This indulgent homemade rum cake brings together buttery richness and warm, spirited flavors in every heavenly bite. Perfect for special occasions or holiday gatherings, this classic dessert takes just 20 minutes to prep and delivers restaurant-quality results.
The moist, tender crumb and perfectly balanced sweetness will have your guests begging for the recipe. At 439 calories per serving, it’s a worthwhile splurge that fills your home with an irresistible aroma as it bakes.
Ingredients for Heavenly Rum Cake
- Wet Ingredients: Room temperature 1/4 cup milk, 1/3 cup sour cream, and 1/3 cup rum (Bacardi Gold or Dark Myer’s recommended)
- Fats & Sugar: 1 cup room temperature butter, 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Eggs: 3 large eggs and 2 yolks at room temperature for perfect texture
- Dry Mix: 2 1/4 cups cake flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Glaze Components: 1/2 cup each of butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar, plus 1/4 cup each of rum and heavy cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Step-by-Step Baking Instructions
- Preparation: Center your oven rack and preheat to 350°F – getting this right ensures even baking!
- Wet Mixture: Combine milk, sour cream, and rum in a measuring cup – let it reach room temperature for best results
- Butter Base: Whip butter for 1 minute, then beat with sugar for 4-5 minutes until wonderfully fluffy
- Egg Integration: Add eggs and yolks one at a time, mixing gently between each addition
- Flour Mixture: Combine all dry ingredients in a separate bowl
- Final Batter: Alternate adding dry and wet ingredients in thirds, mixing just until combined
- Baking: Pour into a well-greased bundt pan and bake for 50 minutes or until perfectly done
- Glaze Magic: Combine glaze ingredients, bring to boil for 2 minutes until smooth and glossy
- Final Touch: Cool cake 15 minutes, poke holes, add glaze, and enjoy your masterpiece!
Baking Tips for Perfect Results
Getting your rum cake just right starts with room temperature ingredients – they blend so much better! Take your butter, eggs, milk, and sour cream out of the fridge about an hour before starting.
When greasing your bundt pan, be extra generous with the shortening and flour, making sure to coat every little ridge and groove. This will help your cake slip out beautifully after baking.
Make It Your Own
Love to play with flavors? You can switch up the rum to match your taste! Dark rum adds deep, molasses notes, while light rum keeps things mellow.
Not a rum fan? Try bourbon or whiskey instead – they’re amazing too! For an alcohol-free version, use rum extract (about 1-2 teaspoons) mixed with water to replace the rum in both cake and glaze.
Serving Ideas
This rum cake shines all on its own, but a few simple touches can make it extra special! Try serving it with a dollop of fresh whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. For brunch, pair it with hot coffee or espresso. During the holidays, add a sprinkle of powdered sugar on top for a snowy effect!
Storage and Freshness
Your rum cake will stay moist and delicious for up to 5 days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge. The rum helps keep it fresh! Let slices come to room temperature before serving for the best flavor.
Want to make it ahead? You can freeze the unglazed cake for up to 3 months – just wrap it well in plastic wrap and foil. Add the glaze after thawing.
Homemade Rum Cake
Equipment
- Bundt Pan
- Stand mixer or large bowl
- Saucepan
Ingredients
Cake
- 1/4 cup milk room temperature
- 1/3 cup sour cream room temperature
- 1/3 cup rum Bicardi Gold or Dark Myer’s rum
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 2 large egg yolks room temperature
- 2 1/4 cups cake flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the Glaze
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup rum
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F with oven rack in the center of oven.
- Whisk the milk, sour cream and rum together in a liquid measure and let come to room temperature.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer whip the butter on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the granulated sugar and beat for 4-5 minutes more. Mix in the vanilla.
- Add the eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, mixing just until combined in between additions. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Combine the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Add ⅓ of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix just until combined. Add ½ of the milk/sour cream mixture and mix.
- Add another ⅓ of the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined. Add the last ½ of the milk/sour cream mixture and beat until just combined. Add the final ⅓ of the dry ingredients and mix just until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
- Grease and flour bundt pan. Pour batter evenly into the pan and bake at 350 degrees F for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Make the glaze: Add sauce ingredients to a saucepan over medium heat. Stir well until butter has melted and mixture is smooth. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring, and boil for 2 minutes.
- Allow the cake to cool for in the pan for at least 15 minutes before gently inverting it. Then wipe the pan clean and put the cake back in it. Poke holes all over the cake and gently pour most of the sauce over the cake, reserving just a little.
- Allow the cake to soak up the glaze and then invert it onto a plate or serving platter. Spoon remaining glaze on top. Store rum cake well-covered in the refrigerator.
