2025-12-22 Rum Cake Recipe | Millie Peartree

An old-fashioned family favorite, this buttery, moist rum cake is made even richer with a soak of butter, sugar and rum Orange zest in that glaze then gives it an additional burst of flavor, making it extra special – the kind of cake that breaks out of the holiday mold and gets served at every gathering to come.

Ingredients

for the cake

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 2 1/2 cups/320 grams cake flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 cup/120 milliliters whole milk, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup/120 milliliters dark rum
• 1 cup/227 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups/300 grams sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

for the glaze

• 1 cup/200 grams sugar
• 1/2 cup/120 milliliters dark rum
• 1 orange, zested and 1/4 cup juice reserved
• 1/4 cup/57 grams unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• Place a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 12-cup Bundt cake pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• Prepare the cake: In a medium bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In a liquid measuring cup, combine milk and rum.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high until creamy and pale yellow, 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, waiting until each is completely incorporated before adding the next, and scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. Add the vanilla extract. Turn mixer to low, and add a third of the flour mixture, then a third of the milk-rum mixture, repeating until there’s none left of either.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly and tapping the pan on the counter to release any air. Bake until a wooden skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few crumbs, 45 to 50 minutes.
• While the cake rests, make the glaze: In a medium saucepan, combine all the glaze ingredients except the vanilla. Bring to a rapid boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook (without stirring) until the glaze thickens slightly, about 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
• While the cake is still in the pan, poke holes all over the cake using a skewer, fork or cake tester. Pour the glaze over the cake, allowing it to soak in. Cool the cake for about 20 to 30 minutes and run a sharp knife along the edges to unmold. (If the cake is hard to unmold, dip the pan in hot water for 30 seconds.) Flip the cake onto a serving plate, and serve.