Rum Cake

I think holidays and home isolation both call for rum cake! I rarely make this because it is so amazing I can’t help but eat inappropriate quantities, but every now and then it’s worth it! This rum cake recipe is adapted from King Arthur Flour’s Caribbean-Style Rum Cake recipe.

Rum Cake Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup milk, at room temperature
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup spiced rum
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Syrup Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup spiced rum
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions for Baking Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
2. Prepare a bundt pan by heavily coating with butter or cooking spray.
3. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, butter, and vegetable oil in a mixing bowl, and mix at medium speed until everything is thoroughly combined.
4. Add in the milk, then eggs one at a time, beating mixture between each addition. Scrape the bowl thoroughly, and beat briefly to recombine.
5. Add the rum, vanilla, and mix to combine.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread level with a spatula.
7. Bake the cake for 50 to 60 minutes. When done, a cake tester will come out clean when inserted into the center. Remove the cake from the oven.Leave the cake in the pan to cool slightly while you make the syrup.

Directions for Syrup

1. In a medium-sized saucepan combine the syrup ingredients, except vanilla.
2. Bring to a rapid boil then reduce to a simmer and cook (without stirring) for about 5 to 8 minutes, until the syrup thickens slightly.
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

Putting it together

1. Leaving the cake in the pan, use a long skewer to poke holes all over the cake. Pour about 1/4 cup of the syrup over the cake. Allow the syrup to soak in, then repeat again and again until all the syrup is used.
2. The instructions from King Arthur say to: “Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and allow the cake to sit overnight at room temperature to cool completely and soak in the syrup.” I’ve never waited that long to eat this cake, so just wait as long as you can…
3. When ready to serve, loosen the edges of the cake and invert onto your serving plate. If the cake won’t release, don’t force it. Place it in the oven, turn the oven to 350°F, and warm for about 10 minutes, to soften the sticky syrup. (If your oven is one that preheats by making its upper element red-hot, place the cake on a lower rack and tent it with aluminum foil to protect it.)
4. Remove the cake from the oven, and tip it onto the serving plate.