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How to Make Rum Cake: Yo Ho Yo Ho, a Pirate’s Cake for Me

Sam Slaughter
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Rum cake has been a holiday staple in the Caribbean for centuries. Having evolved from a mix of British and Caribbean traditions, the sweet, boozy dessert is perpetually a favorite of anyone and everyone who tries one (our money is on the fact that it has rum in it).

The thing is, we feel that rum cake can and should be enjoyed any time you want a boozy confection. You could just pour rum over a piece of sheet cake and technically have rum cake, but that’s cheating. Instead, you should learn to make your own rum cake – an easy and delicious thing to do. (As a bonus, you have nine months to perfect your recipe before the holiday season begins again.)

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Need Rum?

Instead of teaching you a typical rum cake, though, we’re kicking it up a notch. This rum cake recipe, which comes to us from Runamok Maple, utilizes their Sugarmaker’s Cut maple syrup — the best of the best syrup that is usually set aside for family and friends. The rich maple syrup combines perfectly with the wood and vanilla notes of the rum to make a perfect cake for the holidays, for greeting spring, or for any time.

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If maple syrup isn’t your thing, take it out to have a regular rum cake, but we suggest trying it with the syrup first.

Maple Rum Cake Recipe

Maple Rum Cake Recipe Runamok Maple
Runamok Maple

(Serves 10-12)

Ingredients:

  • Rum syrup (see below)
  • 1 pkg instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 4 large eggs
  • .5 cup rum
  • .5 cup dark rum
  • .5 cup Runamok Maple’s Sugarmaker’s Cut
  • .5 cup butter
  • .5 cup butter, softened
  • 5 cups sugar
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • .5 cup milk
  • .5 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt

Method for the cake:

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan and set aside.
  3. Combine flour, salt and baking powder in a small bowl. In a standing mixer or using a large spoon, cream the softened butter and sugar together. Add the eggs and oil and stir until blended. Mix in the vanilla pudding mix. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the milk. Lastly, add the rum.
  4. Pour the batter into the Bundt pan and cook for approximately 45 to 50 minutes or until a fork piercing the cake comes out clean.

Method for the rum syrup:

  1. Melt the butter and maple syrup together in a pan. Remove from heat and add the rum.
  2. Slowly pour the warm mixture over the warm cake (while it is still in the pan), letting the syrup soak in evenly. You may want to poke a few holes with a fork in the middle of the cake to distribute it. Let it sit for a few hours, then loosen the cake and tip it out of the pan onto a serving plate.

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Sam Slaughter
Sam Slaughter
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Sam Slaughter was the Food and Drink Editor for The Manual. Born and raised in New Jersey, he’s called the South home for…
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