Rum Cake — A double dose of rum in this EASY block that's supremely moist, buttery, and literally juicy from all the rum!! The perfect make-ahead vacation entertaining cake that everyone volition Honey!!

a rum cake on a cake stand next to a bottle of dark rum

Piece of cake Rum Cake Recipe

1 of the very first trips I took with my then fiancé was to Thousand Cayman, where nosotros stumbled into a gift shop that was sampling rum block. It tasted then astonishing because it was moist and literally juicy because it was so loaded with rum. I had plenty samples to likely equal a easy, felt a little guilty, and bought a cake to accept home before leaving the isle.

I flew habitation with my cake, cutting into it, but to be sorely disappointed because it was dry, not juicy, and in that location was inappreciably whatsoever rum flavor. That led me to believe they were literally pouring and dousing the block samples at the shop with straight rum. It worked though because it got me to buy a cake.

I've always wanted to recreate that perfectly juicy rum cake I ate long ago. Fast forrard near xx years (male child, time flies) and in advance of the holidays this yr I (finally) made a rum block.

It's everything you want in a rum cake. Supremely moist yet surprising light, buttery, and loaded with bold rum flavour just in a balanced sense so that information technology doesn't feel like yous're eating rum. Non that some people would mutter almost that, but I digress.

a slice of rum soaked cake on a white plate with a fork

What'southward in Rum Cake?

To brand this rum soaked block recipe, you'll demand:

  • Yellow cake mix
  • Instant vanilla pudding mix
  • Eggs
  • Water
  • Oil
  • Dark rum
  • Vanilla excerpt (or kokosnoot extract)
  • Unsalted butter
  • Granulated saccharide
  • Kosher table salt

side view of a rum cake on a cake stand

How to Make Rum Cake with Cake Mix

The cake is and then ridiculously piece of cake to brand. Dump all the ingredients in a bowl at once, mix, bake. Afterward baking, poke holes with a fork over the top (bottom after yous invert it) of the cake while it's still in the pan, add rum sauce, invert, and repeat with hole poking and sauce calculation.

If the rum cake glaze crystallizes before you tin drizzle it over the inverted cake, don't panic! Just requite it a skillful stir and drizzle away.

What Type of Cake Mix Should I Use?

I adopt using Duncan Hines yellowish cake mix for this recipe.

front view of a slice of rum soaked cake on a white plate

What Blazon of Rum Should I Employ?

I used Meyer's Dark Rum (not sponsored by them in whatever fashion) because I wanted bolder, richer, and sweeter flavor than a white rum like Bacardi can deliver. You could also try a spiced rum like Captain Morgan or even a coconut rum similar Malibu.

If yous test the Malibu option, I would use one-half Malibu and half of some other rum because I could envision an all-Malibu cake becoming cloyingly coconutty, sugariness, and off-putting.

Can I Make This Cake in Advance?

Yep! I find the cake tastes amend equally time passes and that information technology peaks nearly day 3, which makes it an awesome make-ahead-of-the-party kind of cake.

Dear recipes similar this when you're entertaining because yous can make it in advance, set it aside, and forget most it until the issue. It's the quintessential buttery rum cake and perfect for the holiday flavor.

Rum Cake - A double dose of rum in this EASY cake that's supremely moist, buttery, and literally juicy from all the rum!! The perfect make-ahead holiday entertaining cake that everyone will LOVE!!

Tips for the All-time Rum Cake

The block base of operations uses xanthous block mix and instant vanilla pudding mix. If you lot don't have them in your surface area, in that location are plenty of other recipes out there for truly scratch rum cakes. I actually love yellow cake mix and for me this is a approval rather than a curse that this cake starts off with a shortcut.

When making the coat, use caution! Focus and take pocket-sized children out of the kitchen because the mixture is insanely hot and flammable and you lot're going to exist whisking the unabridged time.

Let cake to rest for near 1 to 2 hours to blot sauce earlier slicing and serving. The flavors marry equally time passes and I detect this cake tastes ameliorate as time passes.

Rum Cake — A double dose of rum in this EASY cake that's supremely moist, buttery, and literally juicy from all the rum!! The perfect make-ahead holiday entertaining cake that everyone will LOVE!!

Rum Cake — A double dose of rum in this EASY cake that's supremely moist, buttery, and literally juicy from all the rum!! The perfect make-ahead holiday entertaining cake that everyone will LOVE!!

Ingredients

Block

  • 1 box yellow cake mix (see note below)
  • i 3.iv-ounce box instant vanilla pudding mix
  • four large eggs
  • 1/2 cup water
  • one/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
  • 1/2 loving cup dark rum (I used Meyer'south Dark Rum)
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons vanilla or coconut extract (I used coconut)

Rum Sauce

  • 3/four cup unsalted butter (i 1/2 sticks)
  • i 1/2 cups granulated carbohydrate
  • 1/four loving cup water
  • 1/four teaspoon kosher salt, or to gustatory modality
  • i/2 cup dark rum (I used Meyer'southward Dark Rum)

Instructions

Brand the Block:

  1. Preheat oven to 325F. Spray a 12-loving cup Bundt pan very well with floured cooking spray, or grease and flour the pan; set aside.
  2. 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 smoothen and combined; about 2 minutes.
  3. Turn concoction out into prepared pan, smoothing the superlative lightly with a spatula. The concoction is thin, looks a flake skimpy for the size of the pan, merely the cake rises dramatically while baking.
  4. Bake for well-nigh 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.
  5. When the cake has virtually 10 to 15 minutes left to bake, start making the rum sauce.

Brand the Rum Sauce:

  1. Use caution, focus, and take small children out of the kitchen because the mixture is insanely hot and combustible and you lot're going to be whisking the entire time.
  2. To a medium loftier-sided medium bucket, add together the butter and estrus over medium estrus to melt.
  3. Add the sugar, water, and bring to a boil over medium-high/high heat. Allow mixture to boil rapidly for 4 to five minutes; whisk constantly so it doesn't fire (your shoulder should burn). The mixture should exist white, frothy, and fluffy-looking.
  4. Remove pan from the heat and using extreme circumspection, add the rum while whisking because the sauce will bubble upwards vigorously when the rum is added.
  5. Render pan to the estrus for 1 minute; whisk constantly. This helps cook off some of the 'raw' alcohol taste.
  6. Add the table salt and stir to combine.
  7. Transfer the sauce to a two-cup glass measuring cup; you will have virtually two cups of sauce.
  8. Poke holes with a fork all over the bottom surface of the cake (which becomes the top when you capsize it and remove the cake from the pan). I 'stabbed' the cake in nearly 75 places with a fork.
  9. Slowly pour about 1 cup sauce over the surface, taking your time and then that the sauce soaks in; set remaining 1 loving cup sauce aside. Allow cake to rest for about 1 60 minutes to absorb the sauce.
  10. Invert the cake onto a block stand up or serving platter and 'stab' the cake with a fork once more, in virtually 75 places over the top and some on the sides.
  11. Slowly and carefully pour the remaining sauce into the holes. If the sauce has crystallized, that's okay; merely whisk it for a few seconds before adding information technology. I slowly add together some sauce, and sort of 'press' it in with a spatula, and repeat. Some volition pool down the sides onto the cake stand, it'south unavoidable and okay.
  12. Allow cake to remainder for about 1 to 2 hours to blot sauce before slicing and serving.

Notes

  1. Note regarding cake mix: when I originally made this cake in November 2017, xviii.25-ounce boxes of yellowish cake mix were the standard. Since and then, boxes are more commonly plant in the 15.25-ounce size range. Although I accept not personally tested the cake using a 15.25-ounce box of cake mix, I am sure information technology will be fine. I am partial to Duncan Hines cake mix.
  2. Storing this cake: The flavors marry equally fourth dimension passes and I observe this cake tastes amend as time passes (about mean solar day 3 it peaks). Store cake closed at room temp for up to 10 days; do not air-condition. Recipe is intended for those for whom alcohol is legal and appropriate.
  3. Block adjusted from AllRecipes, Rum Sauce adapted from Brown Eyed Baker.

Diet Data:

Yield:

xv

Serving Size:

one
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 439 Total Fat: 21g Saturated Fat: 9g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 11g Cholesterol: 74mg Sodium: 338mg Carbohydrates: 54g Fiber: 1g Sugar: 39g Protein: 3g

Favorite Holiday Cake Recipes:

ALL OF MY CHRISTMAS RECIPES!

The All-time Chocolate Peppermint Cake — Easy, ane-basin, no mixer cake! Decadently chocolaty, perfectly pepperminty! Your new favorite cake!!

Cabernet Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache  – At present you don't take to choose between dessert or wine since this is BOTH!

Like shooting fish in a barrel Pound Block with Powdered Saccharide Coat — Finally a homemade pound cake that isn't dry!! This EASY, buttery, velvety pound cake will be the star of your adjacent party or celebration!

Chocolate Gingerbread Cake — An Piece of cake, no mixer cake that's perfect for the holidays!! Chocolate and ginger are amazing together!

Red Velvet Poke Cake with Foam Cheese Frosting — If you similar cherry-red velvet, you're going to Dearest this EASY cherry-red velvet cake recipe!

35 Best Like shooting fish in a barrel Cakes — Whether it's a birthday cake, anniversary cake, or a just-because block, you'll notice the perfect EASY cake here! Only the Best recipes including chocolate, fruity, pumpkin, cerise velvet, and more!

35 BEST Easy Cakes - Whether it's a birthday cake, anniversary cake, or a just-because cake, you'll find the perfect EASY cake here!! Only the BEST recipes including chocolate, fruity, pumpkin, red velvet, and more!!

Originally posted November three, 2017 and reposted Dec 25, 2020 with updated text.

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