Rum Cake

A just-baked Bundt is still sitting in its pan when the rum glaze goes on, and that’s when this cake starts turning into something different. The syrup sinks through the little holes in the base, carrying dark rum into the crumb instead of leaving all that flavor on the surface. This Rum Cake has a tender, close-textured interior and a glossy finish that tastes unmistakably of rum.

I keep the mixing gentle once the flour goes in. The batter comes together with a whisk, and alternating the milk mixture with the dry ingredients helps it stay smooth without asking you to beat it into submission. Then the glaze gets its own moment: butter and sugar simmer into a syrup, and the rum goes in after the pan comes off the heat. Each slice is soft, buttery, and deeply fragrant.

The Two Rum Additions Give This Bundt Cake Two Different Jobs

Dividing the rum between the batter and glaze gives you flavor in two places, and they don’t taste exactly alike. The portion mixed into the cake becomes part of the crumb’s background: you notice its warmth throughout, but it doesn’t overwhelm the vanilla or the buttery sweetness. The larger share goes into the glaze after the butter-and-sugar syrup has simmered, so the finished cake keeps a more distinct rum aroma at the surface.

That balance is what makes the soaking step worth doing patiently. The glaze isn’t just a shiny coating to brush over the outside; it’s a thin syrup meant to travel into the cake. Poking the exposed base creates entry points, and spooning the glaze on in several passes gives the crumb time to take it in. A fast pour can leave more syrup sitting in the pan than in the cake. With the rum split between batter and glaze, each bite has both a mellow interior and a more pronounced finish.

Why Dark Rum, Oil, and Room-Temperature Eggs Matter in This Crumb

• Dark rum — It brings the defining molasses-like warmth to both the cake and the glaze. A reasonably priced bottle works well here; there’s no need to reach for a sipping rum, but choose one whose aroma you enjoy because it remains noticeable in the finished cake.
• Vegetable oil — Oil keeps the crumb moist and soft after the cake cools. Canola oil is a straightforward neutral substitute; strongly flavored olive oil would change the taste rather than disappear into the batter.
• Room-temperature eggs — They whisk into the sugar-and-oil mixture more smoothly than cold eggs, helping the batter come together evenly. Set them out before mixing so they aren’t refrigerator-cold when they go into the bowl.
• All-purpose flour and baking powder — Together they give the Bundt enough structure and lift to hold the glaze without turning heavy. Whisking them with the salt before they meet the wet mixture spreads the baking powder through the flour.
• Unsalted butter — It gives the glaze its rounded, buttery taste, while unsalted butter keeps the salt level predictable. Standard supermarket butter is fine; the rum and sugar are the more noticeable flavors in the syrup.

Mixing, Baking, and Glazing Without a Dense or Patchy Cake

Coat the Bundt pan before the batter goes in

Heat the oven to 350°F and coat a 10-inch Bundt pan with baking spray. The spray should reach the center tube and the grooves, where cake is most likely to catch during release. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl so the dry mixture is ready before you start the batter.

Bring the batter together in alternating additions

In a large bowl, whisk the cake portion of the sugar with the oil, then whisk in the eggs one at a time until smooth. In a separate bowl or measuring vessel, whisk together the milk, cake portion of the rum, and vanilla. Add that liquid mixture alternately with the flour mixture, beginning and ending with flour; stop mixing as soon as the batter is combined, since extra mixing after the flour goes in can make the crumb tougher.

Bake until the center tests clean

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Check the center with a toothpick; it should come out clean rather than carrying wet batter. If it still looks wet, give the cake more time and test again instead of relying on a browned exterior alone. Once baked, cool the cake in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes.

Simmer the glaze, then let the cake absorb it

Combine the butter, remaining sugar, and water in a small saucepan and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Simmer for 2 minutes, then take the pan off the heat and stir in the remaining rum. Poke holes all over the exposed bottom of the cake and slowly spoon the warm glaze over it in several passes, allowing it to soak in. Let the cake stand in the pan for 15 minutes, invert it onto a serving plate, and cool completely before slicing.

Three Practical Ways to Change the Rum Cake

Questions That Come Up When Baking Rum Cake

Rum Cake

Rum cake is baked in a 10-inch Bundt pan and soaked with a warm dark rum glaze. The tender cake absorbs the buttery glaze as it cools, making each slice moist and fragrant.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 2 minutes mins

standing time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 47 minutes mins

Servings: 12 servings

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 510

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the cake

• 1 nonstick baking spray with flour for the pan
• 2.25 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 2.5 cups granulated sugar divided (1 1/2 cups for the cake and 1 cup for the glaze)
• 0.75 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs large, at room temperature
• 0.5 cup whole milk
• 0.75 cup dark rum divided (1/4 cup for the cake and 1/2 cup for the glaze)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

For the glaze

• 0.5 cup unsalted butter
• 0.25 cup water

Equipment

• 1 10-inch Bundt pan

Method

 

Bake the cake

1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
2. Coat a 10-inch Bundt pan with baking spray.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. In a large bowl, whisk 1 1/2 cups of the sugar with the oil.
5. Whisk in the eggs one at a time until smooth.
6. Whisk together the milk, 1/4 cup of the rum, and vanilla.
7. Add the milk mixture to the egg mixture alternately with the flour mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and mix just until combined.
8. Pour the batter into the pan.
9. Bake for 50–60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
10. Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes.

Make the glaze

1. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, remaining 1 cup sugar, and water.
2. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then simmer for 2 minutes.
3. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the remaining 1/2 cup rum.
4. Poke holes all over the exposed bottom of the cake with a long skewer.
5. Slowly spoon the warm glaze over the cake in several passes, allowing it to soak in.
6. Let the cake stand in the pan for 15 minutes.
7. Invert the cake onto a serving plate and cool completely before slicing.

Notes

For the best soak, spoon the warm glaze over the cake slowly in several passes. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; freezer-friendly. For a dairy-free option, use unsweetened plant milk and dairy-free butter.