Rum Cake With Toasted Pecans

You won't be able to stop at one slice

By
Carroll Pellegrinelli
Carroll Pellegrinelli
Expert baker and published author, Carroll Pellegrinelli shares her knowledge of bread baking and desserts.
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and
Diana Andrews
Headshot of Diana Andrews
Diana Andrews
Diana earned her B.A. in Fine Art at Queens College and her culinary certification from the Institute of Culinary Education. Diana has served as head recipe developer and editor for Emmy-nominated PBS series Moveable Feast, food editor and test kitchen manager at Fine Cooking Magazine, and recipe developer, and product tester at Food Network.
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Updated on 09/27/24
Tested by
Tracy Wilk
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Tested by Tracy Wilk
Tracy Wilk is a professional pastry chef, recipe developer and chef instructor, and, most importantly, a firm believer in sprinkles.
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overhead shot of a bundt rum cake on a circular white plate with a container filled with rum sauce nearby

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Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 60 mins
Cool: 30 mins
Total: 115 mins
Servings: 12 to 16 servings

You don't have to be a Bacardi Rum drinker to enjoy this tasty rum cake. This tried-and-true easy recipe is the perfect dessert for just about any occasion. In fact, as the cake sits and the ingredients marry, the flavors get better over time. However, it won't last very long since the temptation to have more than one piece is overwhelming.

Warning

When preparing the glaze, be careful not to burn yourself when adding the rum to the butter-sugar mixture since a significant amount of steam may be released.

What Does Rum Cake Taste Like?

Moist and dense with a tender crumb, this soft, melt-in-your-mouth cake has aromatic notes of caramel and vanilla. Depending on the recipe and the quantity of rum used, the flavor may be pleasant and warming or syrupy and intense. This Bacardi Rum-infused cake is well-balanced with a delightful, not-too-sweet taste and an earthy crunch from the chopped nuts. The rum enhances the flavor profile and combines with the butter to offer a rich, complex flavor.

Use a Bundt Pan

The iconic bundt pan's round, tubular shape, and center hole are perfect for baking dense desserts like rum cake since the shape promotes even heat distribution in the oven. The variety of intricate design patterns allows the cake to shine through without requiring much more than a sprinkle of confectioners' sugar, or nothing at all. Another quality of the bundt pan is its ability to reliably release the cake in one visually appealing piece.

Tips For Making Rum Cake Recipe

  • Get the bubbles out - Tapping the pan firmly on the counter releases air bubbles and evens out the batter in the pan.
  • Let it sit - The longer this cake sits, the better it tastes.
  • Enjoy it plain - Or topped with vanilla ice cream.
  • Ship it - It's the perfect cake to ship since the rum helps to preserve the cake. In fact, many of these cakes have been shipped to loved ones overseas.
What You'll Need To Make This Rum Cake Recipe
Nordic-ware-platinum-collection-nonstick-heritage-bundt-pan
A Snazzy Bundt Pan
Magnolia Bakery 5-Speed Hand Mixer
A Great Hand Mixer
Antoki Digital Kitchen Timer, 2-Pack
A Handy Kitchen Timer

"Growing up in Miami, there was not one holiday party that did not include a rum cake. This reminded me of home, but I think the walnuts and pretty Bundt pan really made this a unique cake. Plus, the ease of cake mix and instant pudding made it very user friendly." —Tracy Wilk

Bacardi rum Bundt cake on a white plate
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Ingredients

For the Cake:

  • Baking spray with flour

  • 1 cup toasted pecans or walnuts, coarsely chopped

  • 1 (15.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix

  • 1 (3.4-ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix

  • 4 large eggs

  • 1/2 cup cold milk

  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil

  • 1/2 cup Bacardi dark rum

For the Glaze:

  • 1/2 cup (4-ounces) unsalted butter

  • 1/4 cup water

  • 1 cup granulated sugar

  • 1/2 cup Bacardi dark rum

Steps to Make It

For the Cake

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for Bacardi rum cake recipe gathered

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  2. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 325 F. Generously spray a 12-cup bundt pan with baking spray with flour. Alternatively, grease and flour the pan.

    Greased and floured 12-cup Bundt pan

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  3. Sprinkle 1 cup toasted pecans or walnuts, coarsely chopped in the bottom of the pan.

    Nuts in the bottom of the Bundt pan

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  4. To a large bowl add 1 (15.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix, 1 (3.4-ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix, 4 large eggs, 1/2 cup cold milk, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, and 1/2 cup Bacardi dark rum. Beat on high with an electric mixer until well combined, about 2 minutes. Alternatively, use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

    Rum Bundt cake ingredients combined together in a bowl

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  5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Firmly tap the pan on a kitchen towel-lined countertop several times to evenly spread the batter and release any air bubbles.

    Bacardi rum cake batter poured into pan

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  6. Transfer to the oven and bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into several spots comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it, 45 to 55 minutes.

    Baked Bacardi rum cake in Bundt pan

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  7. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 30 minutes. Invert it onto a serving plate.

    Bacardi rum cake cooled and inverted on plate

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  8. Prick the top all over with a fork. Set the cake aside.

    Top of rum cake pricked with fork

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To Make the Glaze

  1. Melt 1/2 cup (4-ounces) unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

    Butter melted in a saucepan for Bacardi rum cake glaze

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  2. Stir in 1/4 cup water and 1 cup granulated sugar.

    Water and sugar added to butter for Bacardi rum cake glaze

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  3. Bring the mixture to a low boil, continuing to stir constantly, about 5 minutes.

    Ingredients in saucepan boiling for rum cake glaze

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  4. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup Bacardi dark rum. Note: Adding the rum may create a lot of steam. Be careful not to burn yourself.

    Glaze removed from heat and rum added to saucepan

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  5. Drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake. If desired, brush the excess glaze from the bottom of the plate onto the cake.

    Glaze drizzling over top of Bacardi rum cake

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How To Store and Freeze

  • This rum cake can be covered and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerated for up to 7 days.
  • Rum cake freezes beautifully. Wrap it in plastic, then place it in a zip-top freezer bag or airtight container for up to 4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
356 Calories
20g Fat
34g Carbs
4g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12 to 16
Amount per serving
Calories 356
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20g 25%
Saturated Fat 6g 28%
Cholesterol 62mg 21%
Sodium 348mg 15%
Total Carbohydrate 34g 12%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 21g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 92mg 7%
Iron 1mg 6%
Potassium 73mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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