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 Time20 minutesmins
Cook Time45 minutesmins
Total Time1 hourhr5 minutesmins
Course: Cakes & Cupcakes
Cuisine: American
Keyword: best rum cake recipe, easy rum cake, rum cake, rum cake glaze, rum cake recipe, rum cake recipe with cake mix, rum soaked cake
2 to 3teaspoonsvanilla or coconut extractI used coconut
Rum Sauce
¾cupunsalted butter1 1/2 sticks
1 ½cupsgranulated sugar
¼cupwater
¼teaspoonkosher saltor to taste
½cupdark rumI 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
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.
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.