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.
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.
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.
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)
- Prep Time:
- Cook Time:
- Ready in:
- Yield: 12-15 servings
Ingredients
- 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
- 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
Cake:
Rum Syrup:
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (162°C). Spray a 12-cup bundt pan very well with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, dry milk powder, cornstarch, baking powder and salt. Set this aside.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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).
- 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
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!
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I live on a sailboat so I have a very small oven which will not accommodate a bundt pan. Can this be cooked in a different pan?
You definitely could but I have no idea what the baking time would be. I found this useful article about it. Hope that helps! :)
OK so I went to my local HEB and all they had was Skim and low fat powdered milk which I didn’t want or buy. They do however have powdered Buttermilk. Would this work? I often substitute buttermilk for milk in cakes to enhance flavor.
Also what price would you put on this cake for retail?
I’ve never used powdered buttermilk so I unfortunately don’t know if it’d work in this cake. I also live in Germany so I have no idea what this cake would retail for in the US. Sorry I don’t have any answers for you! Wish I could have been more helpful.
I substituted 1/2 cup sour cream for the dry milk…the cake is delish!
Oooh! That sounds delicious. And great to know about that sub! Thanks a ton for sharing. :)
I made this cake for my sister and thought aw that’s way too much glaze, however I had dry areas in my first cake slice so I warmed the remainder of the glazed and put it on the cake and it ended up being perfect and she loved it…this is a keeper…thanks so much
Haha. It really is the right amount. ;) I’m happy you didn’t throw away the glaze! I’m happy you enjoyed the cake. Thanks for your comment. :)
I made this cake for my son’s birthday (he’s 30) on Friday. I was really psyched to make this cake from scratch as I have always made it from a cake mix and pudding mix. When it came out of the oven I noticed it didn’t rise as expected but I went ahead with pouring the syrup on the cake. Unfortunately the cake did not meet my expectations. It was very heavy and dense. I reviewed the ingredient list to ensure I did put everything in. I did not leave anything out.
I’m sorry it didn’t come! Out of all the reviews I’ve gotten for this cake, this is the first saying that it didn’t work out. Could it be that your baking powder has expired? This cake is far from heavy and dense so I’m afraid there must either be an ingredients issue or you accidentally added too much or too little of something (I do this myself all the time!). Or, is your oven perhaps off? That could also be the issue!
Heyy I am about to try this recipe! Do you think I can reduce the amount of dark rum and subtitute it with rum extract + water??
I haven’t tried it but I think it’d work as long as the amount of liquid is the same. I have no idea how much extract to use, though. Hope you’ll enjoy it!
Would you be able to sub the bob’s red mill 1-1 gluten free flour in this? I have to be gluten free and was hoping I could still try this recipe as it looks delicious and I’m not a big fan of coconut which is in your other rum cake recipe.
I’ve had good luck with that flour but since I haven’t tried it with this recipe, I can’t say. I think at the very least you might have to be it a little longer and that it’ll be more difficult to get out of the pan. But I’m really not sure. Sorry about that!
Good evening,
This is a fantastic rum cake recipe. If I wanted to convert it to a chocolate rum cake can you give me some idea of how I can convert? Thanks for your help!,
I’m so happy you liked it! Unfortunately, converting this to a chocolate cake would require a lot of experimenting so I can’t give you an answer. I have absolutely zero idea of how much cocoa powder you’d need to add and how much flour you’d have remove. :/ Sorry about that!
Thanks for your response.. Not a problem
Hi Judy! I made this cake for the first time a few weeks ago. It’s awesome! I found the milk power at my local Walmart and bought their brand. I hope you can find it!! Best of luck!
Thanks for the tip, Samantha! Hopefully Judy was able to find the milk powder. :) I’m happy to hear that you liked the cake! Thanks again for your comment.
Hello – I was searching for a “from scratch rum bundt cake” and landed here. I wish to bake this for Mother’s Day / my dad’s birthday (just 2 days apart this year). I just bought a new bundt pan (on order, should arrive this week!) and my question on this recipe is about the “dry milk powder” – I live in a more rural area, and I am not familiar with this ingredient. I bake from scratch fairly often, and I am not afraid to try out new things, but I don’t know if this is something I would be able to find locally (for me) – if not, is there some way to substitute for this ingredient? I don’t wish to purchase a bulk amount, and have it clutter up my panty…. so if there is anything else I could use, at least the first time, I would be grateful for this information. Thank you so much! I am looking forward to trying out this recipe!
Hello! Do you have a full-sized grocery store? If so, they should have it. I did some googling and couldn’t find a good sub and you unfortunately can’t just leave it out, either. Sorry about that! I hope you’ll be able to find it and that people will enjoy the cake. :)
THANK YOU so much for the prompt answer! I appreciate the information; and I am glad to know and understand that the dry milk powder is an essential ingredient — so I must find some to bake this cake. The recipe is very appealing, and I definitely plan to make it before the week is out — I can search in my regional ares for a grocery store that will sell this, I think I’ll find it, even if I make a bit of a drive – from the reviews, I think it’s well worth it! Again, thanks for being so helpful! (I’ll have to come back and visit here more!)
Could you order it online? They have it on Amazon! And it may be in a weird place at the store. Always ask – if it’s a full-sized store, they should definitely have it. :) I’m happy to hear that you’re going to try out the cake and that you’ll be back again!
I subbed dry Coffeemate for dry milk powder in another recipe and it worked fine. You could try that.
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.
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!
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.
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. :)
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!
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.
Sounds like something I need to try! Thanks a bunch for your tip. :)
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.
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😊😊
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. :)
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!!!
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!
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.
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. :)
This cake was everything!!!!!!
Thank you
Yay! So happy you liked it. :) Thanks for the feedback!
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.
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. :)
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!
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.
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.
I hope it’ll work out better this time! :)
My syrup was rather thin. Did you cook your sugar water Butter for how long. Was it thicken at all before adding the rum
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. :)
I wonder how this would taste with Hennessy instead of rum? Hmmm…..
I have no idea but I’d love to hear how it works out if you try it. :)
Gonna do it for my job’s Christmas party. *fingers crossed*
Oooh! Yay. Can’t wait to hear how you like it. :)