The Best Rum Cake Recipe Ever - Life of Stacy (2024)

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This truly is the Best Rum Cake Recipe Ever!

It’s perfect for entertaining, incredibly easy to make, can be made up to 2 days ahead of time, and like a fine wine, it tastes better with age. The trifecta of entertaining.

It doesn’t matter what holiday or birthday it is, this cake always appears at our celebrations.

The Best Rum Cake Recipe Ever - Life of Stacy (1)

This Post is All About the Best Rum Cake Recipe Ever

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Special Tools:

bundt pan – Nordic Ware is my favorite brand of bundt pans. But any 10-cup capacity bundt pan will work.

Ingredients:

Cake:

  • Pam
  • Flour for dusting pan
  • 1 Cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts
  • 1 box plain yellow cake mix
  • 1 small package of vanilla instant pudding mix
  • 1/2 cup rum
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 4 large eggs

Glaze:

  • 1/2 stick of butter
  • 2 Tbs water
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup dark rum
The Best Rum Cake Recipe Ever - Life of Stacy (2)

Instructions:

Cake

  • Preheat oven to 325° and place the oven rack in the center of the oven
  • Lightly spray the bundt pan with Pam
  • Dust bundt pan with flour and shake out excess
  • Sprinkle pecans or walnuts in the bottom of the pan and set aside
  • In a large bowl, add cake mix, pudding mix, rum, oil, water, and eggs.
  • Blend on low speed for 1 minute
  • Scrape down the sides
  • Blend on medium for 2 minutes – scraping the sides if needed
  • Pour batter into the prepared pan
  • Bake for about one hour – until the cake is golden brown and springs back lightly when pressed.
  • Cool on a wired rack for 20 minutes
  • Use a long knife to loosen the cake around the edges
  • Invert the cake onto a cake platter
  • Using a long skewer or toothpick, poke holes in the top of the cake

Glaze

  • Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat
  • Add water and sugar
  • Stirring, increase heat to medium, and bring to a boil
  • Reduce heat slightly and let glaze simmer until thickened – 4 to 5 minutes – stirring constantly
  • Remove the pan from heat and stir in rum
  • Spoon the glaze over the warm cake allowing it to seep into the holes and drizzle down the sides and into the center
  • Cool completely before cutting

Tips for Making the Best Rum Cake Recipe Ever

  • You can use white rum if you don’t have any dark rum on hand. It will still be delicious.
  • Make sure to drizzle plenty of the sauce on the pecans. It makes the most delicious praline topping
The Best Rum Cake Recipe Ever - Life of Stacy (3)

This recipe is from The Cake Mix Doctor. I highly recommend this book. I’ve had it for years and everything I have made has been great.

What Kind of Rum is Best for a Rum Cake?

Dark rum is the best rum for a rum cake. It has a more complex flavor than white rum. You can still use white rum if that is all you have. Your cake just won’t have the same depth of flavor. Though it will still be delicious.

Can Rum Cake Get You Drunk?

Typically, no. When the rum is baked in the cake or simmered in the glaze, the alcohol is burned off.

If you are concerned about this, you can just omit the rum from the glaze.

History of the Rum Cake:

Although there is no clear consensus as to the exact origins of the rum cake, it is believed to have been first introduced in the Caribbean by the British colonists. It is now traditionally enjoyed all through Europe and America at Christmas as well as the winter months.

How do you make a box cake taste like a bakery cake?

I have made many deliciously doctored box cakes and the common ingredient is the addition of pudding to the box cake mix. The pudding adds an incredible texture to the cake that you just can’t get from a box cake – it really elevates it to more of a bakery-style cake.

This Post was All About the Best Rum Cake Recipe Ever

The Best Rum Cake Recipe Ever

This is the most incredible cake you will ever eat. Not only is it delicious but it is also super easy to make. With a little help from a boxed cake mix, you will have a moist and delicious cake that will delight everyone.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12

Calories 235 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Cake

  • Pam
  • 1 tbs flour for dusting more if you need it
  • 1 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts
  • 1 box plane yellow cake mix
  • 1 pkg vanilla instant pudding 3.4 oz
  • ½ cup rum
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • ½ cup water
  • 4 large eggs

Glaze

  • ½ stick butter
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup dark rum
  • 2 Tbs Water

Instructions

Cake

  • Preheat oven to 325° and place the oven rack in the center of the oven

  • In a large bowl, add cake mix, pudding mix, rum, oil, water, and eggs.

  • Blend on low speed for 1 minute

  • Scrape down the sides

  • Blend on medium for 2 minutes – scraping the sides if needed

  • Lightly spray the bundt pan with Pam

  • Dust bundt pan with flour and shake out excess

  • Sprinkle pecans or walnuts in the bottom of the pan

  • Pour batter into the prepared pan

  • Bake for about one hour – until the cake is golden brown and springs back lightly when pressed.

  • Cool on a wired rack for 20 minutes

  • Use a long knife to loosen the cake around the edges

  • Invert the cake onto a cake platter

  • Using a long skewer or toothpick, poke holes in the top of the cake

Glaze

  • Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat

  • add water and sugar

  • Stirring, increase heat to medium, and bring to a boil

  • Reduce heat slightly and let glaze simmer until thickened – 4 to 5 minutes – stirring constantly

  • Remove the pan from heat and stir in rum

  • Spoon the glaze over the warm cake allowing it to seep into the holes and drizzle down the sides and into the center

  • Cool completely before cutting

Notes

  • You can use white rum if you don’t have any dark rum on hand. It will still be delicious.
  • Make sure to drizzle plenty of the sauce on the pecans. It makes the most delicious praline topping.

Nutrition

Serving: 1pieceCalories: 235kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 2gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 72mgSodium: 105mgPotassium: 26mgFiber: 0.05gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 208IUCalcium: 11mgIron: 0.3mg

Keyword cake, dessert, holiday dessert, Rum cake

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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The Best Rum Cake Recipe Ever - Life of Stacy (2024)

FAQs

Which rum is best for cake? ›

Which rum is best for cake? You can use light or dark rum for this recipe. Dark rum tends to be more flavorful than milder light rum, and will add more complexity to the cake.

How many days does a rum cake last? ›

Storage: The rum cake can be stored, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to 5 days. Freezing: Rum cake can be frozen, wrapped twice in plastic wrap then aluminum foil and placed in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.

Does Jamaican rum cake get you drunk? ›

In many cases where wine or other alcohol is used in cooking or baking, all the alcohol is gone by the time it is finished. However, if you have something like a rum cake soaked in rum after preparing and before serving, or liquor filled candies, yes the alcohol can have an intoxicating effect.

Should rum cake be refrigerated? ›

Rum cake is best stored at room temperature to maintain its flavor and texture. Refrigeration can cause dryness and alter its taste.

What is a rum soaked cake called? ›

A rum baba or baba au rhum is a small yeast cake saturated in syrup made with hard liquor, usually rum, and sometimes filled with whipped cream or pastry cream.

Which rum tastes better? ›

But, if you plan to sip your rum on its own, a dark rum may be a better choice. This is because dark rums are bolder in flavor. On the flip side, if you are looking for a lighter flavor or you want to make co*cktails like Mojitos or Piña Coladas, white rum is probably the way to go.

What cake has the longest shelf life? ›

Fruitcake. It's actually part of the preparation. After the cake is baked it's brushed with alcohol, wrapped and stored for several months. Every couple of weeks you unwrdp it, brush on more brandy or whatever alcohol you prefer, wrap it again and put it away.

Can you leave rum cake out overnight? ›

Your cake will stay fresh for seven days without refrigeration. I recommend keeping it in an airtight container to keep it moist. It will last even longer if you keep it in the fridge or freeze it. Just let it come to room temperature before eating for the best flavor.

What cake stays fresh the longest? ›

Fruit cakes, due to their high sugar content and often alcohol presence, have an incredibly long shelf life, ranging from several weeks to even months if properly stored in a cool, dry place.

Can kids eat rum cakes? ›

Almost all of the alcohol is baked away leaving a smooth, moist and full flavored cake that can be enjoyed by all ages. Where do Island Treasures Gourmet Rum Cakes come from?

Can kids eat Christmas rum cake? ›

Yes, they can. Desserts which contain alcohol usually contain such small amounts of it that it doesn't have any influence.

Why is rum cake black? ›

Traditionally, dried fruit is soaked in rum for months and then added to dough prepared with sugar which has been caramelized by boiling in water. The result, also known as "black cake", is similar to a fruitcake, with a lighter texture.

Can I freeze a rum cake? ›

Yes! You can freeze rum cake for up to three months.

Does rum cake expire? ›

What is the shelf life of a Tortuga Rum Cake? Our rum cakes are best if consumed within 12 months of purchase. Refrigeration or freezing will prolong shelf life without changing the quality or taste.

How long does rum cake last once opened? ›

Because of the rum in the cake, it can act as a preservative and can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature, not in direct light. As a result of proper care and in excellent conditions, a rum cake can last up to 10 days. If you freeze it and store it correctly, the cake can last a couple of months.

Which alcohol is good for baking cake? ›

Baking with booze—such as bourbon, rum, port and vodka—can add additional flavor, texture and even change the consistency of many baked goods.

Why is rum used in cake? ›

Some cake, notably Christmas style fruitcakes, can be infused with rum, or brandy over a long period. This is done by pouring a little over the top and then wrapping the cake so that the liquor is absorbed. This can be repeated many times for several months … The reason why people do this is for the final flavor

Is rum used in cakes? ›

A rum cake or black cake is a type of dessert cake which contains rum. In most of the Caribbean, rum cakes are a traditional holiday season dessert, descended from the holiday puddings (such as figgy pudding).

Can I use white rum instead of dark rum in cake? ›

As long as you like that and feel it will go well with the rest of the recipe, it is fine. It isn't going to make any substantial chemical difference in a way that will affect the outcome, so base your decision completely on flavor and color.

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