We're so in love with this easy Rum Cake recipe that's super soft, moist, and infused with the most delicious glaze. It's simple enough for beginners but impressive enough for guests.
Rum Cake hits the sweet spot.
Rum Cake hits the sweet spot.I love how a homemade rum cake feels a little more unique and special while still being incredibly easy. My version is basically a moist homemade yellow cake with a hint of rum flavor and a warm rum glaze poured on top of the hot cake so it soaks in and makes the rum cake extra moist and flavorful.
As far as the alcohol in rum cake I use Bicardi Gold or dark Myer's rum, but use any kind you like (the alcohol mostly evaporates during the baking/cooking process). If you want to make rum cake without alcohol, use one teaspoon of rum extract in place of the rum.
Don't miss my other unique cake recipes like Coconut Cake, Meringue Roulade, Biscoff Cake, Cookie Cake, or Cinnamon Roll Cake!
How to make Rum Cake:
Make Cake Batter: Whisk milk, sour cream, and rum and allow to come to room temperature. In a separate bowl whip butter then add sugar. Mix in vanilla then add eggs and egg yolks, one at a time. In a separate bowl combine cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add ⅓ of the dry ingredients to batter, mixing until combined. Add ½ of the milk mixture. Repeat with the dry ingredients and milk/sour cream mixture until incorporated.
Bake: Pour batter into a well greased 12 cup bundt pan and bake at 350°F (180°C) for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with few moist crumbs.
Make Glaze while cake is baking. Allow cake to cool in pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a cool rack, wipe pan clean, and place cake back in pan. Poke holes all over the cake then gently pour most of the glaze over the cake, reserving a little for topping later. Allow homemade rum cake to soak up glaze, then invert onto a plate or serving platter. Spoon remaining glaze on top before serving.
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Recipe
Rum Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup milk (62g), room temperature
- 1/3 cup sour cream (76g), room temperature (light or regular)
- 1/3 cup rum (79g), Bicardi Gold or Dark Myer's rum, or your favorite kind
- 1 cup butter (227g), room temperature
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar (350g)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs , room temperature
- 2 large egg yolks , room temperature
- 2 1/4 cups cake flour (270g)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Glaze:
- ½ cup butter (113g)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
- ½ cup brown sugar (110g)
- ¼ cup rum (59g)
- ¼ cup heavy cream (57g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180°C) with oven rack in the center of oven.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: Whisk the milk, sour cream and rum together in a liquid measure and let come to room temperature.¼ cup milk, ⅓ cup sour cream, ⅓ cup rum
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl or stand mixer whip the butter on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the granulated sugar and beat for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. Add vanilla. Add eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, mixing just between additions. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.1 cup butter, 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 3 large eggs, 2 large egg yolks
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Combine the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.2 ¼ cups cake flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- Alternate Ingredients: Add ⅓ of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix just until combined. Add ½ of the milk/sour cream mixture and mix. Add another ⅓ of the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined. Add the last ½ of the milk/sour cream mixture and beat until just combined. Add the final ⅓ of the dry ingredients and mix just until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
- Bake: Grease and flour bundt pan. (I use shortening, and make sure every crevice of the pan is coated. The lightly dust with flour). Pour batter evenly into the pan and bake at 350 degrees F for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with few crumbs.
- Glaze: Add glaze ingredients to a saucepan over medium heat. Stir well until butter has melted and mixture is smooth. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring, and boil for 2 minutes.½ cup butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup rum, ¼ cup heavy cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Finish Cake: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before gently inverting it. (I like to remove the cake first, to make sure to get it out easily). Then wipe the pan clean and put the cake back in it. Poke holes all over the cake and gently pour most of the glaze over the cake, reserving just a little.
- Serve: Allow the cake to soak up the glaze and then invert it onto a plate or serving platter. Spoon remaining glaze on top before serving.
- Store leftover rum cake covered in the refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition
I originally shared this recipe August 2019. Updated April 2022 and May 2025.
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Best Rum cake recipe I’ve ever made!! Thank you for sharing!
My go to rum cake recipe! I add cinnamon for a little warmth and it goes great with the rum flavor. Thank you!
My go to rum cake recipe! I add cinnamon for a little warmth and it goes great with the rum flavor. Thank you!
With the boxed cake manufacturer changing the weight of the cake mixes, I was search for a recipe to make this from scratch. Thanks and quick side note: if you want a different flavor, try using Fireball instead of the rum. Same amounts, yummy cinnamon taste.
Hi, I made this cake and it was amazing. But I would like the rum to be a little stronger. Do you think if i added more run to the cake mixture it will be too soggy when it come out?
I love this easy recipe and it is always a big hit when I take it to gatherings of family and friends.
Made the cake for Fathers Day nd it was a BIG HIT. Delish. My go to scratch rum cake from here on out. Thanks!!!!
What would the temp and cook time be for individual cakes? I have someone that wants me to make some and have never made it before. So help would be appreciated. Have a great day. Thank you
I’d need to know the cake pan sizes…
I have looked all over and this is the BEST scratch rum cake there is 😍
Can this be done as a layer cake?
Yes, that should be fine!
Hi Lauren,
Is it ok to use all purpose flour instead of cake flour? Also, if the cake gets stuck in the bundt pan, how do you recommend getting it out without having the cake fall apart? Thanks so much!
When cakes are done, they will pull away from the sides of the pan—look for that.
But when cakes stick, it usually means we’ve waited too long before trying to remove them from the pan; or we didn’t make sure to separate any cake that had baked onto the top of the pan.
The first correction would include putting the cake back into hot oven for about 5-10 minutes so it can be released from the pan.
The second fix would be to clean up the edges where the cake and pan meet BEFORE attempting to remove cake from pan.
One way to test a cake’s readiness to leave the pan is to tilt them side to side, front to back; also, you can see whether or not it moves if you lightly shake the pan back and forth. If they slowly slide in the pan, or move, they, more than likely, ready to come out of the pan.
Everyone likes loved it.
could you use amaretto instead of rum?