Rum Cake from Scratch – The Best Ever!

Rum cake from scratch – there’s no pudding or cake mix involved and it’s even more delicious than the cake mix version! Can be made with all-purpose flour or with whole wheat pastry flour for a 100% whole grain version.

Rum cake from scratch – there's no pudding or cake mix involved and it's even more delicious than the cake mix version! Can be made with all-purpose flour or with whole wheat pastry flour for a 100% whole grain version.

The special thing about this rum cake, other than being the most awesome rum cake ever, is that you don’t need a bunch of processed junk to make it. Most rum cakes call for cake mix and pudding mix, neither of which I really want to use.

I remember when I moved to Germany, where we don’t have the same cake and pudding mixes, 6 years ago and spent hours looking for a rum cake recipe from scratch. No luck.

Totally from Scratch Rum Cake – there's no pudding or cake mix involved and it's even more delicious than the cake mix version! Can be made with all-purpose flour or with whole wheat pastry flour for a 100% whole grain version. With a how-to recipe video.

But Alejandra from Always Order Dessert has solved that problem with her rum cake from scratch! Now the whole world can enjoy rum cake. :)

The original recipe calls for 1 cup of homemade pudding mix. The recipe for the pudding mix yields 2 1/2 cups and since I didn’t want any pudding mix left over, I scaled down the pudding recipe to what was needed just for the rum cake and it worked perfectly!

I also wanted to try subbing coconut oil for the vegetable oil in the original but I chickened out and used olive oil. Since coconut oil is solid at room temperature (at least in cold winter kitchens), I was worried that it’d make the cake too firm.

If you taste the batter and can taste the olive oil, don’t panic! The olive taste bakes away, or perhaps it’s just all the rum in the syrup that totally covers it up.

Totally from Scratch Rum Cake – there's no pudding or cake mix and it's even more delicious than the cake mix version! Can be made with all-purpose flour or with whole wheat pastry flour for a 100% whole grain version. With  a how-to recipe video.

The first time I made this rum cake, I made it for a birthday party that I wasn’t even going to, and it smelled so unbelievably amazing that I had to cut into it. And then I cut into it some more.

And then we just cut the cake into slices, made some whoopsie-I-ate-most-of-the-cake-brownies and Mr. Texanerin brought a few cake pieces to the party.

This cake is so ridiculously boozy. Some folks don’t like a strong alcohol taste in their goodies. Not me. I want my cake to be swimming in booze.

Totally from Scratch Rum Cake – there's no pudding or cake mix involved and it's even more delicious than the cake mix version! Can be made with all-purpose flour or with whole wheat pastry flour for a 100% whole wheat version. With a how-to recipe video

If you love boozy desserts, you also have to try my Irish cream brownies. There’s 3/4 cup of Baileys in there!

And this thing is SO moist. I suppose that’s not too surprising considering the amount of butter that goes into it. In addition to what’s in the cake, you also make a butter rum syrup, poke holes in the cake, and then you pour the syrup all over it.

If a whole bundt cake is too much for you, check out my Irish cream bundt cake. It’s basically this recipe, halved to fit a 6-cup bundt pan, and with Irish cream. Just use rum instead and you’ll have yourself a cute little bundt cake. :)

Totally from Scratch Rum Cake (with a 100% whole grain option)

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Rated 4.9 by 28 readers
Rum Cake from Scratch – The Best Ever!
  • Prep Time:
  • Cook Time:
  • Ready in:
  • Yield: 12-15 servings

Ingredients

    Cake:

  • 1 3/4 cup (219 grams) all-purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1/2 cup (55 grams) dry milk powder (whole milk or fat-free work)
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (42 grams) cornstarch
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup (112 grams) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 3/4 cups (350 grams) granulated or raw sugar
  • 1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons (160 milliliters) olive oil (canola oil or another vegetable oil would work, too, but I don't recommend coconut oil)
  • 3/4 cup (177 milliliters) milk
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup (177 milliliters) dark rum
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • Rum Syrup:

  • 1/2 cup (112 grams) unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) water
  • 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated or raw sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) dark rum

Directions

  1. Preheat your oven to 325°F (162°C). Spray a 12-cup bundt pan very well with cooking spray.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, dry milk powder, cornstarch, baking powder and salt. Set this aside.
  3. In a large bowl with an electric mixer or stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar at high speed until light and fluffy. Add the dry flour mix to this. It will resemble fine crumbs.
  4. In the bowl that just had the flour mix, whisk together the oil, milk, eggs, rum, and vanilla extract. Add this to the crumb mixture and beat until well combined. The batter will be quite thin.
  5. Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake for 48-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
  6. When there are about 15 minutes remaining on the timer, start the butter rum syrup. In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat the butter, water, sugar and salt until the sugar has dissolved, stirring occasionally. Take the saucepan off the heat and stir in the rum (it'll bubble).
  7. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes and then invert onto a wire rack. Wash and dry the bundt pan and place the cake back into the pan. Poke holes into the cake (I used a meat thermometer to do this) and pour the syrup slowly over the cake. Let soak for 1-2 hours and then invert the cake back onto a serving platter. Cover and store at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Notes

  • For German bakers: German flour and American all-purpose are not interchangeable but I've had great luck using 50 grams Type 550 and 169 grams Type 405 in this cake. You could also try whole spelt but I think it'd taste a little whole grainy.

Adapted from Rum Cake from Scratch on Always Order Dessert

Recipe by  | www.texanerin.com

This post was originally posted in 2012. Here’s the original picture for kicks and giggles. :D

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274 comments on “Rum Cake from Scratch – The Best Ever!” — Add one!

32 comments are awaiting moderation!

  • Ruby says
    April 21, 2017 @ 1:39 am

    Hi there Erin, this cake recipe really got me interested aside from the fact that my dad’s birthday is coming.
    I just want to ask if I could use a regular 9 inch cake pan instead of the bundt pan.. I don’t have a bundt pan available for now.

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Ruby
      April 21, 2017 @ 9:53 pm

      Hi there! I haven’t tried but I imagine it’d word. According to this chart, it looks like you’d need to use two 9″ cake pans. I hope you’ll enjoy the cake!

      Reply
  • Samantha Lyons says
    April 18, 2017 @ 12:31 am

    Well, the recipe is AWESOME!! However (and it’s a big one) the only dark rum they had in my small town liquor store was Bacardi 151. Guess who didn’t know what the 151 stood for??? Meeee!! I followed the recipe to a T… and it was absolutely fantastic…but, lawdy have mercy it was so strong!! Never fear, though…it WAS eaten!!! Every bite! Next time I will water the rum down a bit (until I use all of this liquid dynamite) and then go with regular proof rum in the future. Live-N-Learn.

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Samantha Lyons
      April 20, 2017 @ 8:22 pm

      Haha. I wouldn’t have known, either! Thanks for the warning, although now I’m kind of curious about it. ;) But I’m happy it worked out well and that you still found it delicious! Thanks a ton for the tip and for your comment. :)

      Reply
  • Noeris says
    April 16, 2017 @ 7:04 pm

    OMG! I just made this cake last night (finished it at 1am) and it’s 1pm the next day (Resurrection Sunday) and I write to let you know it’s all gone! Amazing cake!!!! I can’t tell you how much everyone loved it. My mom said forget ordering cake for my birthday you have to make this one. Thanks so much for the recipe!

    Reply
    • Noeris replies to Noeris
      April 16, 2017 @ 7:09 pm

      By the way I use a scale and I used 180g of AP Flour and 40g of Cake Flour and it turned out great. I like to substitute Cake flour for AP when and where I can (I’m a fan of cake flour it makes for a lighter, spongier cake) so I always try mixing it.

      Reply
      • Erin replies to Noeris
        April 16, 2017 @ 10:14 pm

        Sounds like something I need to try! Thanks a bunch for your tip. :)

        Reply
    • Erin replies to Noeris
      April 16, 2017 @ 10:14 pm

      Haha. That cake went quick! I’m very happy to hear that it was enjoyed that much. :) And how awesome that your mom wants this cake for her birthday! Thanks a bunch for your comment and I hope you’re having a nice Easter.

      Reply
  • Nicole (Ck-Diva)
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    March 15, 2017 @ 7:44 pm

    This cake/recipe is everything!!! I’ve made this cake about 12 times within a month. Each time I used different flavorings and alcohol and they all came out perfect!! I have a Nordic ware pan with a lot of intricate details and I’ve found that after I grease/coat it I have to dust it with sugar or it won’t come out the pan. Comes out with no problem with using a regular bundt pan. Thanks so much for this recipe it’s the best I’ve found in a long time😊😊

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Nicole (Ck-Diva)
      March 17, 2017 @ 6:54 pm

      Hahaha. I love that you’ve made it 12 times in a month! Which pan do you use? Thanks for the tip on dusting it with sugar! I’m thrilled you’re enjoying the cake so much. Would love to hear your favorite flavorings and alcohol combinations! Thanks for your feedback. :)

      Reply
      • Nicole Lambert replies to Erin
        March 22, 2017 @ 1:00 pm

        Hi Erin,
        Yes this cake/recipe perfect! My daughter who never really enjoyed cake loves it also!! She’s not a sweets eater but this cake doesn’t stand a chance when I make it. I have two Bavarian Nordic Ware pans, and maybe 6+ traditional bundt pans. Every time I see them in Marshalls or Home Goods I pick up a few. Some flavor combos I’ve tried are pineapple paul mason, apple paul mason, V.S.O.P, coconut rum, strawberry Rum, butter rum brandy, and lemon tequila😋😋. I haven’t made a flavor yet that wasn’t AMAZING!! Also instead of extracts I use lorAnn flavoring oils for stronger flavors 😋😋. Thanks again for this WONDERFUL recipe.. and thanks from my family and friends that have enjoyed the different cakes as well!!!

        Reply
        • Erin replies to Nicole Lambert
          March 25, 2017 @ 10:13 pm

          Butter rum brandy?! Oh, wow. I’ll have to try that one! And that’s great that you found a cake recipe that your daughter likes, too! It’s hard to pass up a boozy cake. ;) Thanks for the reply!

  • ash says
    March 5, 2017 @ 8:48 pm

    this has been my favorite cake for a while, but when I became pregnant I made it without the rum and it was just as delicious. I used extra milk in the place of the rum in the batter and water in place of the rum for the glaze.

    Reply
    • Erin replies to ash
      March 6, 2017 @ 7:48 pm

      That’s a great tip! Thanks so much. I sometimes have people asking for an alcohol sub and I’m never sure. Now I know! Thanks a ton for your comment. :)

      Reply
  • Alice Okundaye says
    February 14, 2017 @ 1:17 pm

    This cake was everything!!!!!!

    Thank you

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Alice Okundaye
      February 14, 2017 @ 10:27 pm

      Yay! So happy you liked it. :) Thanks for the feedback!

      Reply
  • Mark mejia says
    February 10, 2017 @ 5:18 pm

    Hi. I tried this recipe and it was great, though i’m not a fan of too much bitterness from the rum, what can i do to make this less bitter(or boozy)? Thanks.

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Mark mejia
      February 10, 2017 @ 10:25 pm

      Hello! What brand did you use? I’ve made this cake with different brands and the cheaper brands sometimes have that bitterness. If you used a good rum and you thought it was too boozy, then just use less sauce next time. :)

      Reply
  • Amy says
    January 1, 2017 @ 6:10 pm

    I’ve tried made from scratch rum cakes for six years and this is the BEST one! Very moist and taste better than the cake mix version. However, I had the same issue as Heather Stevens (from August 15, 2016)….I also have the Nordic Ware Anniversary Bundt pan and my cake stuck too. I used Pam spray with flour. I will try using shortening to grease the pan next time. Thanks for this great recipe!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Amy
      January 5, 2017 @ 9:36 pm

      That is so weird because that’s the pan I used when I took these pictures! I’m not sure what the issue could be. Does it stick when you initially remove it from the pan or after you add the sauce? I’m so happy that you enjoyed the cake! Thanks a bunch for your comment and sorry for my slow reply.

      Reply
      • Amy replies to Erin
        January 25, 2017 @ 6:07 am

        Hi Erin! Now it’s my turn to apologize for the delayed response! A part of the cake stuck when I was taking it out of the pan. I believe I waited 20 minutes, but did not use a wire rack to cool the pan. I am going to try to make the cake again this weekend & wait longer for it to cool.

        Reply
        • Erin replies to Amy
          January 26, 2017 @ 8:25 pm

          I hope it’ll work out better this time! :)

  • Erin says
    December 15, 2016 @ 1:55 am

    My syrup was rather thin. Did you cook your sugar water Butter for how long. Was it thicken at all before adding the rum

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Erin
      December 15, 2016 @ 6:13 pm

      Hi there! The syrup shouldn’t thicken. You basically just melt everything together and make sure it’s well combined and then you pour it over the cake. If it were thicker, it wouldn’t get sucked up. :)

      Reply
  • Lynda Gaston says
    December 15, 2016 @ 1:03 am

    I wonder how this would taste with Hennessy instead of rum? Hmmm…..

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Lynda Gaston
      December 15, 2016 @ 6:16 pm

      I have no idea but I’d love to hear how it works out if you try it. :)

      Reply
      • Lynda Gaston replies to Erin
        December 19, 2016 @ 3:47 am

        Gonna do it for my job’s Christmas party. *fingers crossed*

        Reply
        • Erin replies to Lynda Gaston
          December 19, 2016 @ 11:50 pm

          Oooh! Yay. Can’t wait to hear how you like it. :)

  • Nkem says
    December 6, 2016 @ 9:38 pm

    Thank you, thank you for using grams and millilitres 🙏🏾🙏🏾

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Nkem
      December 7, 2016 @ 9:45 pm

      You’re welcome! :)

      Reply
  • RSA
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    November 17, 2016 @ 7:01 pm

    can i use gluten free flour with this recipe?

    Reply
    • Erin replies to RSA
      November 17, 2016 @ 11:22 pm

      I haven’t tried it but I think Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF Baking Flour would work well!

      Reply
  • Kimberly Walker
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    October 25, 2016 @ 6:53 am

    Made this rum cake for the 1st time tonight & I was impressed with how easy it was. I am NOT a good baker, but I can follow a recipe & your recipe is clear & concise. I made a mistake with the butter rum syrup – I didn’t get it hot enough that when I poured the rum in – it boiled off the alcohol ……. so, into the cake went a 1/2 cup of alcohol. It was really moist & ridiculously boozy. The friend I was making it for was very forgiving & said she loved it just the same! I used gold rum, instead of dark & maybe that makes a difference. :)

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Kimberly Walker
      October 25, 2016 @ 10:05 pm

      I wouldn’t say that you made a mistake. You don’t want the alcohol to boil off. ;) It’s supposed to be nice and boozy! I’m happy that you and your friend both enjoyed it and that you found the instructions were clear. :) Thanks a bunch for your feedback!

      Reply
  • Diane
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    September 23, 2016 @ 9:01 am

    After making this cake twice, it’s become a family favorite. We do, however, add even more rum because that’s the way we roll!

    When my sister retired from work, she asked that I bake the rum cake as gifts to the different departments she had worked with. So, with my two bundt pans stuffed in my carry-on, I went to her house and baked 11 bundt cakes (using the recipe’s amount of rum). Since we couldn’t let the cakes soak up the syrup overnight in the pans, we molded aluminum foil in the shape of the bundt pans and used that instead (worked out great). Everyone loved your recipe. Here’s some of the comments from the various departments: “Your cake is AMAZING,” “It’s so delicious (hiccup),” “I absolutely loved the cake.” Thank you for a great recipe!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Diane
      September 24, 2016 @ 10:16 pm

      Haha. I love that you add more rum! And 11 bundt cakes?! That’s impressive. You’re a nice sister to fly over there and bake for her. :) And how awesome that your foil bundt “pans” worked out well! Thanks for your nice comment and for sharing the feedback from your sister’s colleagues! I’m thrilled you all enjoy the cake so much.

      Reply
  • Heather Stephens
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    August 15, 2016 @ 2:55 pm

    Hi Erin, I was looking for a Rum cake recipe and found your wonderful blog! My husband requested a Rum cake for his 60 TH birthday and I had not ever made one.

    I subed a few things….instead of olive oil I used liquid coconut oil by Louana, also I greased the bunt pan with solid coconut oil and used a spray…just in case. We had a few drinks and I added and extra stick of butter into the batter, whoops!!! Well I wasn’t going to start over so in it went for 55 minutes. Well needless to say I was pretty nervous about how it would turn out. It would come out of the pan so I just dug it out put it in a bowl and poured the sauce over it and it was delicious. It was just my husband and I so I did worry he loved it. But in the future I will be more careful to get the ingredients right.

    Do you think it was the extra butter that made it stick or should I grease with something else and maybe flour the bunt as well? I always do that with my Mother’s raw apple cake. By the way I bought the Nordic gold 70TH anniversary bunt pan you had advertised! Can’t wait to use it, I found it on Amazon for $39. Thank you for your wonderful recipes, I will be looking for low sugar cakes and deserts in the future.

    Heather Stephens

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Heather Stephens
      August 15, 2016 @ 9:54 pm

      Haha. Aww. I love that you added an extra stick of butter after having a few drinks. I’m sure it made for a memorable birthday cake. ;) And I hope your husband had a great birthday! I checked the Nordic Ware website for how they recommend greasing the pan and they say, “Before each use, brush with solid vegetable shortening and dust with flour or cocoa, or use baking spray with flour in it.” All I used was Pam but think it’s probably better to go with their suggestion. I think the extra 1/2 cup butter was definitely to blame! And I’m so happy to hear that you bought the Crown Bundt Pan. I hope you’ll have lots of fun baking with it! Thanks a bunch for your comment. :)

      Reply
      • Heather replies to Erin
        October 12, 2016 @ 12:32 pm

        Hi Erin,
        This is Heather again…back for more RUM Yum! My co worker wants me to make this to celebrate a good prognoses with prostate cancer. Now that I have the Crown bundt pan I am concerned about putting the cake back in the pan in order to add the syrup. I am afraid it will break off the delicate tips at the top if I don’t get it exactly lined up…could I just let it cool in the pan, poke the holes and drizzle over, let sit for 2 hrs and turn it out? Or if not how do you make sure to get that pretty cake lined up right to make sure it stays perfect? Thanks for any suggestions, Heather

        PS..I could use my old style bundt that is standard and more rounded and would not have to worry about the top being damaged as with the Crown 70th Nordic Ware.

        Reply
        • Erin replies to Heather
          October 12, 2016 @ 5:38 pm

          Hi Heather! I’m happy you’re back for more rum. :) And that’s great about your co-worker. I used almost the same rum sauce in my coconut rum cake where I used the Crown Bundt pan. It worked without issue! I thought it was pretty easy to get it lined up (though I didn’t think it would be!). I just lined it up like a regular bundt pan! Sorry I don’t have some neat trick to share. ;) I don’t recommend letting it cool in the pan and then pouring in the sauce. I’m pretty sure it won’t come out, but I could be wrong.

  • Rizwan khan says
    July 30, 2016 @ 11:07 am

    Hi Erin!
    I like your this cake. its looking is very beautiful and spicy.
    i totally agree with your this recipe.
    thanks for this great sharing. scratch rum cake is very nice recipe.

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Rizwan khan
      July 30, 2016 @ 4:25 pm

      Hi there! I’m so happy you like it. Thanks for your comment! :)

      Reply
  • Pearse says
    May 18, 2016 @ 4:12 am

    Is there any substitute for the booze?

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Pearse
      May 18, 2016 @ 9:05 am

      If you don’t want any rum in your rum cake, I suggest just finding a different recipe. ;) Perhaps a Kentucky Butter Cake would be better? I suppose you could try subbing the rum with orange juice but I have no idea if that’d work.

      Reply
    • Meg replies to Pearse
      June 3, 2016 @ 3:41 pm

      Rum flavor from the cooking section is a great substitute, tastes a lot like butterscotch when put into the glaze.

      Reply
      • Erin replies to Meg
        June 3, 2016 @ 6:50 pm

        Thanks for your suggestion! :) That’s a great idea if you want the rum flavor without the alcohol, but there’s still 3/4 cup of rum in the cake and another 1/2 cup in the syrup and other than another type of alcohol or maybe orange juice, I’m thinking it wouldn’t work very well.

        Reply
        • Meg
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          replies to Erin
          June 4, 2016 @ 12:04 am

          Erin, I’ve made your cake several times just omitting the rum and using the recommended amount of rum extract off the box the rum extract comes in and the cake always comes out nice and moist and everyone loves it, same for the sauce I just omit the alcohol rum for the rum extract and it tastes great. The amount of rum is all I change in both and it’s wonderful. I also add some pecans in the bottom of the pan before pouring in the batter and when pouring the batter I pour half of it in the pan and sprinkle chocolate chips and pecans over batter and then pour in the remaining batter and everyone likes it like that

        • Erin replies to Meg
          June 4, 2016 @ 6:59 pm

          Oh, wow! That’s crazy that that works (omitting 3/4 cup of liquid from the cake). I’m happy you found a solution! And I love your pecan addition. Sounds wonderful! Thanks so much for your feedback. :)

  • Kasey says
    April 19, 2016 @ 3:08 pm

    Wondering if light run can be used instead of dark?

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Kasey
      April 19, 2016 @ 7:31 pm

      I’m sure that’d work fine! I just personally prefer dark rum. :)

      Reply
  • Joannie says
    December 29, 2015 @ 4:49 am

    Hey there ! I was wondering if there is anything that I can use instead of the dry milk powder ? Can I put some homemade vanilla pudding instead ?!?
    Thanks for answering ! :)
    Oh, btw, that cake look amazing !!!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Joannie
      December 30, 2015 @ 2:45 am

      Thanks! :) I haven’t tried this using anything other than dry milk powder so I’m not sure. Do you mean homemade vanilla pudding powder? That could work, but I’m not sure and it may make it too sweet. If you really meant just pudding (and not pudding powder) then I have no idea how you’d sub that in. I wouldn’t recommend it!

      Reply
  • Mikolt says
    December 17, 2015 @ 3:05 pm

    Can I use whole milk instead of powdered milk?

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Mikolt
      December 17, 2015 @ 7:52 pm

      I haven’t tried it so I have no idea how that’d work. Sorry about that!

      Reply
  • Medeja says
    December 11, 2015 @ 2:25 pm

    Love rum! I think this is another rum cake that I will have to try :D

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Medeja
      December 11, 2015 @ 5:55 pm

      I hope you will! It’s terribly delicious. :D

      Reply
  • Elisa says
    December 9, 2015 @ 8:20 am

    Thanks very much for a great recipe. It’s worth the effort to make this cake from scratch. Ever bite is pure delight.

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Elisa
      December 9, 2015 @ 6:49 pm

      You’re so welcome! I’m happy you enjoyed it. I actually made it today and am letting it soak now. Can’t wait to dig in. :) Thanks for your feedback!

      Reply
  • Larissa
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    January 1, 2015 @ 10:12 pm

    I have informally dubbed this the “New Years cake” – because it is beautifully tasty, festive, and boozie! We just had it last night and I’m not sure what I enjoyed more, this or the champagne.
    I had to make some changes out of necessity, since I did not have all the ingredients in house and was not going to head out on new year’s eve.
    I swapped the powdered milk portion for two packets of Carnation instant breakfast (once baked you only really taste but a wonderful hint of chocolate), 2% milk, and sprouted spelt flour because I had it from our CSA portion and not enough flour. The texture was a bit course or grainy but came out golden, moist on the inside, and crispy in the outside. Because of the slight difference in texture created by the spelt flour, I doubled everything in the syrup portion except for time and a half of the rum.
    IT WAS MAGNIFICENT! Thank you so much for this!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Larissa
      January 3, 2015 @ 1:57 pm

      I’m thrilled that you liked it so much! That’s great that spelt works here. Was it whole grain spelt? And I love how you doubled most of the syrup. That must have been a very, very moist cake. :D Thanks a bunch for your feedback and I hope you’re enjoying the new year. :)

      Reply
  • Rachel
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    August 24, 2014 @ 3:54 pm

    I just made this cake for at least the fourth time. I will be serving it as a dessert for the brunch I’m having. (I believe in dessert after every meal!) Everyone that has tried this loves it… even my two year old! I don’t think there’s anything to worry about since the alcohol should all be cooked out of it. I do love your orange juice suggestion and will have to try that sometime. Thank you for sharing this recipe. It is my go-to for rum cake (WAY better than the box cake recipes) and I will be passing it along to my friends and family.

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Rachel
      August 27, 2014 @ 6:47 pm

      Hi, Rachel! Sorry for my slow reply. I just got back from a vacation where the hotel had internet issues. I’m so happy that everyone enjoys the cake! And I believe in dessert after every meal, too. ;) By the way, my parents gave me rum cake as a child so I definitely don’t see a problem with it! Thanks so much for the feedback and the rating. :)

      Reply
  • Marjie Bass
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    August 22, 2014 @ 12:51 am

    My cake is deliciously soaking in the rum syrup! I made it for a friend’s birthday this weekend. He is not crazy about sweets but I am sure he will live this rum soaked goodness!

    Reply
    • Marjie Bass replies to Marjie Bass
      August 22, 2014 @ 12:52 am

      Oops..love not live!

      Reply
    • Erin replies to Marjie Bass
      August 22, 2014 @ 6:40 pm

      I hope he’ll love it! And with all that booze, how could he not? ;) Happy birthday to him and thanks for the feedback!

      Reply
  • Shawna Kimbrough says
    July 11, 2014 @ 9:54 am

    I LOVE this cake. It was full of liquor, moist, and amazing. I made a little extra syrup and used almost all of it I thought I drowns it but it was perfect. My new fav

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Shawna Kimbrough
      July 13, 2014 @ 6:12 pm

      Wow! You made even more syrup?! I’m impressed. :) So happy that you enjoyed it! Thanks for the feedback. :)

      Reply
  • AussieGal says
    May 8, 2014 @ 1:26 pm

    Hi i LOVE the rum bit :D What can i swap the rum with to make for little kiddies? To keep the moist part of it too. Dont think i’d be a great aunty if i got my cousins drunk :p Im thinking of honey but what else would i use..?

    Reply
    • Erin replies to AussieGal
      May 8, 2014 @ 9:57 pm

      Haha. I like how you think. :) I wouldn’t use honey in place of all the rum just because it’d be way too sweet. How about making it an orange flavored cake and using orange juice? I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure if it’d work but at least it sounds good. :) I hope you and your cousins will like it!

      Reply
  • Devin says
    April 18, 2014 @ 6:53 am

    I just made this cake and it smells wonderful!! I just hope all the syrup is absorbed. At the moment the cake is floating.. I’ll wait overnight and see what happens. .
    Thx!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Devin
      April 19, 2014 @ 2:32 pm

      That’s normal! The cake should be floating at the beginning. I hope you enjoyed it! :)

      Reply
  • Launta says
    April 3, 2014 @ 4:37 pm

    Erin, I’m looking forward to making this cake today. Rum cake was my mothers absolute favorite (deceased 11/2012)and have been looking for a home made from scratch recipe to make in her honor for our family monthly dinner. I will let you know how it goes :) la.

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Launta
      April 3, 2014 @ 11:07 pm

      I hope that you and your family will love the cake! If rum cake was your mother’s favorite, I know she’d have loved this scratch version. My mother also made rum cake often but her version uses a cake mix. I much prefer this version and hope you all will, too. :)

      Reply
  • Gina says
    February 21, 2014 @ 7:39 pm

    Everything was delicious but the cake itself was a bit heavy.
    The rum and the syrup and the moistness of it all was amazing. I had to ply myself away from the cake this morning (I made 2- 1 for a party and 1 to keep at home).
    The quantity of syrup made form the recipe was too much though.

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Gina
      February 23, 2014 @ 7:11 pm

      I’m happy that you liked the cake and I hope the people at the party liked it, too! :) I’ll have to make this again to see about the syrup. Perhaps I went overboard with it. ;) Thanks so much for the feedback!

      Reply
      • Gina replies to Erin
        February 26, 2014 @ 11:25 pm

        The people at my party LOVED it. My uncle said “Gina that cake tasted good can you please send a copy of the recipe to my wife, but just incase please make it again to ensure it is the correct recipe you are giving her”. (ie make the cake again for me!)

        Both cakes disappeared very fast. I made one and a half times the recipe but next time I will have to double or triple it.
        I did use most of the syrup but it took me awhile to pour it on and I had to leave the cake overnight for the liquid to be properly absorbed.

        I love making stuff from scratch as my mom was never a fan of overly processed or canned foods growing up. So thank you, not many recipes out there have it without the store bought vanilla pudding.

        Reply
        • Erin replies to Gina
          February 27, 2014 @ 9:49 pm

          Hahaha. Sneaky uncle! I’m happy that he liked it that much. :D Be careful with tripling the recipe. It can get a little tricky with baked goods sometimes! And I agree about the pudding thing. This was adapted from the only recipe I found online that didn’t have a pudding or cake mix! Thanks again for your feedback. :)

  • Cory
    ♥♥♥♥♥
    says
    February 13, 2014 @ 3:40 am

    Hi, the crystallized sugar is what made me click! I can’t wait to try this one for Valentine’s Day! Thanks ;)

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Cory
      February 13, 2014 @ 7:45 pm

      I hope you’ll like it! :)

      Reply
  • Mary
    ♥♥♥♥♥
    says
    November 28, 2013 @ 4:49 am

    Erin, THANK YOU so much for your delicious Rum Cake recipe. I asked my son and my grandson what dessert they would like for tomorrow (Thanksgivng). Rum Cake was the unanimous choice. Yours looked so good I thought I would try it. I made one from another recipe for the Fall Festival. This on far surpassed it!!! Looking forward to more of your recipes. Thanks again! Mary

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Mary
      December 4, 2013 @ 1:02 pm

      Hi, Mary! So sorry for the slow reply. I’ve had a bit of a comment issue. I’m happy that you liked the cake! Your son and grandson must have been thrilled to get a rum cake for Thanksgiving. I know I would have been! ;) Thanks so much for the feedback!

      Reply
  • Youbin
    ♥♥♥♥♥
    says
    September 29, 2013 @ 4:56 pm

    I’m so excited to make this! This will be my first bundt cake and I’m shopping for a pan. Do you think this would work?: http://amzn.to/16BHh4E If so, would the rum syrup keep the two sides stay together? Hope you can help me! Thanks!!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Youbin
      September 29, 2013 @ 8:16 pm

      I think it would work but I’m not positive since I haven’t tried it! And that’s a cute pan. Let me know how it goes and good luck. :)

      Reply
  • Anonymous says
    April 25, 2013 @ 9:19 pm

    I wondered if you think brown sugar could be used in the "glaze."

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Anonymous
      April 25, 2013 @ 9:21 pm

      I don't see why not. It would definitely taste a little different. More like brown sugar and less like rum. Good luck! :)

      Reply
  • Heidi @ Food Doodles says
    January 4, 2013 @ 7:23 pm

    Holy, this looks decadent! My mother in law makes an incredible boozy chocolate cake but my hubby doesn't do chocolate cake. I'm thinking he would love this :D Forget him though, I think I would love this :D

    Reply
  • FromBLCK says
    January 3, 2013 @ 10:07 am

    Erin, thank you so much! we made THE rum cake over the holidays, and it's indeed the best thing. We wish we had a proper bundt pan though, since we ended up with sooo much batter, and had to use a banana-bread baking pan plus about 10 muffin forms. Plenty of rum cake:) absolutely loving it. Check out how ours turned out: http://fromblck.blogspot.dk/2013/01/the-rum-cake.html
    Happy New Year!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to FromBLCK
      January 3, 2013 @ 10:54 am

      Hi ladies! I'm so happy you enjoyed it. I was ecstatic to get your comment! Not only because you made it, but because only a few people actually saw this post that I thought it'd quickly be forgotten and never enjoyed by anyone. So thank you! And thank you as always for your feedback. I really appreciate it! Going to check out your post now. :)

      Reply
  • chocolateandchoufleur.com says
    December 31, 2012 @ 12:06 am

    I can't say I've ever had an experience in which I ate the cake I made for someone else's birthday, so I suppose that means that this cake is extra delicious – it sure looks that way! I'm not normally a fan of boozy cake, but I might just make an except for this one!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to chocolateandchoufleur.com
      January 3, 2013 @ 11:30 am

      Well, it wasn't like a birthday cake. Just something extra as part of the present. :) So she got brownies instead! And if you're not a fan of boozy cake, then maybe this isn't for you. It's the booziest cake ever! But I admire your openness to this cake. ;)

      Reply
  • MadKatFever says
    December 30, 2012 @ 10:20 pm

    Sally, Perhaps if you provided me with your address and preference I just might ship you a box or two of Chex cereal. Re: Puppy chow

    Reply
    • Erin replies to MadKatFever
      December 30, 2012 @ 11:25 pm

      Hi! I think you meant this for me because Sally has tons of Chex cereal. :) That is such an incredibly lovely offer but unfortunately it's very expensive to send packages over here. I'll be in the US in June and I will most definitely pick up a few boxes then because I can't wait to make puppy chow! I've never had any version of it and seeing it everywhere on the internet drives me a little crazy. Thank you again for your extremely kind offer! I was actually taken a little aback. Thank you and may you have a wonderful new year!

      Reply
  • sally @ sallys baking addiction says
    December 30, 2012 @ 8:38 pm

    going out with a bang. YES indeed. Kinda like my peanut butter brownies today Erin. I onestly do not think that I've seen a more moist or soft or buttery cake recipe ever – I want to reach right through the screen! I freaking LOVE rum cakes!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to sally @ sallys baking addiction
      December 30, 2012 @ 11:19 pm

      Oh, thank you! And yes. This is the rum cake recipe to end all rum cake recipes. Soooo buttery and moist. And I love your enthusiasm. Thank you. :)

      Reply
  • Averie @ Averie Cooks says
    December 30, 2012 @ 11:43 am

    The fact that you want your cake to taste like booze and have it be front & center and not in the background – yes!!! I made rum cake balls about 2-3 yrs ago for a post based on a recreation of rum cake my hubs and I ate in Grand Cayman. We ate enough cake to get tipsy – now that's plenty of cake :) But it WAS pretty strongly doused in rum. I love everything about this cake from the moistness to the rum glaze to the butter!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Averie @ Averie Cooks
      December 30, 2012 @ 8:38 pm

      Ooh, I definitely need to check those out! Rum cake balls. I've never actually made cake balls but rum cake balls sound worth trying!

      Reply
  • Brenda @ a farmgirl's dabbles says
    December 29, 2012 @ 8:41 pm

    That rum syrup sounds buttery and delicious, perfect for a bundt!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Brenda @ a farmgirl’s dabbles
      December 30, 2012 @ 8:28 pm

      I still have some left in the fridge but I don't know what to do with it. It's just not the same without the cake. ;)

      Reply
  • Marta @ What should I eat for breakfast today says
    December 29, 2012 @ 3:14 pm

    I had a similar story with a bund cake for Christmas last year. In the end I had to bake another one :D Rum cake sounds wow. I do like rum :D Happy New Year to Mr and Mrs Texanerin!

    Reply
  • JulieD says
    December 29, 2012 @ 7:51 am

    That's so funny that the cake went from a cake to several pieces for the party…sounds like something I would totally do!! We had a nice Christmas and hope you did too!! xoxo

    Reply
    • Erin replies to JulieD
      December 30, 2012 @ 8:27 pm

      Haha. Well I *had* to try it. How does one know if it's sendable unless you try it?!

      Reply
  • Angela AnotherBitePlease says
    December 29, 2012 @ 4:04 am

    hahaha swimming in booze…the perfect cake to end 2012…or begin 2013 eating a slice with a glass of bubbly :-)

    Reply
  • Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
    December 29, 2012 @ 3:06 am

    Baaahhh this looks so awesome!!

    Reply
  • Cassie | Bake Your Day says
    December 28, 2012 @ 3:40 pm

    I can't get over how moist this looks. Sounds so good!

    Reply
  • eatgood4life.blogspot.com says
    December 28, 2012 @ 5:58 am

    Holly smokes this cake for sure is using butter and sugar ;-) Well why not? It is the end of the year, is not like you bake like that all the time, plus indulging once in a while is perfectly ok. Just don't eat the cake all at once ;-) and you are right, I don't think there is any point in making this cake healthy! Merry Christmas and happy new year!!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to eatgood4life.blogspot.com
      December 28, 2012 @ 9:55 am

      Oh no, you caught me being naughty. :D I feel like I've been caught! And if Sonia sees this, I'll feel like I'm really in trouble. :) I'm kind of sick of sweets so I have no desire to eat the entire second cake. Happy New Year to you, too!

      Reply
  • Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious says
    December 28, 2012 @ 12:37 am

    So glad you went out with a bang because I am definitely going to try and squeeze this in before 1/1! And no, I'm not sharing.

    Reply
  • Becca says
    December 27, 2012 @ 11:50 pm

    This cake looks absolutely delicious! Why must all desserts with alcohol look so dang good? I mean come ON. Not fair. :P

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Becca
      December 28, 2012 @ 9:51 am

      You're with family right now, right? So make it for them! I'm sure they'll fully support your decision to make this cake + provide you with the alcohol. :D

      Reply
  • london bakes says
    December 27, 2012 @ 8:46 pm

    This cake sounds incredible Erin, definitely worth splurging on!

    Reply

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