Rum Cake

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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!!

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

Easy Recipe for Rum Cake 

One of the very first trips I took with my then-fiancé was to Grand Cayman, where we stumbled into a gift shop that was sampling rum cake. 

It tasted so amazing because it was moist and literally juicy because it was so loaded with rum. I had enough samples to likely equal a piece of cake, felt a little guilty, and bought a cake to take home before leaving the island.

I flew home with my cake, cut into it, only to be sorely disappointed because it was dry, not juicy, and there was hardly any rum flavor. That led me to believe they were literally pouring and dousing the cake 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 forward nearly 20 years (boy, time flies) and in advance of the holidays this year I (finally) made a rum cake.

It’s everything you want in a rum cake! 

Supremely moist yet surprising light, buttery, and loaded with bold rum flavor but in a balanced sense so that it doesn’t feel like you’re eating rum. Not that some people would complain about that, but I digress.

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

Rum Cake Ingredients 

I opted to make this rum cake recipe with cake mix — don’t worry, the end result tastes 100% homemade yet the cake mix saves you time and energy!

To make this rum-soaked cake recipe, you’ll need: 

  • Yellow cake mix 
  • Instant vanilla pudding mix
  • Eggs
  • Water
  • Oil
  • Dark rum
  • Vanilla extract (or coconut extract) 
  • Unsalted butter
  • Granulated sugar 
  • Kosher salt

I’ve gone into more detail further down this post on which type of cake mix and rum I recommend when making this rum bundt cake recipe. 

Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.

side view of a rum cake on a cake stand

How to Make Rum Cake 

The cake is so ridiculously easy to make! If you’ve never made a cake recipe with rum in it, you’re in for a treat. 

I’ve given detailed instructions in the recipe card below, but here’s an overview of how this rum-soaked cake is made: 

  1. Dump all the ingredients in a bowl at once, then mix just until combined.
  2. Turn the batter into a grease 12-cup bundt pan.
  3. Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. 
  4. After baking, poke holes with a fork over the top (bottom after you invert it) of the cake while it’s still in the pan, add rum sauce, invert, and repeat with hole poking and sauce adding.

Rum Cake Glaze Tip

If the rum cake glaze crystallizes before you can drizzle it over the inverted cake, don’t panic! Just give it a good stir and drizzle away. 

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

Serving Suggestions 

As far as I’m concerned, this recipe for rum cake is perfect as is. However, you could serve slices with one or more of the following if desired: 

  • Powdered sugar 
  • Fresh berries 
  • Whipped cream 
  • Vanilla ice cream
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!!

Recipe FAQs

Do I have to use boxed cake mix?

I wanted to keep this a super easy rum cake recipe, and for me that means using a baking shortcut. There are scratch recipes online you’re welcome to use, but my family loves this how this rum cake with cake mix tastes!

What Type of Cake Mix Should I Use? 

I prefer using Duncan Hines yellow cake mix for this recipe. Otherwise, any yellow or golden cake mix should work. Note that when I originally made this cake in November 2017, 18.25-ounce boxes of yellow cake mix were the standard. Since then, boxes are more commonly found in the 15.25-ounce size range. Although I have not personally tested the cake using a 15.25-ounce box of cake mix, I am sure it will be fine. 

What’s the best rum for rum cake?

I used Meyer’s Dark Rum (not sponsored by them in any way) 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 like Malibu.

If you test the Malibu option, I would use half Malibu and half of another rum because I could envision an all-Malibu cake becoming cloyingly coconutty, sweet, and off-putting.

Tip: If you love rum desserts, be sure to make my easy no-bake rum balls as well! 

Can I Make This Cake in Advance? 

Yes! I find the cake mix rum cake tastes better as time passes and that it peaks about day three, which makes it an awesome make-ahead-of-the-party kind of cake. Love recipes like this when you’re entertaining because you can make it in advance, set it aside, and forget about it until the event. It’s the quintessential buttery rum cake and perfect for the holiday season.

Can This Recipe Be Made Without a Bundt Pan? 

I’m sure it can, but I prefer using a bundt pan because it makes for a taller cake that’s perfect for soaking up all the rum sauce. But if you don’t have a 12-cup bundt pan, I recommend googling a baking pan conversion chart to see which of your other pan(s) will work instead. 

Can rum cake get you drunk?

Not likely! There’s 1 cup of rum total in the cake and glaze, but I imagine most of it cooks off during the baking process.

How long does rum cake stay fresh?

The beauty of this double rum cake is that the rum acts as a preservative (it is alcohol, after all!) so it can last up to 10 days on your counter without issue! Just be sure to store it in an airtight container.

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 Best Rum Cake Recipe

Baking shortcuts: The cake base uses yellow cake mix and instant vanilla pudding mix. If you don’t have them in your area, there are plenty of other recipes out there for truly scratch rum cakes. I actually love yellow cake mix and for me this is a blessing rather than a curse that this cake starts off with a shortcut.

Glaze: When making the glaze, use caution! Focus and take small children out of the kitchen because the mixture is insanely hot and flammable and you’re going to be whisking the entire time.

Resting time: Allow cake to rest for about 1 to 2 hours to absorb sauce before slicing and serving. The flavors marry as time passes and I find this cake tastes better 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!!

Storage Instructions 

The flavors marry in this rum bundt cake as time passes and I find this cake tastes better as time passes (about day 3 it peaks).

Store cake air-tight at room temperature for up to 10 days; do not refrigerate. (The rum acts like a preservative, hence why the cake is good for so long!) 

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Rum Cake

By Averie Sunshine
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!!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 15
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Ingredients  

Cake

  • one box yellow cake mix, see note below
  • one 3.4-ounce box instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 4 large eggs
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ cup canola or vegetable oil
  • ½ cup dark rum, I used Meyer’s Dark Rum
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons vanilla or coconut extract, I used coconut

Rum Sauce

  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, 1 1/2 sticks
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup water
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
  • ½ cup dark rum, I used Meyer’s Dark Rum

Instructions 

Make the Cake:

  • Preheat oven to 325F. Spray a 12-cup Bundt pan very well with floured cooking spray, or grease and flour the pan; set aside.
  • 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 smooth and combined; about 2 minutes.
  • Turn batter out into prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula. The batter is thin, looks a bit skimpy for the size of the pan, but the cake rises dramatically while baking.
  • Bake for about 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.
  • When the cake has about 10 to 15 minutes left to bake, start making the rum sauce.

Make the Rum Sauce:

  • Use caution, focus, and take small children out of the kitchen because the mixture is insanely hot and flammable and you're going to be whisking the entire time.
  • To a medium high-sided medium saucepan, add the butter and heat over medium heat to melt.
  • Add the sugar, water, and bring to a boil over medium-high/high heat. Allow mixture to boil rapidly for 4 to 5 minutes; whisk constantly so it doesn't burn (your shoulder should burn). The mixture should be white, frothy, and fluffy-looking.
  • Remove pan from the heat and using extreme caution, add the rum while whisking because the sauce will bubble up vigorously when the rum is added.
  • Return pan to the heat for 1 minute; whisk constantly. This helps cook off some of the 'raw' alcohol taste.
  • Add the salt and stir to combine.
  • Transfer the sauce to a 2-cup glass measuring cup; you will have about 2 cups of sauce.
  • Poke holes with a fork all over the bottom surface of the cake (which becomes the top when you invert it and remove the cake from the pan). I 'stabbed' the cake in about 75 places with a fork.
  • Slowly pour about 1 cup sauce over the surface, taking your time so that the sauce soaks in; set remaining 1 cup sauce aside. Allow cake to rest for about 1 hour to absorb the sauce.
  • Invert the cake onto a cake stand or serving platter and 'stab' the cake with a fork again, in about 75 places over the top and some on the sides.
  • Slowly and carefully pour the remaining sauce into the holes. If the sauce has crystallized, that's okay; just whisk it for a few seconds before adding it. I slowly add some sauce, and sort of 'press' it in with a spatula, and repeat. Some will pool down the sides onto the cake stand, it's unavoidable and okay.
  • Allow cake to rest for about 1 to 2 hours to absorb sauce before slicing and serving.

Notes

  1. Note regarding cake mix: when I originally made this cake in November 2017, 18.25-ounce boxes of yellow cake mix were the standard. Since then, boxes are more commonly found in the 15.25-ounce size range. Although I have not personally tested the cake using a 15.25-ounce box of cake mix, I am sure it will be fine. I am partial to Duncan Hines cake mix.
  2. Storing this cake: The flavors marry as time passes and I find this cake tastes better as time passes (about day 3 it peaks). Store cake airtight at room temp for up to 10 days; do not refrigerate. Recipe is intended for those for whom alcohol is legal and appropriate.
  3. Cake adapted from AllRecipes, Rum Sauce adapted from Brown Eyed Baker.

Nutrition

Serving: 1, Calories: 439kcal, Carbohydrates: 54g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g, Cholesterol: 74mg, Sodium: 338mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 39g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

More Easy Christmas Cake Recipes:

ALL OF MY CHRISTMAS RECIPES! 

The Best Chocolate Peppermint Cake — Easy, one-bowl, no mixer cake! Decadently chocolaty, perfectly pepperminty! Your new favorite cake!!

Snickerdoodle Poke Cake — If you like snickerdoodle cookies, you’ll love the flavor of this snickerdoodle cake with the PERFECT amount of cinnamon!! Fast, so EASY, moist, and a great MAKE-AHEAD cake for parties!!

Easy Pound Cake with Powdered Sugar Glaze — Finally a homemade pound cake that isn’t dry!! This EASY, buttery, velvety pound cake will be the star of your next party or celebration!

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

Christmas Red Velvet Poke Cake — The EASIEST and most impressive red velvet Christmas cake! Ready in ONE HOUR and uses shortcut ingredients to make your job as easy and hassle-free as possible! 

Red Velvet Christmas Cake - The EASIEST and most impressive Christmas cake! You'll have your friends and family thinking you're a rock star pastry chef! Moist red velvet cake is infused with white chocolate pudding, topped with whipped topping, sprinkles, and white chocolate curls! Ready in ONE HOUR and uses shortcut ingredients to make your job as easy and hassle-free as possible! 

Classic Pistachio Cake — This pistachio cake is a retro cake recipe that takes just 10 minutes to prep! It’s made with instant pudding mix to make it super flavorful and light!

Pistachio Cake on white plate

Spiced Toffee Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting — Looking for recipes using spice cake mix? Make this spiced toffee cake! It’s an EASY, soft, and fluffy spice cake with toffee bits inside and on top!! The frosting is AMAZING and takes this cake over the top!!

Originally posted November 3, 2017 and reposted December 25, 2020 with updated text.

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Welcome to AverieCooks! Here you’ll find fast and easy recipes that taste amazing and are geared for real life. Nothing fussy or complicated, just awesome tasting dishes everyone loves!

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Please note: I have only made the recipe as written, and cannot give advice or predict what will happen if you change something. If you have a question regarding changing, altering, or making substitutions to the recipe, please check out the FAQ page for more info.

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Comments

  1. I haven’t made the cake yet, but am wondering when to poke the holes and pour the rum sauce over the cake – while it is still warm or after it cools?

    Thanks for the recipe. Can’t wait to make it!