accumulating at the base of the cake and it gets gooey (Personally, I love it but others? not so much). I want to have a significant glaze flavor to the cake but I don’t want to have it sink to the bottom. I typically unmold the cake and then prick it and pour half on the “bottom” and then remove it and pour half on the top and sides. Then, to keep it safe, I return it to the bundt pan.
Hi Jan, I would suggest glazing the recipe as indicated in the recipe; if you do it slowly, it gets pretty evenly absorbed and does not sink too much to the bottom (which is actually the top). The glaze is a little heavier around the edges of the cake, but I actually like it that way.
If you switched from regular flour to cake flour, can I switch it back again? What change would I need to make in measurement if I did?
Hi Marian, I recommend cake flour for this recipe. With regular flour, the cake will be really dense and somewhat dry.
Thank you so much for this recipe. In the photo, your glaze has a nice shine to it. Mine got totally absorbed and left no shine. Do you know why? Maybe the cake should cool longer or maybe I should boil the glaze longer or maybe the rum waters it out too much???
Hi Nicole, It may be that the glaze was a little too thin. Next time, cook it down a bit more to thicken it up. Hope that helps!
I recently had rum cake in the Bahamas-it was nothing like the rum cakes I have tasted in the past-it was delish! This cake looks very similar to the one I tasted. I would like to make it in smaller Bundt pans for hostess gifts during the holidays. How many days ahead can I make it before gifting it? How would you adjust the cooking time for a smaller pan (say one cup vs a four cup pan)? Thanks so much!
Hi Caroline, You could make the cakes about 2 days ahead. (They stay very moist). If using the smaller bundt pans, I would start checking them at 30-35 min. I hope your recipients enjoy them!
Why did you make changes from the original recipe, And why cake flour instead of AP?
Hi Nicey, The original recipe is made from a boxed cake mix, which I didn’t want to use. Cake flour makes for a tender and delicate cake; all purpose flour makes the cake dense.
Hi Jennifer,
Sorry to keep bugging you about this recipe! Can the rum glaze be made ahead of time, or will it get granular and thick as it sits?
Thanks for all of your answers!
Hi Grace, It’s fine to make it ahead; just reheat to thin it out.
I took a risk with this cake – people coming for lunch, no bundt pan, no heavy duty mixer. Armed with my cheap supermarket brand hand mixer, as much confidence as I could muster, and some handwritten conversions (I live in Australia), I divided the batter into two smaller pans, one square, one round, and baked for 45 minutes. Having the step-by-step pictures really helped. Needless to say, both turned out amazing – the round pan needed a little more cooking, but…wow. I’m not much of a baker, but this is my second cake from this blog (the French apple cake is also a fantastic recipe), and now everyone thinks I’m this wonderful cook. Thank you so much!
Hi what if you don’t have a cake mix how would you recommend to mix the flour with other stuff. We use to use our hand to blend. Is that workable
Hi Ronetta, Your arm will get tired but it’s possible 🙂
I’m being stalked for this cake!
Delicious!!
First time, I did it by the book. A crowd pleaser for sure! Second time, I didn’t have cake flour, so I used 2cups of AP & added applesauce.(indiv cup of unsweetened) to combat any dryness. It came out great!
Rum cake
I would like to try this cake in different size pans.
I have two small angel cake pans ( 7″ ). Would this recipe work in the smaller pans and if so, how long should they bake.
Thank you,
, Carolyn
Hi Carolyn, If I’m correct, I believe the 7-inch pan has a 6-cup capacity so it should work perfectly to divide the batter in half. As for baking time, I would start checking at 40-45 minutes. Please let me know how it turns out 🙂
Thank you so much. Carolyn
This recipe is absolutely delicious!! I’ve made this cake 5 times in the last 3 months and my friends are already asking for more!! I like to put mine in the fridge for a day after cooling; it’s always better the next day! The only thing I do differently is use Zaya instead of Myers. I’d say just use your favorite dark rum! Love, love, love!
I made this cake 3 days ago using Haitian rum and omg it was to die for. My hubby devoured it, and requested another one asap. He is out visiting his mom and I am home making another cake! Thank u for this recipe I will be coming back to it for many years now
So glad you all enjoyed it, Valerie 🙂
Made it for the first time for Super Bowl party and it was super hit. Will make it again.
Don’t know what I did wrong but this cake rose way above the pan and then sunk in the middle after the baking time. Maybe because I am in Utah at a higher altitude 4450 ft.? The edges came out all crispy and I had to cut them off as they were higher than the rest of the cake. Any advice?
Hi Kristy, So sorry you had trouble with the cake; what size pan did you use?
The pan measures 10 inches wide by 4 inches tall. I thought it was a standard bundt pan.
Hi Kristy, Yes, that’s the standard size so if you didn’t make any substitutions, it has to be the altitude. Here’s a good link on baking adjustments for high altitude: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipe/high-altitude-baking.html
Hope that helps!
Made this with my Grandmom after my mom got Rum as a gift. It was DELICIOUS! So moist. We accidentally added the rum to the drizzle at the beginning instead of the end so the rum taste wasn’t as strong but it was still really yummy!
How long should I let the cake cool on the wire rack before and after putting on the glaze?
Hi Trinetta, You want to let it cool about ten minutes.
this cake came out dry even with using all the syrup. I did use cake flour. Could you tell me what could have possibly went wrong? Thank you
Hi Genia, Did you use the spoon-and-level method to measure the flour?
Yes, I did. I just remembered I didn’t poke holes in the top of the cake, but brushed it on instead. Could this be the reason?
Hi Genia, Yes, I think that’s probably why; the syrup needs to really soak the cake.
can you substitute cake and pastry flour for the cake flour. what is the difference
thanks
Hi Yvette, I’d stick with cake flour. Pastry flour has has a higher protein content than cake flour, which means your cake won’t be quite as tender.
Can ‘King Arthur unbleached cake flour blend’ be substituted for cake flour? It is formulated with unbleached flour and cornstarch and supposed to be a good alternative to using bleached cake flour.
Hi Betty, Yes that should work fine.
Do you have to use a heavy duty mixer? Or can you just use a hand mixer? I wouldn’t see why it would matter but your receipe is very specific so I just want to make sure.
Hi Crystal, A hand mixer will work fine.
Followed the recipe exactly and it was absolute perfection. Stayed moist for three days.
My oh my your grandmother knew how to make a rum cake!!! The texture is perfectly wonderful and the rum in the cake and in the glaze are “over the top.” The cake stays moist until the last morsel is devoured and everyone is saying “Is it really all gone?” Just fair warning: Two slices of this may put you on the “do not drive under the influence list! “
I made this cake for 4 july picnic at work and OMG! every one loved it. I accually made one before the party just to make sure that it came out right lol. but it was so easy to make and soooo good,you cant go wrong with rum… The only thing I added was box of pudding mix to the dry ingrediates and almonds on top.
I remember this recipe well! I read all your recipes and love so many of them. I also enjoy the occasional family pictures.
I’m so glad to see that your Nonny’s rum cake finally made it onto your blog! I knew it was inevitable. I’ve had many, many slices of it over the years and loved it each time, especially in the later years when the rum quotient seemed on the rise.
This cake is going to make a lot of your readers very happy!
Could this me made with King Arthur multi purpose flour without changing the consistency of the cake?
Hi Chris, It’s important to use cake flour for this recipe, otherwise the cake will be dense and dry. If you don’t have any on hand, you can easily make your own. For every cup of AP flour, remove two tablespoons, and then add two tablespoons of cornstarch back in. Be sure to whisk the flour to distribute the cornstarch evenly. Works like a charm!