Rum Cake
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4.5
840 reviews
Excellent
Rum Cake
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This Rum Cake features a yellow cake base enhanced by instant vanilla pudding and flavored with dark rum and vanilla or coconut extract. Baked in a Bundt pan, it produces a moist, rich cake with a thin crust and tender crumb. A warm rum sauce poured over the cake adds a sweet, buttery finish with extra rum depth, making it suited for celebratory occasions or dessert with a boozy twist.
Description
The cake batter combines yellow cake mix, vanilla pudding mix, eggs, water, oil, dark rum, and vanilla or coconut extract. Mixed until smooth, the thin batter is baked in a well-greased Bundt pan where it rises significantly. The cake’s texture is soft and moist, with the rum adding a distinctive aromatic note without overpowering.
While the cake is baking, a rum sauce is made by melting butter with sugar, water, kosher salt, and dark rum. This hot, sweet sauce is later poured over the cooled cake, enhancing moisture and flavor with a rich, buttery sweetness balanced by the rum’s warmth.
The Rum Cake should be stored airtight at room temperature and is said to improve in flavor over several days. It’s traditionally served as a festive dessert for occasions where alcohol use is appropriate. The recipe notes that cake mix sizes vary, but adaptations can be made accordingly.
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Ingredients
Cake
- 15 ounces yellow cake mix (one standard sized box, see note below)
- 3.4 ounces instant vanilla pudding mix (one standard sized box)
- 4 egg large
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup canola oil or vegetable oil
- ½ cup dark rum I used Meyer's Dark Rum
- 2 to 3 teaspoons vanilla extract I used coconut, or coconut extract
Rum Sauce
- ¾ cup butter 1 1/2 sticks, unsalted
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
- ½ cup dark rum I used Meyer's Dark Rum
Instructions
Make the Cake:
- Preheat oven to 325F. Spray a 12-cup Bundt pan very well with floured cooking spray, or grease and flour the pan; set aside.
- To a large bowl, add the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water, oil, rum, extract of your choice, and beat with a handheld electric mixer on high power until smooth and combined; about 2 minutes.
- Turn batter out into prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula. The batter is thin, looks a bit skimpy for the size of the pan, but the cake rises dramatically while baking.
- Bake for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs. Cool cake in the pan on a wire rack.
- When the cake has about 10 to 15 minutes left to bake, start making the rum sauce.
Make the Rum Sauce:
- Use caution, focus, and take small children out of the kitchen because the mixture is insanely hot and flammable and you're going to be whisking the entire time.
- To a medium high-sided medium saucepan, add the butter and heat over medium heat to melt.
- Add the sugar, water, and bring to a boil over medium-high/high heat. Allow mixture to boil rapidly for 4 to 5 minutes; whisk constantly so it doesn't burn (your shoulder should burn). The mixture should be white, frothy, and fluffy-looking.
- Remove pan from the heat and using extreme caution, add the rum while whisking because the sauce will bubble up vigorously when the rum is added.
- Return pan to the heat for 1 minute; whisk constantly. This helps cook off some of the 'raw' alcohol taste.
- Add the salt and stir to combine.
- Transfer the sauce to a 2-cup glass measuring cup; you will have about 2 cups of sauce.
- Poke holes with a fork all over the surface of the cake (which later is concealed since it's the cake base when you invert it and remove the cake from the pan). I 'stabbed' the cake in about 75 places with a fork.
- Slowly pour about 1 cup sauce over the surface, taking your time so that the sauce soaks in; set remaining 1 cup sauce aside. Allow cake to rest for about 1 hour to absorb the sauce.
- Invert the cake onto a cake stand or serving platter and 'stab' the cake with a fork again, in about 75 places over the top and some on the sides.
- Slowly and carefully pour the remaining sauce into the holes. If the sauce has crystallized, that's okay; just whisk it for a few seconds before adding it. I slowly add some sauce, and sort of 'press' it in with a spatula, and repeat. Some will pool down the sides onto the cake stand, it's unavoidable and okay.
- Allow cake to rest for about 1 to 2 hours to absorb sauce before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Use a 15-ounce yellow cake mix and one box of instant vanilla pudding as specified, adjusting if your cake mix size differs.
- Store cake airtight at room temperature for up to 10 days; flavors mature over time so it tastes better after a few days.
- This recipe contains alcohol and is meant for those of legal drinking age and where appropriate.
- The rum sauce preparation involves hot, flammable ingredients; careful handling and attention are necessary.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Serving
1piece
Calories
280kcal
(14%)
Carbohydrates
20g
(7%)
Protein
2g
(4%)
Fat
18g
(28%)
Saturated Fat
7g
(35%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
3g
(18%)
Monounsaturated Fat
8g
(40%)
Trans Fat
0.4g
(20%)
Cholesterol
68mg
(23%)
Sodium
58mg
(2%)
Potassium
20mg
(0%)
Sugar
20g
(40%)
Vitamin A
347IU
(7%)
Calcium
10mg
(1%)
Iron
0.2mg
(1%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 15Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 280 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1piece | |
| Calories | 280kcal | 14% |
| Carbohydrates | 20g | 7% |
| Protein | 2g | 4% |
| Fat | 18g | 28% |
| Saturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Trans Fat | 0.4g | 20% |
| Cholesterol | 68mg | 23% |
| Sodium | 58mg | 2% |
| Potassium | 20mg | 0% |
| Sugar | 20g | 40% |
| Vitamin A | 347IU | 7% |
| Calcium | 10mg | 1% |
| Iron | 0.2mg | 1% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.5
840 reviews
Excellent
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