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Closeup of a slice of golden-brown rum cake on a white plate, with the rest of the cake in the background
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5 from 2 votes

Rum Cake Recipe

This rum cake recipe is moist and actually tastes like rum, with dark rum baked in the cake and used in the rum butter syrup.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Cooling Time15 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 531kcal
Author: Jocelyn Delk Adams

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Cake:

  • ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 3.4 ounce vanilla instant pudding 1 small box
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 ¼ cups cake flour
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup milk room temperature
  • ½ cup dark rum

For the Rum Butter Syrup:

  • ¼ cup unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup rum
  • Pinch fine sea salt

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325F. Prepare a 12-inch Bundt pan by spraying liberally with nonstick baking spray.
  • In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine butter, oil, pudding mix, sugars, baking powder, and salt and beat on high for 3 minutes, until evenly mixed and fully hydrated.
  • Reduce speed and add flour in 2 additions and beat until thick and smooth.
  • Add eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl between each egg.
  • Add vanilla, milk, and rum, and mix until smooth. Batter will be thinnish.
  • Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until golden brown and cake starts pulling away from the edge of the pan, about 50-55 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 15 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, combine all the syrup ingredients in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat and cook until the mixture thickens and reduces, about 6-7 minutes.
  • Using a skewer, poke holes all around cake. Slowly pour the syrup all over the bottom of the cake, allowing it to soak up. Cover and let sit for at least 2 hours to fully soak.
  • Turn out cake onto platter and serve.

Notes

  1. Spoon, don’t scoop. Scooping flour packs it down and makes your cake dense. Spoon it into the cup and level it off.
  2. Tap out them bubbles. Once your batter is in the Bundt pan, tap it on the counter a few times. It knocks out any air pockets so your cake bakes up smooth.
  3. Warm cake loves warm syrup! Pour that buttery rum syrup while the cake’s still warm so it soaks into every crumb.
  4. Walk away after you pour on the syrup. Give it time to soak in. The longer it sits, the better it gets.
How to Store this Rum Cake
  • Fridge: Wrap it in plastic wrap or foil, or pop it in an airtight container. It’ll stay fresh for up to a week. You can also store any leftover rum syrup in a sealed jar in the fridge. It’s great drizzled over ice cream or more cake later!
  • Freezer: Wrap it tight in plastic wrap, then foil, or use a freezer-safe container. It’ll keep for up to 3 months. Let it thaw at room temp when you’re ready to dig back in.

Nutrition

Calories: 531kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 347mg | Potassium: 85mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 50g | Vitamin A: 451IU | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 1mg