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
- Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Grease a 10-inch Bundt pan.
- Sprinkle chopped pecans evenly in the bottom of the pan.
Step 2: Make the Cake Batter
- In a large bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, rum, water, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
- Beat until smooth (about 2 minutes).
Step 3: Bake
- Pour batter over pecans. Bake 50-60 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool 10 minutes in pan. Invert onto a serving plate.
Step 4: Make the Rum Syrup
- In a saucepan, melt butter with water and sugar. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat. Simmer 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat. Stir in rum and vanilla.
Step 5: Soak the Cake
- Poke holes all over the warm cake with a skewer or fork.
- Spoon or brush syrup slowly over the cake, letting it soak in.
Step 6: Serve
- 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.
