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Rum Baba
5 from 4 votes

Rum Baba

Soft yummy yeast cakes are soaked in a delicious rum syrup then drizzled with an orange glaze and topped with vanilla whipped cream to make this unbelievably delicious Rum Baba (Baba Au Rhum) ! It's an unforgettable classic French dessert that is perfect for any dinner party!

Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
20 mins
Waiting Time
3 hrs
Total Time
4 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 15
Calories: 319 kcal
Course: Dessert, Cake
Cuisine: European, French

Ingredients

Baba Dough
  • 1 teaspoon instant yeast
  • 1 tablespoon milk lukewarm
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 3 ounces butter 6 tablespoons, cut into cubes, at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 6 large egg beaten
Soaking Syrup
  • 4 cups water
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • ½ cup rum
Vanilla Whipped Cream
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
Orange Glaze
  • ½ cup orange marmalade
  • 1 tablespoon water
To Serve
  • berries such as strawberries, blueberries, blackberries
  • mint fresh

Instructions

Baba Dough
    Cup of Yum
  1. In a small bowl whisk the instant yeast with the lukewarm milk so it dissolves.
  2. Add the flour and salt to the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Add the yeast mixture, butter and honey. Start mixing on low speed and gradually add the eggs. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then turn up the speed to high and continue mixing for 10 to 15 minutes to develop the gluten. The dough should be a smooth elastic dough.
  3. Transfer the dough to a clean bowl, use a bench scraper to help transfer the dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow it to proof, in a draft free environment, for 30 minutes.
  4. Generously butter a rum baba mold pan, or a muffin pan, then lightly dust each mold with flour, shaking off any excess. Wipe the top with the mold with a clean towel or paper towels to remove any excess flour.
  5. Using 2 tablespoons, transfer dough into each mold, halfway through. Place the mold pan in a warm draft free environment and allow it to proof for another 1 to 2 hours, until doubled in size.
  6. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  7. Place the mold pan in the oven and bake for 11 to 13 minutes or until golden brown on top. To check if they're done, insert a toothpick in the center of a baba, and it should come out clean when they're done.
  8. Carefully remove the babas to a cooling rack immediately and allow to come to room temperature.
Soaking Syrup
  1. Add the water and sugar to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Once the mixture reaches a boil, simmer for one more minute then remove from heat. Allow the simple syrup to cool to room temperature. Stir in the rum.
Vanilla Whipped Cream
  1. Add the cream to the bowl of your mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Mix until foamy, then add the sugar and vanilla bean paste. Continue beating until soft peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Orange Glaze
  1. Whisk the orange marmalade with water in a small bowl, then microwave for about 15 seconds to warm it up.
Assemble Rum Baba
  1. Place a cooling rack over a baking sheet. Place 3 or 4 babas in the sauce pan and submerge them using a spoon. Flip them over and press them down again, allowing them to absorb the soaking syrup. When they're fully soaked, they should feel heavy. Once thoroughly soaked, transfer the rum babas to the prepared baking sheet with cooling rack. Repeat with remaining babas. Spoon remaining syrup over the top of the babas. Transfer the babas to the refrigerator to chill for an hour to overnight.
  2. Brush each baba with the orange glaze to give them a beautiful shine. Top rum babas with the vanilla whipped cream, berries and serve.

Notes

  • The main reason that dough doesn't rise is due to using expired yeast. So the first thing you need to do before you start is to check the date.
  • I suggest taking the butter and eggs out of the fridge a couple of hours before you start the dough. Room temperature ingredients help to emulsify the dough creating a more fluffy texture.
  • For the instant yeast to work correctly the milk needs to be lukewarm. If it’s too cold the yeast will not activate properly and the dough won’t proof as well or possibly at all.
  • . The easiest way to tell when the simple syrup has reduced enough is to see if it coats the back of a spoon. If it does, you can remove it from the heat. If it doesn’t, you’ll need to cook it for a few more minutes.
  • Recipe yields about 15 cakes. If you don't have the rum baba pan, you can use a muffin pan. 
  • Check the date on your yeast. The main reason that dough doesn't rise is due to using expired yeast. So the first thing you need to do before you start is to check the date.
  • Use room temperature butter and eggs. I suggest taking the butter and eggs out of the fridge a couple of hours before you start the dough. Room temperature ingredients help to emulsify the dough creating a more fluffy texture.
  • Lukewarm milk is a must. For the instant yeast to work correctly the milk needs to be lukewarm. If it’s too cold the yeast will not activate properly and the dough won’t proof as well or possibly at all.
  • Syrup coats a spoon. The easiest way to tell when the simple syrup has reduced enough is to see if it coats the back of a spoon. If it does, you can remove it from the heat. If it doesn’t, you’ll need to cook it for a few more minutes.
  • Once assembled, leftover rum babas will keep in the fridge for about 2 days. If you want to make the babas ahead of time and then assemble them later, soak them in the syrup and then store them in a Tupperware container. The soaked cakes will keep for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator. Then you would assemble the dessert the day you wish to serve.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1rum baba Calories 319kcal (16%) Carbohydrates 45g (15%) Protein 4g (8%) Fat 12g (18%) Saturated Fat 7g (35%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g (6%) Monounsaturated Fat 3g (15%) Trans Fat 0.2g (10%) Cholesterol 105mg (35%) Sodium 121mg (5%) Potassium 67mg (1%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 37g (74%) Vitamin A 491IU (10%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 32mg (3%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 15 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 319

% Daily Value*

Serving 1rum baba
Calories 319kcal 16%
Carbohydrates 45g 15%
Protein 4g 8%
Fat 12g 18%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 3g 15%
Trans Fat 0.2g 10%
Cholesterol 105mg 35%
Sodium 121mg 5%
Potassium 67mg 1%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 37g 74%
Vitamin A 491IU 10%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 32mg 3%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.