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This Classic Butter Rum Cake recipe will get the party started! The delicious buttery, moist texture is perfect for parties or anytime you want to make something special. The rum glaze over the top is the ideal chef kiss.
If you love pound cakes, check out my Sweet Potato Pound Cake, Buttermilk Pound Cake, Lemon Pound Cake Loaf, or Strawberry Whiskey Cake.
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Anytime I get a chance to add some liquor to my desserts, I jump on it! I love the extra flavor that it adds to the final product. Just because there's rum in the cake doesn't mean you have to get drunk; it means you are about to have a very moist cake with some mind-blowing flavors!
What is butter rum cake?
I think the first time I had rum cake was as a kid. All I can remember from that piece that I sunk was the sweet zang (rum) that the cake had; it reminded me of the pound cakes my dad would bake, just with something a little extra added to it that I never had before.
I remember acting drunk once I found out it had rum in it. Don't judge me.
Anyway, we have Jamaica to thank for the blessing of rum cake and the Southerners to thank for perfecting butter pound cakes. This recipe combines both to make one of the best butter rum pound cake recipes you'll enjoy.
Rum cake has been around for centuries. It's usually made with dark, spiced, coconut, or white rum, and you can add pecans, fruits, and warm spices like cinnamon or nutmeg. You can serve it warm or cold and enjoy its rich and moist texture.
In some parts of the world, it's known as black cake or Christmas pudding. No matter what you call it, one thing is certain: Rum cakes make an excellent addition to any special occasion! Whether you're celebrating a birthday or anniversary, hosting a dinner party, or just want something sweet after dinner—rum cakes are always sure to please your palate.
Let's jump into how to make one.
Butter Rum Cake Ingredients
Here are the ingredients for this delicious and easy classic butter rum cake recipe.
Butter
I love using good European butter for this cake because the higher fat content makes for some of the most amazing butter pound cakes you'll ever try. So splurge and treat yourself.
Sugar
I love using Imperial Sugar granulated sugar when baking. The product has stayed consistent for the last 100 years and is Non-GMO, which lets me know the quality is there for the soil to my home.
Flour
I only use unbleached flour for baking. This rum cake recipe will also need baking soda and baking powder.
Eggs
Brown eggs have deep golden yolks, which will make your cake stand out from the rest.
Sour Cream
A little sour cream will add moisture to the cake.
Cinnamon
A little pinch of cinnamon goes a long way but also compliments the warm spices in spiced rum.
Dark Rum
Captain Morgan is my go-to spiced rum, but I used Kraken black spice rum in this recipe and was impressed.
How to make a butter rum cake recipe?
I want you to have fun when you make this cake. It's not as hard as you think, especially if you follow these instructions. You'll reproduce a cake that will have your family begging for more.
Rum Cake: The first thing you want to do is take out your butter and eggs about 30 minutes before you plan on baking. Room-temperature ingredients combine better. However, don't worry; I'll teach you a trick to speed that up if you forget.
Preheat your oven to 300°F. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until smooth. It takes about 5 minutes, and it's done correctly when you can spread it like icing. Add eggs 1 at a time. Then sour cream and vanilla.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, and cinnamon.
Add flour to cake batter 1 cup at a time. Mix it on low to ensure the flour doesn't fly everywhere and not overwork the flour. The more you mix it, the tougher your cake will be, even if it's soaked in rum.
Pour batter into a greased bundt pan, place in the center rack, and bake for 1 hour and 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean when removed. Remove the cake from the oven, poke holes with a wooden skewer or something similar, pour rum all over it, and cool completely before you wrap it loosely with plastic wrap and chill it overnight.
Rum Glaze: The next day, while the cake is in the oven. In a large bowl, mix powdered sugar, rum, melted butter, and milk until smooth. Flip the cake over on a plate or cake stand, then pour icing evenly over it. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Pro Recipe Tips & Tricks
Here are the best practices, techniques, substitutes, and flavor builders you'll need.
- Warming the cake in the oven for about 5 minutes the next day will help the cake release from the pan.
- I used a dark finish bundt pan, so I baked it at 300°F; if you have a lighter finish on your pan, bake it at 325°F.
- If you forget to take out your butter. Slice it into half tablespoons and leave them in a single layer on the butter paper. Then measure out your ingredients. It should be at room temperature in 5-10 minutes (depending on your home's temperature).
- If you forget to take your eggs out, crack them into a bowl and proceed to prep ingredients, or cover them with warm tap water for 5 minutes to knock the chill off.
- One major key is to properly cream your butter and sugar. Creaming for 3-5 minutes allows enough air to be incorporated into the cakes. Time will vary depending on if using a stand mixer vs. a hand mixer.
- Feel free to use 8 oz. cream cheese or 1 cup of whole milk instead of sour cream.
- For a richer flavor, swap out the white sugar for brown sugar.
- You can use gluten-free flour instead of all-purpose flour to make this cake gluten friendly.
- Feel free to use self-rising flour instead of all-purpose flour. Self-rising flour already has salt and leavening ingredients in the mix.
- If you use salted butter instead of unsalted butter, omit the salt from the recipe.
- You can make a rum sauce by melting 1 stick of butter and combining it with the rum before pouring the rum syrup over the cake.
- Feel free to add chopped pecans to your cake batter before baking. If you use pecans, toast them slightly before sprinkling them into the cake.
- Add ¼ - ½ teaspoon of nutmeg to your cake.
- If you do not consume alcohol, use a rum extract instead of vanilla extract in the cake for the same great taste.
Rum Cake FAQs
Here are the top questions readers have about butter rum pound cake.
Absolutely! If you add enough rum, you can experience a slight buzz from consuming rum cake. The cake can absorb almost 2 cups of rum and still hold its texture without falling apart.
The best rum for rum cake all depends on you. If you like warm spices, then spiced rum will be perfect. A banana or coconut rum would be best if you want to add a tropical flavor. Regardless if you use a white rum, dark, spiced, or limited addition, if you enjoy drinking it, you'll enjoy it in your cake.
It's added for several reasons. First, it lends additional moisture and texture to the cake. Rum helps to give the butter rum cake aroma and flavor that many people find very desirable. Also, the alcohol content of rum helps to act as a preservative.
Finally, rum has a long history of being used in baking and is often seen as a sign of celebration for special occasions. So adding rum to butter rum cake gives it an extra layer of sophistication, making it the perfect dessert for any special occasion. 
Why is it called butter pound cake?
Butter pound cake got its name because of the amount of butter used in the recipe; most recipes use 2-3 sticks of butter per cake.
The best rum for butter rum cake is dark or spiced rum, such as Captain Morgan or Kraken Black Spiced Rum. The darker flavor of these rums will complement the buttery taste of the cake and add moisture and depth of flavor.
Each brand has different sweetness levels, so you can find a rum that perfectly suits your tastebuds for your butter rum cake recipe. Whichever rum you choose, it will surely add an extra layer of deliciousness to your butter rum cakes!
Yes, rum is in rum cake, and the rum is added last to infuse the butter rum cake with its flavor. Depending on how much rum is used, it may taste like butter pound cake with a shot of rum.
Butter rum cake is best 3 days after it'sit's made but will remain fresh, covered on the counter in a cool place for about 4 days. It can stay fresher longer by placing slices in an airtight container for 7 days in the fridge.
Freeze the cake for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. Thaw for 1-2 hours before eating. Reheat the cake in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes or pop it in the microwave for 10 seconds.
More Dessert Recipes
If you love sweet treats as much as I do, then I know you'll love these recipes too!
- Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls
- Chewy Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Triple Chocolate Brownies
- Easy Monkey Bread
- Peanut Butter Cookies with No Brown Sugar
Before You Begin
Here are my steps for getting organized and moving fast in the kitchen.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 300°F before pulling the ingredients out.
Step 2: Put everything measured into individual bowls.
Step 3: Start following the recipe and get ready for the best butter rum pound cake recipe you've ever had.
I hope you enjoyed this butter rum cake recipe as much as I did! If so, please leave a comment and star rating below. And don't forget to share it with your friends and family on social media - they will thank you for sure! Try making one today, and let me know how it turns out in the comments section below. Let's EAT!
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📖 Recipe
Butter Rum Cake
Ingredients
Rum Cake:
- 3 sticks unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups Imperial Sugar granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs room temperature
- 8 oz. sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 354 g
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 ¼ cup spiced rum
Rum Glaze:
- 1 ½ cup Imperial Sugar sifted powdered sugar
- 4 teaspoons spiced rum
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
Instructions
Rum Cake:
- Preheat oven 300°F. In a large bowl with a hand mixer on medium speed cream butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs 1 at a time. Next, add sour cream and vanilla. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- Add flour to cake batter 1 cup at a time. Pour batter into a greased bunt pan, and place in the center rack, and bake for 1 hour 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean when removed.
- Remove the cake from the oven, poke holes in it with a wooden skewer or something similar, pour rum over the cake, and allow the cake to cool for a minimum of 30 minutes. Wrap loosely with plastic wrap and chill overnight. (You can skip this step.)
Rum Glaze:
- In a large bowl add powder sugar, rum, butter and milk mix together until smooth.
- Preheat the oven to 300°F, remove the cake from the refrigerator, and place it in the oven for 5 minutes; this will help the cake release from the pan (skip this step if you don't chill the cake overnight.) Turn the cake over on a plate, then pour icing evenly over it. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Warming the cake in the oven for about 5 minutes the next day will help the cake release from the pan.
- I used a dark finish bundt pan, so I baked it at 300°F; if you have a lighter finish on your pan, bake it at 325°F.
- If you forget to take out your butter. Slice it into half tablespoons and leave them in a single layer on the butter paper. Then measure out your ingredients. It should be at room temperature in 5-10 minutes (depending on your home's temperature).
- If you forget to take your eggs out, crack them into a bowl and proceed to prep ingredients, or cover them with warm tap water for 5 minutes to knock the chill off.
- One major key is to properly cream your butter and sugar. Creaming for 3-5 minutes allows enough air to be incorporated into the cakes. Time will vary depending on if using a stand mixer vs. a hand mixer.
- Feel free to use 8 oz. cream cheese or 1 cup of whole milk instead of sour cream.
- For a richer flavor, swap out the white sugar for brown sugar.
- You can use gluten-free flour instead of all-purpose flour to make this cake gluten friendly.
- Feel free to use self-rising flour instead of all-purpose flour. Self-rising flour already has salt and leavening ingredients in the mix.
- If you use salted butter instead of unsalted butter, omit the salt from the recipe.
- You can make a rum sauce by melting 1 stick of butter and combining it with the rum before pouring the rum syrup over the cake.
- Feel free to add chopped pecans to your cake batter before baking. If you use pecans, toast them slightly before sprinkling them into the cake.
- Add ¼ - ½ teaspoon of nutmeg to your cake.
- If you do not consume alcohol, use a rum extract instead of vanilla extract in the cake for the same great taste.
Felicia Purvis says
the recipe doesn't mention when to add the rum to the batter??
Kenneth Temple says
Hi Felicia, the rum is added after the cake has finished baking. It was mentioned in the second step, but I've separated it to make it easier to locate.
Kimberly says
Hello Chef
For clarification the rum cake ingredients lists 1 ¼ cup spiced rum. Do you add the rum with the other liquids?
Kenneth Temple says
Hello Kimberly, you'll pour it over the cake after it bakes.