Rum Cake Recipe
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Rum Cake and Christmas go together like peanut butter and jelly. Like peas and carrots. Like halloween and pumpkin. Like Valentine’s Day and chocolate. At least in my book. Rum cake always appears on the holiday dessert buffet and always is one of the desserts that disappears the quickest.
And this rum cake recipe that my friend, Ree includes in her newest cookbook, A Year of Holidays, will surely become a favorite, even for those folks that swear rum cake isn’t one of their favorites. Promise.
Even though we still have a few weeks to go before the Christmas parties officially begin, when I saw the rum cake recipe in Ree’s book, I knew I couldn’t wait to try it. Although, let me tell you, it was hard to decide which recipe I wanted to try first.
As with the recipes she shares in her other cookbooks, on her blog, and on television, they all are amazing. You certainly can’t go wrong with any of Ree’s recipes, in my opinion. Or my husband’s opinion. Or my son’s opinion. Hey, we’re a pretty opinionated bunch when it comes to recipes, ya know.
And this rum cake?
Well, just like I thought, it makes an easy, yet oh so elegant dessert that will be perfect for sharing with family and friends during your holiday entertaining as well as giving to neighbors as a gift.
If it makes it out of the house, that is. Talk about deeee-licious!!!
Here’s Ree’s Christmas Rum Pudding Cake Recipe. Believe me when I say, it will be a Christmas creation everyone will request!
Rum Pudding Cake Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Rum Cake
- 1/2 cup (106.5 g) lightly packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (57 g) chopped pecans
- 1 (468 g) box yellow cake mix
- 1 (96 g) 3.4-ounce package vanilla cook-and-serve pudding mix
- 4 (200 g) eggs
- 1/2 cup (113.5 g) water
- 1/2 cup (99 g) canola oil
- 1/2 cup (87 g) dark rum
For the Cake Glaze
- 3/4 cup (169.5 g) 1 1/2 sticks butter
- 1 1/2 cups (297 g) sugar
- 1/4 cup (56.75 g) water
- 3/4 cup (130.5 g) dark rum
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325º F and thoroughly grease a Bundt pan. Sprinkle the brown sugar and chopped pecans in the bottom of the pan. This will serve as the topping of the cake when the cake is turned out of the pan.
- Add cake mix and pudding mix to the bowl of an electric mixer. Crack in the eggs and add water, canola oil, and rum, Mix the batter until it is smooth and totally combined.
- Pour batter into the prepared Bundt pan and bake the cake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a skewer or long toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the cake and removed. You can follow my tips for how to tell when your cake is done.
- When the cake has about 10 minutes remaining cooking time, make the glaze.
- Melt the butter and sugar together in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Then add water and bring the mixture to a boil for 4 to 5 minutes, or until thick. Carefully add the rum to the mixture and cook for 1 more minute. (Take care when adding the alcohol to the mixture, especially if cooking over an open flame.)
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes.
- Use a skewer or long toothpick and poke holes all over the surface of the cake.
- Drizzle half the glaze over the surface of the cake, then let the cake sit for about 10 to 15 minutes to allow the cake to absorb the glaze.
- Carefully invert the cake onto a serving platter and very slowly drizzle the rest of the glaze over the top of the cake, giving the cake a chance to absorb as much as possible.
- Let the cake sit for a couple of hours to make sure it's really moist and rummy.
- Slice and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Best rum cake it’s moist and delicious 😋
I’m so glad you like the cake, Candi. Thanks!
Made the cake twice.. Each time.. outstanding flavor. One small issue. I could not stop the cake from sticking to the pan. The Brown sugar caramelized and pulled pieces of the cake when inverted it. I tried parchment paper the second time and some stuck to the parchment paper.. This is after I sprayed it with Pam Perfect Release. I’ll keep experimenting.
Bo, grease and flour the Bundt pan thoroughly. This should prevent the cake from sticking.
I made Magic Pan Release and have never had any cake stick, including this one.
Use equal parts of: vegetable shortening, vegetable/canola oil, flour. Mix well. Apply liberally. I keep it on hand in the fridge.
If you are gluten-free, sub GF flour instead.
Did you mean to put cook and serve pudding? Most recipes call for the instant?
Tiffany, I use the cook and serve pudding as Ree Drummond had written in her cookbook A Year of Holidays.
I just made this for the first time and it looks perfect! It looks so delicious we might eat it tonight and make another one for Thanksgiving. It’s still cooling so we haven’t tasted it yet. I was wondering how far in advance I can make this. Would a day or two be ok?
DeAnna, a rum cake usually lasts just fine for about 5 days. Hope you enjoy!
Can I use white coconut rum in place of the dark rum? As that’s all I have at the time.
Dorothy, you can but you may get a slightly different taste and color of the cake. It still should be delicious.
I don’t have Rum can I use Brandy?
I haven’t tried making this cake with brandy, June.
I just made Rees pudding rum cake, which I’ve never attempted before. My boyfriend has been begging me to make one for years, something he remembered his mother making. Well I never had the pleasure of meeting her before she passed, so asking for her recipe wasn’t an option, also why I shied away from attempting one. He asked very sweetly the other day. I looked up recipes and was super excited to find one from Ree. May I tell you all, he’s smiling from ear to ear right now as the child in him is completely satisfied. I accomplished his childhood memory. I couldn’t be happier and obviously he couldn’t be either. Thank you.
Toni
Toni, it’s great that you were able to make the cake your boyfriend wanted. I love how recipes can bring back such sweet memories. xo
I have made many rum cakes over the years, but this recipe is my favorite. I do use butter to grease the bundt pan. I have used the brown sugar on the bottom with the pecans, but it tends to stick, so I substituted caramel sauce. The key is really beating for the 2 minutes for a light fluffy cake and glazing twice, in the pan and then inverted! Truly great for gift giving!
I’m so happy you like this cake, Laurie. Thanks so much.
Does Your Rum Cake need Refrigeration…. because, of the Pudding?
Hi Peggy,
You don’t have to refrigerate the rum cake. Hope you enjoy!
Years ago, I went into my office kitchen and there was a few crumbs leftover from a rum cake. It was to die for. So for years, I tried to figure out who made it to no avail. Finally, I found out it was my friend who sat right next to me but since it was a Friday and she was off every Friday, I didn’t even think of her. So I got the recipe from her. People love it. It’s identical to this recipe except it calls for no brown sugar. People say it’s better than the ones you buy in Grand Cayman.