Rum Cake Recipe

Prepare pan and oven

Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Grease a 10-inch bundt pan thoroughly with butter or nonstick spray, then lightly flour it, tapping out excess.

Combine dry ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed.

Cream butter and sugar

In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes with an electric mixer on medium speed. Scrape down the bowl as needed.

Add eggs

Add eggs one at a time, beating briefly after each addition until incorporated. Do not overbeat.

Incorporate wet ingredients

Beat in the vegetable oil, milk, and vanilla extract until combined. Mix in the 1/4 cup dark rum.

Bring batter together

With mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in two additions, mixing just until combined and smooth. Scrape the bowl to ensure no pockets of flour remain.

Bake

Pour batter into the prepared bundt pan and smooth the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 50–65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but not raw batter. Rotate pan halfway through baking for even browning if your oven cooks hot spots.

Cool slightly

Remove the cake from the oven and let it rest in the pan on a wire rack for 10–15 minutes so it begins to set but remains warm enough to absorb syrup.

Make syrup

While the cake bakes (or during the final 15 minutes), combine 1/4 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then bring to a gentle simmer for 3–4 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup dark rum and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Allow syrup to cool slightly but keep warm; do not boil after adding rum.

Invert and pour

Invert the cake onto a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet (to catch excess syrup). Using a skewer or toothpick, poke holes across the surface and sides of the warm cake to help the syrup penetrate. Slowly drizzle about half of the warm rum syrup evenly over the inverted warm cake, allowing it to soak in. Wait 10–15 minutes, then drizzle remaining syrup. Use a spoon to guide syrup into holes if needed.

Rest to absorb

Allow the cake to sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour so the syrup fully soaks in. For a stronger rum flavor, brush or drizzle an additional 2 tablespoons of dark rum over the cake after 30 minutes (optional).

Transfer the cake to a serving plate once most of the syrup has been absorbed. If desired, dust the top lightly with powdered sugar and sprinkle toasted sliced almonds around the top or on the plate for presentation.

Slice with a serrated knife and serve. Store any leftover cake tightly covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days. Reheat gently before serving if desired; you can brush with a little extra rum syrup to revive moisture.