You can find rum cakes on most of the Caribbean islands although the recipes differ slightly. There is rum in the cake so this is probably a more suitable dessert for adults. For this recipe, I made these as Caribbean Rum Mini Bundt Cakes. The vanilla and eggs offer a moist texture and rich flavor, which is delicious. But the modern-day Bundt cake recipe and shape was originally European and more of a brioche cake called Kugelhupf. Then in the 1950s, the style of the mold changed and became popular in North America. That is when the Nordic Ware cookware company started manufacturing the cast aluminum pans for all families to enjoy. Nonetheless, this is a delicious cake you can enjoy at the holidays or anytime of the year
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. For this recipe, I used two mini Bundt cake pans but you could make it in one regular sized Bundt pan as well. Grease the Bundt tins with melted butter. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl including; flour, sugar, dry vanilla pudding, baking powder, nutmeg and salt. Stir the dry ingredients until well mixed. Combine the wet ingredients in a bowl including; butter, vegetable oil, milk, eggs, rum and vanilla. Blend the wet ingredients until smooth and well mixed.
Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of the dry ingredients and stir until well incorporated.
Evenly pour the batter into the 12 Bundt mini pan wells. Bake 30-35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
While the cakes are baking, combine the syrup ingredients including; butter, water, sugar, salt and rum (not the vanilla) in a saucepan. While stirring, bring to a rapid boil and then simmer for 5 to 8 minutes until the syrup thickens. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla.
When the cakes are done, place on a trivet or heat resistant surface. Leave the cakes in the pans. Use a long skewer or a wooden chop stick to poke about 8 holes around each cake. Pour about ¼ cup of the syrup over the cakes. Allow the syrup to soak in and then repeat for the rest of the syrup. Cover the pans loosely with plastic wrap. Allow the cakes to absorb all the syrup overnight at room temperature. The next day, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the plastic wrap and place the pans in the oven for about 10 minutes. This will allow the syrup to soften and the cakes to loosen from the pans. Remove from the oven. Using a sheet plan, place it over each of the mini Bundt pans and turn over.
Repeat with the second mini Bundt pan. You now have 12 mini Caribbean cakes to enjoy with family and friends. These little cakes go well with ice cream or whipped cream and what ever fresh fruit you have on hand! Serves 12 (and any leftover cakes can be frozen for up to a month).
*The easiest way to bring butter to room temperature, if you are in a hurry, is to place it on a microwave safe dish in the microwave on defrost for 30 seconds. If still not to room temperature, repeat for 15 more seconds, give or take.
**I used Mount Gay rum that we brought back from Barbados. But you can buy Mount Gay worldwide as well. Really any aged dark rum should work just as well. However, I don’t advice using a light or white rum as they are not as aged and have less flavor for this type of cake.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. For this recipe, I used two mini Bundt cake pans but you could make it in one regular sized Bundt pan as well. Grease the Bundt tins with melted butter. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl including; flour, sugar, dry vanilla pudding, baking powder, nutmeg and salt. Stir the dry ingredients until well mixed. Combine the wet ingredients in a bowl including; butter, vegetable oil, milk, eggs, rum and vanilla. Blend the wet ingredients until smooth and well mixed.
Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of the dry ingredients and stir until well incorporated.
Evenly pour the batter into the 12 Bundt mini pan wells. Bake 30-35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
While the cakes are baking, combine the syrup ingredients including; butter, water, sugar, salt and rum (not the vanilla) in a saucepan. While stirring, bring to a rapid boil and then simmer for 5 to 8 minutes until the syrup thickens. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla.
When the cakes are done, place on a trivet or heat resistant surface. Leave the cakes in the pans. Use a long skewer or a wooden chop stick to poke about 8 holes around each cake. Pour about ¼ cup of the syrup over the cakes. Allow the syrup to soak in and then repeat for the rest of the syrup. Cover the pans loosely with plastic wrap. Allow the cakes to absorb all the syrup overnight at room temperature. The next day, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the plastic wrap and place the pans in the oven for about 10 minutes. This will allow the syrup to soften and the cakes to loosen from the pans. Remove from the oven. Using a sheet plan, place it over each of the mini Bundt pans and turn over.
Repeat with the second mini Bundt pan. You now have 12 mini Caribbean cakes to enjoy with family and friends. These little cakes go well with ice cream or whipped cream and what ever fresh fruit you have on hand! Serves 12 (and any leftover cakes can be frozen for up to a month).
*The easiest way to bring butter to room temperature, if you are in a hurry, is to place it on a microwave safe dish in the microwave on defrost for 30 seconds. If still not to room temperature, repeat for 15 more seconds, give or take.
**I used Mount Gay rum that we brought back from Barbados. But you can buy Mount Gay worldwide as well. Really any aged dark rum should work just as well. However, I don’t advice using a light or white rum as they are not as aged and have less flavor for this type of cake.