Few desserts are more effortlessly elegant than a homemade rum cake! This boozy, decadent treat is surprisingly easy to make since it starts with a simple box of cake mix.
This rum cake proves that delicious desserts don’t have to be complicated. Rum turns cake mix into a decadent, moist dessert infused with warm and inviting flavors.
Rum cake is perfect for a special occasion like Christmas or anytime you want a show-stopping dessert that isn’t actually difficult to make. It is the perfect blend of simplicity and sophistication.
My husband has an obsession with rum cake, so it’s become my holiday tradition to make one every year. There’s just something about that sticky, boozy glaze that transforms a simple cake into pure decadence.
I go through the simple step-by-step directions for making this recipe below. And I include my best tips and tricks. So add a little extra sparkle to your festive season with some semi-homemade deliciousness!
Are you looking for more holiday cake mix hacks? Try cranberry upside-down cake, strawberry donuts, or Christmas Bundt cake!
🥘Ingredient Notes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
- Yellow or golden butter cake mix: Using a boxed mix might seem cheating. But honestly, it’s such a time-saver, and it always turns out perfectly moist and fluffy. Plus, we’re doctoring it with some extra goodies, so no one will know it’s not from scratch!
- Instant vanilla pudding
- Rum: I like using light rum for this recipe, but you can experiment with different types to find your perfect match. Just make sure it’s a good-quality rum.
- Walnuts
- Eggs
- Oil
- Water
- Butter
- Granulated sugar
🥣How to Make Homemade Rum Cake
- First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and spray a bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray. Then, coat the pan with flour and shake off any excess. This will help the cake release quickly once it’s baked.
- Spread the chopped nuts evenly into the bottom of the pan. Once the cake is flipped over, the nuts create a delicious, crunchy layer.
- In a large bowl, mix the cake, pudding, eggs, rum, oil, and water until smooth. You can do this by hand or with an electric mixer – whatever floats your boat!
- Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan on top of the nuts.
- Bake the cake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Once the cake is done, let it cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20-30 minutes.
- While the cake is cooling, make the glaze. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, and water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat and let it simmer gently for 4-5 minutes or until it thickens a bit.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the rum.
- Poke holes in the bottom of the cooling cake with a fork. Drizzle about ⅓ of the glaze over the cake and let it soak in for 5 minutes.
- Carefully flip the cake out onto a cake plate or serving platter.
- Using a pastry brush, generously brush the rest of the rum glaze all over the surface of the cake, allowing it to soak in as much as possible.
- Let the cake rest for about an hour to allow the glaze to soak in thoroughly and the flavors to meld.
🍴Serving Ideas
Now that you’ve got a gorgeous, glazed rum cake, it’s time to serve it up! It is delicious as is and doesn’t need anything else. But if you want to make it even better, here are some ideas:
- Whipped Cream: A dollop of freshly whipped cream on top of each slice adds a lovely lightness to the rich cake.
- Fresh Fruit: Slice strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries to add a pop of color and freshness to your plate.
No matter how you serve it, this rum cake is sure to be a hit. It’s perfect for Christmas, birthday celebrations, or a cozy night with your favorite people.
💭How to Store
Place the cake in an airtight container or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap to help prevent it from drying out. It will keep at room temperature for about five days. If you need to store the cake longer, pop it in the fridge. It will keep well for up to a week.
Rum cake freezes beautifully! Wrap individual slices or the whole cake tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe bag or container. It will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer. When ready to enjoy it, thaw it overnight in the fridge and bring it to room temperature before serving.
⭐Tips
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- Use high-quality rum. Good quality rum will give your cake a smooth, rich flavor that you can’t get from the bottom-shelf stuff.
- Grease the Bundt pan generously. There’s nothing worse than going to all the trouble of making a beautiful cake, only to have it stick to the pan and fall apart when you try to remove it.
- Before you pour the hot rum glaze over the bottoms of the cake, use a skewer or fork to poke some holes all over the surface. The holes will help the glaze soak into the cake more evenly and give you that deliciously moist texture.
- Use a dark rum if you want a richer flavor. Or try a flavored version like coconut rum.
- If you don’t love walnuts, leave them out. Or substitute almonds or pecans.
📝Reader Questions
While I’ve always used yellow or golden butter cake mix, you could experiment with other flavors. Vanilla, white, or even chocolate cake mix could be delicious with the rum flavors. Just keep in mind that the texture and taste of the cake may be slightly different.
Absolutely! Rum cake often tastes even better the day after it’s made, as the flavors have had time to blend.
Not really. The alcohol content in rum cake is low because of the baking process. But it is soaked in rum after baking, so it is not alcohol-free. If you have issues with alcohol, find another dessert.
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Homemade Rum Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup walnuts chopped
- 13.4 ounces yellow or golden butter cake mix 1 box
- 3.4 ounces instant vanilla pudding 1 small box
- 4 eggs room temperature
- ½ cup rum
- ½ cup vegetable or canola oil
- ½ cup water
Hot Rum Glaze
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup rum
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spray a bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray and coat with flour. Shake off any excess flour.
- Spread the nuts evenly in the pan.1 cup walnuts
- Mix the cake mix, pudding, eggs, rum, oil, and water in a large bowl until smooth. Spread the batter evenly into the pan on top of the nuts.13.4 ounces yellow or golden butter cake mix, 3.4 ounces instant vanilla pudding, 4 eggs, ½ cup rum, ½ cup vegetable or canola oil, ½ cup water
- Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Cool in a pan on a wire rack for 20-30 minutes.
- While it cools, combine sugar, butter, and water for the glaze in a small saucepan.1 cup granulated sugar, ½ cup unsalted butter, ¼ cup water
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat and simmer gently for 4-5 minutes or until thickened.
- Remove it from the heat and stir in rum.¼ cup rum
- Poke holes in the bottom of the cake and drizzle it with ⅓ of the rum glaze. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Then, flip the cake over onto a serving plate.
- Brush the remaining glaze over the cake using a pastry brush, allowing it to soak in as much as possible.
- Let the cake rest for at least an hour before serving.
Notes
- Use high-quality rum. Good quality rum will give your cake a smooth, rich flavor that you can’t get from the bottom-shelf stuff.
- Grease the Bundt pan generously. There’s nothing worse than going to all the trouble of making a beautiful cake, only to have it stick to the pan and fall apart when you try to remove it.
- Use a dark rum if you want a richer flavor. Or try a flavored version like coconut rum.
- If you don’t love walnuts, leave them out. Or substitute almonds or pecans.
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
