This mini rum cake recipe is a go-to for every holiday! We happen to use Duncan Hines, but you can use your favorite cake mix, we just suggest one with no butter added. You can also make a delicious gluten-free mini rum cake by using a gluten-free cake mix.
Rum cake is a type of cake that is infused with rum, a type of alcoholic beverage made from fermented sugarcane. Rum cakes are typically made with a moist, dense cake base that is flavored with rum and soaked in a rum syrup after baking. The syrup helps to keep the cake moist and gives it a rich, aromatic flavor. Rum cakes are often garnished with a dusting of powdered sugar or a glaze made from confectioners’ sugar and rum. They are a popular dessert in many countries around the world and can be served at any time of year. Some popular variations of rum cake include Jamaican black cake, a fruitcake-like dessert that is traditionally served at Christmas, and the Bahamian rum cake, which is made with a buttery pound cake base and soaked in spiced rum syrup.
Rum Cake Recipe
Equipment
- Large Bowl
- Bundt Pan
- small sauce pan
- Oven Rack
- electric mixer
Ingredients
for the cake
How to Make Rum Cake:
- 1 box Yellow Cake mix (Duncan Hines cake mix is what we used)
- 1 box instant vanilla pudding
- 1/2 cup dark rum (many people like bacardi rum but we used Meyers rum)
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup oil
- Optional: small pieces of walnuts or pecans to the bottom of the cake pan Optional: you can put small pieces of nuts at the bottom of the cake pan and in the cake mix as well.
for the rum cake glaze
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
- 1/8 cup water
- 1/4 cup rum
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F…(165 degrees C).
- Grease and flour bundt pan
- Mix together the yellow cake mix, ½ cup dark rum, eggs, ½ cup cold water, cooking oil and instant vanilla pudding. Mix for 2 minutes – we used an electric hand mixer
- Put all the mixed ingredients into the prepared pan
- Bake at 325 degrees F for 50-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool. Place on a serving plate & poke holes in the top with a toothpick. You'll want plenty of holes to the rum glaze is absorbed by the entire cake.
To Make the Rum Cake Glaze / Rum Sauce:
- Melt the butter in a saucepan.
- Stir in water and sugar. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Remove mixture from the heat and stir in the rum to make the glaze.
- Immediately Drizzle and smooth glaze evenly over the top and sides of cake while the cake is still warm. (save some glaze for the top)
- Allow to sit for five minutes.
- Invert the cake onto a serving plate.
- Slowly drizzle remaining glaze all over the top of the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides.
- Cool to room temperature before serving to ensure glaze has soaked in completely.
Notes
-
- If you would like to add chopped pecans or walnuts, place them in the pan before adding the cake mix & bake.
- If you can’t find Vanilla pudding mix the French Vanilla Pudding mix also works. Just make sure it is instant pudding mix.
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- Of course, you can make the mini rum cakes in different shaped molds, and the recipes does not change should you choose to make it 1 large rum cake vs, mini cakes.
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- Last but not least, try different types of rums. We have used Tortuga Rum, Captain Morgan Spiced rum and 8 year Barbancourt rum, and each one does taste mildly different.
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- As mentioned above, to make a delicious gluten-free version, we recommend King Arthur’s gluten-free yellow cake mix. We are confident if you don’t tell anyone, they will have no idea it’s gluten-free. The rum cake is still moist & delicious (& addictive!)
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Cook for one hour? is that correct?
I plan to make then for Christmas!!
Thanks for all the great recipes and Happy holidays
Hello,
If you are making a full size cake (like in a bundt pan) then 50-60 minutes
If you are making it in a smaller size pan then it probably only needs 20 minutes.