Name: Caribbean Rum Cake (Yum!)
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 575 min
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1½ cups white granulated sugar; 1 pkg instant vanilla pudding ((see Note 1)); 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon salt; ½ cup unsalted butter, (softened); ½ cup vegetable oil; ½ cup milk, (at room temperature); 4 large eggs; ½ cup rum, plain or spiced ((see Note 2)); 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; ¼ teaspoon butter-rum flavoring ((see Note 3)); ½ cup unsalted butter, (1 stick); ¼ cup water; 1 cup white granulated sugar; ¼ teaspoon salt; ½ cup rum, plain or spiced ((see Note 2)); ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

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Transport yourself to the sunny shores of the Caribbean with this yummy Caribbean Rum Cake recipe. Rich, moist, and bursting with flavor, it’s the perfect treat for special occasions or simply to savor the flavors of the islands at home.

This Caribbean Rum Cake is a delicious clone of the rum-soaked cake you may have had in the Caribbean Islands, or found in an Italian market during the holidays. With its moist crumb and delicate balance of flavors, it’s a dessert that’s as irresistible as it is unforgettable. The infusion of rum adds a depth of flavor that elevates every bite, while the buttery richness of the cake melts in your mouth.

Whether you’re celebrating a holiday, birthday, or simply craving a taste of the exotic, this recipe promises to delight your taste buds and transport you to paradise with every forkful.

Please be aware that due to the amount of rum in this recipe, it is definitely not recommended for anyone avoiding alcohol. See Recipe Notes for a light version and one with out alcohol.

I stumbled upon this incredible recipe at King Arthur Flour, a delightful company nestled in Vermont. A few years back, I had the pleasure of visiting their charming test kitchen and store—what an experience! I adore everything about King Arthur Flour, from their top-notch products to their professional strength extracts and flavorings. While the original recipe captured my heart, I’ve made a few tweaks to achieve what I believe is the perfect balance of flavors. Now, it’s written exactly how I do it, ensuring every bite is pure bliss.

MORE: This 3-Day Coconut Cake Is So Delicious It’s Going to Knock Your Socks Off

What You’ll Need

A 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan

You’ll need a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan for this recipe. Bundt cake batters are typically designed for Bundt cake pans because their high moisture and fat content bakes better in them. The pan’s design disperses heat evenly, ensuring the batter rises and bakes uniformly for a perfect cake every time.

All-purpose flour

All-purpose flour ensures a delicate crumb. Bread or cake flour can substitute, but avoid over-mixing. Try whole wheat pastry flour for a wholesome twist.

White granulated sugar

White granulated sugar sweetens and moistens the cake. While substitutes such as honey, maple syrup, agave nectar, stevia, or artificial sweeteners are options, discovering the perfect match for your preferred taste and texture may require some experimentation.

Instant vanilla pudding

Instant vanilla pudding mix enhances texture, flavor, and moistness, creating a luxurious dessert. Avoid sugar-free mixes, which may alter texture. Experiment with banana, caramel, butterscotch, or coconut flavors for a unique twist.

Baking powder

Baking powder serves as a leavening agent, aiding the cake’s rise for a fluffy texture.

Salt

I prefer kosher salt for baking. If you don’t have kosher salt, try table salt (use 50% less), sea salt (use slightly less), or Himalayan pink salt (use a 1:1 ratio).

Unsalted butter

Use unsalted butter to maintain consistency, as the salt content in salted butter varies by brand. If using salted butter, decrease the added salt slightly.

Vegetable oil

Vegetable oil adds moisture to the cake. Canola or safflower oil can be substituted equally without altering the flavor.

Milk

Milk adds moisture and richness to the cake. For substitutions, half-and-half can be used interchangeably with milk in a 1:1 ratio. Dairy-free alternatives like soy and oat milk are preferred for their thicker texture, but be aware that strong-flavored options like coconut may alter the taste. If using heavy cream, dilute it with equal parts water for the right consistency.

Eggs

Eggs bind and structure the cake. For substitutes, use 1 teaspoon baking soda + 1 tablespoon vinegar, ¼ cup plain yogurt, or ¼ cup buttermilk per egg.

Rum

Rum is the heart of this recipe, infusing each cake bite with Caribbean flair. You have the option to use either light or dark rum; dark rum offers a deeper, more complex flavor profile than its milder counterpart. To reduce alcohol content, you can substitute some rum with water. Be sure to adjust the butter-rum flavoring accordingly to maintain the cake’s rich taste.

Vanilla extract

Vanilla extract boosts cake flavor and aroma. Try making your own with Instant Pot for a quick homemade gift in just one week!

Butter-rum flavoring

Butter-rum flavoring enhances buttery and rum notes for a decadent dessert. Available in most supermarkets’ baking aisles or online.

How to Make Caribbean Rum Cake

Get started by preheating your oven to 325°F and giving your Bundt pan a quick spritz with cooking spray. Grab a large mixing bowl and toss in the flour, sugar, pudding mix, baking powder, salt, butter, and oil. Mix until it’s nice and sandy.

Now, crack the eggs into the mix, one by one, and give them a good beating. Pour in the milk and stir until smooth. Here comes the fun part—add in the rum, vanilla, and butter-rum flavoring. Give it all a good stir and then pour the batter into your prepared pan.

Pop it in the oven and let it bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center. While it’s baking, whip up the syrup. Toss butter, water, sugar, salt, and, of course, more rum into a saucepan. Bring it to a boil, then let it simmer for 5 to 8 minutes until it’s nice and thick.

Once the cake is out of the oven, poke holes all over it and pour that syrupy goodness while it’s still in the pan. Now, here’s the hard part—let it cool overnight, letting all that syrup soak in. And finally, when you’re ready to indulge, savor every bite of that tropical goodness straight from the islands. Enjoy!

MORE: Killer Chocolate Fudge Bundt Cake

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5 from 1 vote

Caribbean Rum Cake (Yum!)

Transport yourself to the sun-kissed shores of the Caribbean or the bustling markets of Italy with this mouthwatering rum-soaked cake recipe. It's absolutely divine! Just a heads-up: this recipe packs a punch, so it's not suitable for teetotalers. Check out the Notes section for a non-alcoholic version if you're steering clear of spirits.

Prep Time35

Cook Time1

Resting time at room temperature8

Total Time9 35

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Caribbean, Italian

Servings:

Calories: 418kcal

Ingredients

For the cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ cups white granulated sugar
1 pkg instant vanilla pudding (see Note 1)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup milk, at room temperature
4 large eggs
½ cup rum, plain or spiced (see Note 2)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon butter-rum flavoring (see Note 3)

For the syrup:

½ cup unsalted butter, 1 stick
¼ cup water
1 cup white granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup rum, plain or spiced (see Note 2)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 F.
In a large mixing bowl, place flour, sugar, pudding mix, baking powder, salt, butter, and oil and mix at medium speed until everything is thoroughly incorporated and the mixture looks like sand.
Beat in the milk. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. Scrape the bowl thoroughly and beat briefly to incorporate.
Stir in the rum, vanilla, and butter-rum flavoring.
Prepare Bundt pan with cooking spray. Pour batter into prepared pan and spread it level with a spatula
Bake for 50- to 60-minutes. Test for doneness using a skewer, toothpick, or dry piece of ucooked spaghetti. It should come out clean when inserted into the center area of the cake. Do not overbake. Remove cake from the oven. Leave the cake in the pan while you prepare the syrup.
In a medium-size saucepan, combine the butter, water, sugar, salt, and rum. Bring to a rapid boil then reduce to a simmer to cook—without stirring—for 5 to 8 minutes, until the syrup thickens slightly. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
Using a long skewer or similar, poke holes all over the cake. Pour about 1/4 cup syrup over the cake, while it is still in the Bundt pan. Allow the syrup to soak in, then repeat again and again, until all the syrup has been absorbed. See NOTE 4.
Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap, allowing the cake to sit overnight at room temperature to cool completely and for the syrup to soak into all of the cake.
When ready to serve, invert the cake over a serving plate. If it won't loosen to fall out of the pan easily, do not force it. Instead, tent the pan with foil, place it in the oven on the bottom rack and turn it on to 350 F. for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven, and now tip it onto the serving plate. Serve and enjoy!
If any of this amazing cake remains, put it in a cake saver OR wrap it securely in plastic wrap, storing it at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. You may confidently freeze for longer storage, up to one month.

Notes

1. Do not use sugar-free pudding mix. You can use a different flavor pudding mix if you want—banana, caramel, butterscotch, coconut, etc.

2. You can replace 1/4 cup of the rum (or see Note 5) with water if you are concerned about the alcohol content of the cake and the syrup. In this case, increase the amount of butter-rum flavoring to 1/2 teaspoon, in the cake and add 1/4 teaspoon to the syrup, or to taste. I cannot guarantee that the alcohol will "bake out" of the cake.

3. Butter-rum flavoring is available with the extracts and flavorings in most supermarkets.

4. Using all of the syrup results in a very moist cake. Yummy moist. If you want it less "rummy," use only half of the syrup.

5. For an alcohol-free version: Substitute water for all of the rum, increasing the butter-rum flavoring up to to 1 1/2 teaspoons for the cake and 1/2 teaspoon for the syrup, adding it when you add the vanilla.

I stumbled upon this incredible recipe at King Arthur Flour, a delightful company nestled in Vermont. A few years back, I had the pleasure of visiting their charming test kitchen and store—what an experience! I adore everything about King Arthur Flour, from their top-notch products to their professional strength butter-rum flavoring. While the original recipe captured my heart, I've made a few tweaks to achieve what I believe is the perfect balance of flavors. Now, it's written exactly how I do it, ensuring every bite is pure bliss.

Nutrition

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Pam says:

May 6, 2024 at 11:35 am

Hi Mary, Very excited to try this, but I’ve been to 5 grocery stores & can only find Rum Extract. No one has Rum Butter. Will this work? Thx.

Mary Hunt says:
May 6, 2024 at 12:41 pm

You can try to combine rum extract with butter extract. Use more rum extract, try a 3:1 ratio of rum to butter. Let us know how it works!
Jackie B. says:
May 9, 2024 at 8:46 am

I could not get the butter rum extract locally, but did order it from Amazon. It is so worth it to have this delectable cake. This has become a favorite of ours and of our neighbors, who enjoy receiving sample slices. I have made it several times and it is always beautiful, just like Mary’s photos above.

Caribbean Rum Cake (Yum!)