This rich rum soaked cake is perfect for a cold winter evening. Enjoy it warm with a cup of hot tea for a cozy and relaxing holiday night. It is a special treat made easier by starting with a box cake mix.
SAVE THIS RECIPE!
Enter your email below and we’ll send this recipe straight to your inbox.
What is the Best Rum for Rum Cake?
While white rum is sweeter, dark rum is recommended for baking this drunken cake due to its bold, aromatic flavor and spiced undertones. Using a dark rum will balance your flavors, while white rum may add too much sweetness to your already-sweet ingredients.
Why This Easy Rum Cake Recipe is a Keeper
Made with rum and sugar, any crossword solver will agree that this cake is the best for a cold night- although you can make rum cake anytime!
- Easy Ingredients: All of the ingredients for this cake soaked in rum can likely be found in your kitchen.
- Adaptable: Make into delicious rum cake pops for a wonderful adult treat.
If you’re looking for more cake recipes, try these: Pumpkin Poke Cake, No Bake Chocolate Éclair Cake, and Lemon Raspberry Loaf Cake.
Can I Make this Cake into a Baba?
Yes! Just add rum-soaked dried fruit or candied fruit to make your rum cake into a baba cake- a French dessert with a great rum flavor.
Ingredient Notes for the Rum-Soaked Cake
You only need a few simple ingredients to make this boozy rum cake. Here are some you won’t want to miss:
- White Box Cake Mix: In a hurry? No need to make a cake from scratch! This mix has all the dry ingredients for the cake. This has the cake flour, baking powder and other ingredients for the best cake.
- Instant Pudding Mix: This is what makes the sponge cake Super moist.
- Eggs: You will need 4 room temperature large eggs, both the egg whites and yolk.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Variations and Substitutions to Make Rum Cake
- Cake Mix: If you have some extra time, make the cake mix yourself!
- Rum Extract: For every tablespoon of dark rum required in a recipe, you can substitute ½ tablespoons (1 ½ teaspoons) of rum extract.
Special Equipment Needed for Caribbean Rum Cake with Bundt Cake Pan
- Bundt Pan: Use this ring-shaped pan to give the cake its distinct shape, or use any kind of pan you like.
How to Make Soaked Rum Glaze Cake
This rum-soaked cake takes a little over an hour to prep and bake. Luckily, you only need to follow a few simple steps to make it!
SAVE THIS RECIPE!
Enter your email below and we’ll send this recipe straight to your inbox.
These are the basic steps for making rum soaked cake. Refer to the full, printable recipe card below for detailed instructions.
Step 1: Prep
First, preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 10 inch tube or Bundt pan. Sprinkle nuts over bottom of pan.
Step 2: Cake Batter
In a large bowl, combine cake mix, pudding and other cake ingredients with an electric mixer. Beat for 4 minutes. Pour into prepared pan over nuts.
Step 3: Bake the Cake
Bake at 325 degrees for 50-60 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean. Once it is ready, remove cake from the oven.
Step 4: Make the Syrup
Once cake has finished baking, make the rum sauce. Combine butter and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Next, remove from heat and add water and rum. Pour hot rum glaze over your cake as soon as it’s removed from the oven, including the sides of the cake.
Step 5: Turn Out this Best Rum Cake
Finally, allow the cake to sit in pan for 30 minutes so it can come out clean. Carefully remove and invert the cake onto a plate. Allow to cool completely. For more flavor brush the remaining glaze for a moist cake.
Recipe FAQs to Make the Rum Cake
Expert Tips for Making This Easy Rum Cake Recipe
- Add Small Holes: Poke holes all over the cake so it can better absorb the rum. This will also allow the cake to absorb the glaze.
- Dust: Sprinkle with a little powdered sugar for a beautiful finish to your Caribbean rum cake.
- Variation tip: Feel free to add different nuts for the top of the cake. Use your favorite or omit if someone has an allergy.
- Alternate ingredient: Dried cranberries or raisins to taste can be great for this holiday cake.
- Vanilla Extract: Do not like rum? Simply add a good-quality vanilla extract.
Rum Soaked Cake
SAVE THIS RECIPE!
Enter your email and we’ll send this recipe to your inbox.
Ingredients
- ½ cup Chopped walnuts
- 15.25 ounces White cake mix, boxed
- 3.4 ounces Instant vanilla pudding, 1 box
- ½ cup Dark rum
- ½ cup Water
- ½ cup Vegetable oil
- 4 Eggs
Glaze
- 1 cup Sugar
- ½ cup Butter
- ¼ cup Dark rum
- ¼ cup Water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 10 inch tube or bundt pan.
- Sprinkle nuts over bottom of pan. Combine cake mix, pudding and other cake ingredients. Beat for 4 minutes.
- Pour into prepared pan over nuts.
- Bake at 325 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
GLAZE
- Once cake has finished baking, make the glaze mixture by melting butter and sugar in a sauce pan.
- Remove from heat and add water and rum.
- Pour hot glaze over hot cake as soon as it is removed from the oven.
- Allow cake to cool in page for 30 minutes before turning out.
Christina’s Notes
- Add Small Holes: place some small holes into the cake so more of the wonderful glaze can be absorbed.
- Dust: Sprinkle with a little powder sugar for a beautiful finish to the cake. Estimate about a quarter cup, just a sprinkle for the top.
- Variation tip: Feel free to add different nuts for the top of the cake. Use your favorite or omit if someone has an allergy.
- Alternate ingredient: Dried cranberries or raisins to taste can be great in this recipe.
- Vanilla Extract: Do not like rum? Simply add a good quality vanilla extract.
- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.
Thank you for this recipe. I tried it today. I usually always put a little bit of my own twist on things — to make it personalized. I did swap out eggnog for the water in the cake ingredients, and added some fresh ground nutmeg and vanilla. Other than that, I followed your recipe. The cake is fabulous. 5 stars — a keeper — will make frequently. Debra
I’m so glad you liked it! Thanks for checking back!
I stumbled upon your website through Tasty Kitchen, and I just realized that this recipe of yours is nearly *identical* to the BEST rum cake I have ever had, from when I went sailing in St. Thomas a few years back. I have been meaning to make this cake…and you just reminded me to get on it already =) So, thank you! And to all of you contemplating making this cake…DO IT. You won’t regret it!
Thanks for the comment! This cake is pretty incredible! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Ooh, I just made this today and I used coconut rum…..Awesome!!!
I will have to try that next time! I love coconut rum! Thanks, Kate! 🙂
Christina, your story made me chuckle! My question is, since the cake is still in the pan when you pour the glaze over it, are you actually pouring the gaze on the bottom of the cake? It sounds delicious, I can’t wait to try it!
Glad it made you smile! 🙂 Yes, you pour the glaze over the “bottom” of the cake. It takes a bit for it all to soak in. Enjoy! 🙂
dah…. probably even it should have read….
I love it. Your grandfather was probleming have a little giggle too 🙂
He probably was! 🙂 I definitely take after my grandmother in the recipe hoarding division! 🙂