Classic Rum Cake: Boozy. Buttery. Bundt. Beautiful.

Rum cake is what happens when butter, sugar, and rum fall in love.

Dense, buttery pound cake. Soaked in a buttery rum syrup. Toasted pecans on top. It’s boozy. It’s beautiful. It’s impossible to eat just one slice.

Ingredients

Serves 10-12.

For the Cake:

• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 box (15 oz) yellow cake mix
• 1 box (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
• ½ cup dark or golden rum
• ½ cup water
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Rum Syrup:

• ½ cup unsalted butter
• ¼ cup water
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup dark or golden rum
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Preheat and Prep

1. Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Grease a 10-inch Bundt pan.
2. Sprinkle chopped pecans evenly in the bottom of the pan.

Step 2: Make the Cake Batter

1. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, rum, water, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
2. Beat until smooth (about 2 minutes).

Step 3: Bake

1. Pour batter over pecans. Bake 50-60 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.
2. Let cool 10 minutes in pan. Invert onto a serving plate.

Step 4: Make the Rum Syrup

1. In a saucepan, melt butter with water and sugar. Bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat. Simmer 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
3. Remove from heat. Stir in rum and vanilla.

Step 5: Soak the Cake

1. Poke holes all over the warm cake with a skewer or fork.
2. Spoon or brush syrup slowly over the cake, letting it soak in.

Step 6: Serve

1. Let cake absorb syrup completely (about 1 hour). Serve at room temperature.

Summary

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 50-60 minutes | Total Time: ~2 hours

Yield: 10-12 servings

Difficulty: Easy

Storage Notes

Room Temp:

Store tightly covered for up to 1 week. Gets more flavorful with time.

Freezer Friendly:

Freeze for 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.

Pro Tip:

Dark rum is best for deep flavor. Light rum works but is less boozy.