Rum Soaked Cake

This simple yet indulgent cake is light, moist, and loaded with boozy, buttery vanilla flavors. It may be a holiday staple, but it's so good I keep it around all year long.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Caribbean

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 15

Servings

Calories 660kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

Rum Cake

1 cup (226g) butter, softened
1¾ cups (350g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (60ml) vegetable oil or canola oil
4 large eggs
2½ cups (285g) cake flour
1¼ teaspoons (6g) baking powder
¼ teaspoon (1g) salt
½ cup (120ml) buttermilk, room temperature
2 teaspoons (10ml) vanilla extract
¼ cup (60ml) rum

Butter Rum Sauce

½ cup (113g) butter
½ cup (107g) light brown sugar
¼ cup (60ml) water
¼ cup (60ml) rum
1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon (a pinch) salt

Instructions

Rum Cake

Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F.
Cream the butter and sugar at high speed in a stand mixture until it’s fluffy and looks white, 5-7 minutes.
Add in your oil and beat until well incorporated.
Stir in the eggs, one at a time, beating the mixture well between each one.
In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt.
Whisk ⅓ of the dry ingredients into the wet, followed by ½ of the buttermilk. Then, whisk in another ⅓ of the dry into the wet, followed by the rest of the buttermilk. Then add the last of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Using a spatula, gently fold in the rum and vanilla extract.
Stir well until everything is thoroughly combined. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl.
Pour batter into a well-greased 10-inch-bottomed tube pan or bundt pan.
Bake at 325℉ (160℃) until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 55-60 minutes. Remove from the oven.
Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool for at least 15 minutes. Then, carefully invert the pan to release the cake. If it appears to be stuck, gently tap on the sides of the pan to help release the cake.

Butter Rum Sauce

In a small saucepan, combine butter, light brown sugar, water, vanilla, and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
Remove from heat, add the rum, and mix until well combined. Let it cool slightly.
Poke little holes into the cake with a toothpick all the way down to the bottom, then spoon the syrup over the cake and let it soak in. Let the cake cool to room temperature before serving.

Notes

Adjust the rum according to your preference. Like it more or less boozy? Just add or subtract rum.
Cool the butter rum sauce before pouring it over the cake to prevent it from becoming soggy.
To distribute the syrup evenly, poke holes through the cake, piercing it to the bottom with a skewer.
Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.

Nutrition