Rum Cake with Butter Rum Glaze
An easy homemade recipe for moist and delicious Rum Cake with topped with Butter Rum Glaze perfect for any occasion!
Today I’m sharing a recipe from Holiday Thyme! It was a hard decision to pick just one since I love all the recipes I created for the book but I decided to share with you my Rum Cake with Butter Rum Glaze. Unlike most rum cake recipes, this one does not come from a box cake mix (not that there is anything wrong with that) and oh my goodness is it amazing.
Rum is another flavor that reminds me of the holidays so what perfect way to celebrate the season than with a rum cake. This smells so good when it is baking. After it has cooled slightly, top it off with a butter rum glaze for a great dessert to serve at your holiday gatherings. I always like to reserve a little of the glaze to also drizzle on the slices right before serving as well.
Holiday Thyme is filled with recipes like these. Need dinner ideas? Try my Maple-Glazed Pork Tenderloin or even an easy recipe for Sicilian Chicken that you can also find in this book and also great for any holiday dinner parties you may be hosting.  And you don’t want to miss my recipe for homemade Eggnog, or one of my favorites Processo and Cranberry Mojitos, great for ringing in the New Year.
In the meantime lets enjoy the Holiday Thyme and a warm piece of Rum Cake!
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PrintRum Cake with Butter Rum Glaze
Moist and delicious rum cake topped with a butter rum glaze is the perfect ending to your holiday dinner.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients
- Non-stick cooking spray
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3.4 ounce box instant vanilla pudding mix
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1½ cups sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup light rum
- Butter Rum Glaze
- ½ cup 1 stick butter
- 1 cup sugar
- ¼ cup light rum
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Generously spray a standard 10-inch bundt pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle walnuts evenly on the bottom of bundt pan and set aside.
- In a medium bowl stir together flour, pudding mix, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside.
- Using an electric mixer cream butter and sugar. Stir in vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla extract and rum.
- Gradually add in flour mixture to wet ingredients until blended. Pour batter into bundt pan on top of nuts.
- Bake in preheated oven for 55-60 minutes until cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely before inverting.
- Butter Rum Glaze
- In a small saucepan combine butter, sugar, rum and water over medium heat. Bring to a boil and cook for 3-4 minutes stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
- Using a toothpick poke small holes all over cake. Generously brush cake with glaze. Drizzle remaining glaze on top of cake. Reserve a small amount to pour on slices when serving.
that looks like it would melt in my mouth- yum!
This is gorgeous, I love how moist it looks!
I can practically smell the rum, I love this cake!
Okay, this is a gorgeous cake! It looks so moist and delish.
Just made this cake and it is amazing!!
So happy to hear this! 🙂
Ok i just made this cake and boy oh i was so happy the way it turned out and taste…..
Do you put 3 boxes of pudding mix?
No. A 3.4 ounce box of instant pudding mix
My Mom made this cake ( or a slight variation of it) and it was always a hit. Watch out for the rum! Mom always added a bit more and the effects were notable with all who went back for a third slice 😀 You just can’t stop eating it.
I made this several days ago to take to work, and it was just out of this world delicious !! Everyone loved it, and wanted the recipe ….
I plan on making it my go to recipe for Rum cake for Christmas. Thank you for sharing Jennifer.
This bread is amazing! I made it last night and OMG! It was heavenly! Thank you for this recipe.
tried it with dark rum–fantastic but very strong!
Hi Jennifer
Do you remember the brand of light rum you used in this recipe.
I use Bacardi. Enjoy! 🙂
How would I store this and will it get stronger aged?
You can store it in an airtight container in a cool place. It should store for a few days. Enjoy and Happy Holidays!
Hello Jennifer, can I use cake flour instead of AP flour?
Hi, I have never tried it with cake flour but you can substitute cake flour for ap flour. You will need to add 2 tablespoon cake flour more for every cup of of AP flour, so you will want to add about 6 tablespoons more cake flour on top of the 3 cups the recipe calls for. Let me know if you have any other questions!
Coconut rum is great in this recipe too
Good idea with the coconut rum!
This cake looks amazing! I have been searching for a rum cake recipe and have found many with different amounts of ingredients and some with different ingredients all together. This will be my first cake from scratch and i plan to make it for christmas. Some recipes call for 1/2 cup of milk instead of the baking soda. Do they serve the same purpose in a cake? I also found some recipes add rum flavor along with dark rum. Do you think that would be too rummy? Any advice would be appreciated.
Hi Angela. I don’t know why some of the recipes would call for 1/2 cup milk instead of baking soda. Baking soda is a leavening agent. I can’t answer your question about the recipes that require both flavor and rum as I don’t know what other ingredients are in the recipe to check for proper balance. I can tell you, that I think you will be very happy with this recipe for my rum cake. It’s got great flavor and texture. Follow the recipe as I instruct and I’m sure it will be a success for you! Enjoy and happy holidays!
This is in my oven now, but in a springform pan as I don’t yet own a bundt. Hope it still inverts okay. Assuming the glaze goes on when the cooled cake has been inverted (well, flipped in my case). Plan on using an embroidery needle to poke the holes. Don’t judge!! This will hopefully be a hit with family.
Smells divine!!
Thanks Karen! I hope you and your family enjoy this delicious cake. 🙂
This is a great recipe, very simple and easy to follow. The cake came out moist and the density was perfect. The only issue I had was that the glaze did not seep all the way through the cake – but I can probably mitigate that the next time I bake it. This recipe rivals the Rum cakes from Honey Baked Ham.
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe! 🙂
Would love to win this book!!
This is the second time that I have made this cake, and it is so good. I have been looking for a Rum cake that was not made from a box cake for a long time and now I’m so glad I found it. Thanks for sharing this recipe with us.
I am so glad you enjoy this delicious cake! Thanks so much for letting me know!
Hi, I was wondering if I made this in a13x9 pan instead do you think it will turn out
Hi Jennifer, Sorry, I have never tried it that way to let you know how it would turn out. I’m sure it would be fine, but I would hate to guess or even know how long the baking time would be.
i only have dark rum. Could I use that and if so, what amount?
You can substitute with dark rum, the glaze will just come out a little darker.
Do I poke the holes before or after I take it out of the bunt pan?
You can poke the holes in after you remove the cake from the pan.
Hi Jennifer, I need help. In making bundt rum cake. Make the glaze per instruction, vacuum packed cake, two weeks later open cake and it seems the sugar has crystalized inside the cake. What have I done wrong ?
Hi Judy, I’m sorry to hear that happened. I have never vacuum sealed this cake before to be able to determine what might of happened. My only suggestion is maybe next time seal the cake without the glaze and add the glaze before you are ready to serve.
hello Jennifer, thanks for sharing, can I use brandy instead of rum? I thinking in making a 3 layers 8″ round cake with the recipe, do you think will turn out ok? Thanks.
Hi Giselle, I have never substituted brandy in place of the rum so I can not confirm how the results would be but you could definitely try it if you’d like. Enjoy!
Question – I know alcohol burns off when cooking but was wondering if you taste the rum in the glaze.
Hi Terea, Thanks for your comment. Yes, you can definitely taste the rum in the glaze. Enjoy!
Hi! This cake looks amazing! I grew up on Effie Marie Vanilla Rum cakes – they were out of this world! I’ve been searching for a rum cake to make for Christmas! I hope this is it! Do you know if the glaze turns into a crust? The Effie Marie cakes were so moist and the glaze gave it a crunch when eating it…from the sugary womderfulness! ?. Any idea if this is similar? Can’t wait to make!!
Hi Amy – This cake is amazing! I have never had an Effie Marie Vanilla Rum Cake to know if it is similar to this, sorry!
Just wondering, can i use the same recipe for cupcakes also?
Would you clarify please? Is that 3 4oz packages of pudding?
Hi Renee its 1 box – 3.4 ounces. Enjoy and Happy Holidays!
I made this recipe for Christmas and it came out perfect the only thing I changed was I used dark rum instead of light
★★★★★
I made this recipe for Christmas and it was wonderful the only thing I changed was I used dark rum instead of light. I will be making it again
★★★★★
I don’t do alcohol so can I use rum flavoring instead of rum?
Do you put the glaze on while in the pan?
Hi Audrey, So sorry for the delay in responding. The glaze goes on after you remove it from the pan so it drips down the sides. Enjoy!
I baked this cake this week just to give it a trial run to see how it would be for the Holidays. I substituted the Rum with Cognac. This cake came out perfect, it almost melted in your mouth. My husband waited for the cake to get out of the oven and I cut him 2 big slices. He didn’t even eat dinner. Him and I loved the cake and so did my adult children. This will be my go-to-cake for the Holidays and beyond. Thank you Jen for sharing this wonderful recipe!!
★★★★★
Hi Vera, I am thrilled to hear this recipe turned out so well for you. It’s a holiday favorite! I hope you enjoy it all season long. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment!
Could you use rum flavoring instead of actual rum? We don’t use alcohol but have had rum cake and would love to have this.
I did this rum cake yesterday, and is so far my favorite recipe. I add some personal taste like a mix of nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger and clove. Also I did the the butter rum glaze with brown sugar and the exterior color is amazing.
Thank you for the details.
★★★★★
is it 1 cup, plus 2 sticks of butter which is actually 2 cups of butter?
So you dont use yellow cake mix in it.
Hi! I made this and increased the rum to a half a cup and used spiced rum! It was so good!!
Hi!
Would I be able to substitute the pudding mix with vanilla yogurt?
I made this cake last year but today I realize that there are 2 mistakes that could lead an inexperienced person to a bad result of such a great recipe!! Where you say 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter you mean 1 cup OR its equivalent (2 sticks) since 2 cups of butter would be too much. However it must be said that this is the best rum cake recipe!!!!!!!!.
Sounds wonderful
Does the alcohol cook out? I would hate to get everyone drunk on Christmas day.
I have made this now about 5 times to rave review. The only change I made was to add a little more rum. I used spiced rum and it was amazing! A try favorite!!!
★★★★★
Gurrl!!
I decided to do the brave thing and actually bake on Christmas Day :{ (I know right?)
This recipe was simple, pantry ready, and the perfect satisfaction for a holiday sweet tooth crave!
I just made this cake. It doesnt say whether or not it needs to be stored in the refrigerator.
★★★★★
Can I substitute regular pudding instead of instant?
I have made this cake several times for family and friends and they love it.
★★★★★
Have you tired this cake with pecans instead of walnuts? I’m not a walnut fan but like pecans. Thanks
Absolutely love this recipe! I added 4.6 oz of pudding and everyone thought it was a hit. Drinkers & non drinker
★★★★★
Wonderful cake! I made it for New Year’s Eve. No major switches–just pecans because I can not do walnuts and French vanilla instant pudding because that’s what I had. I’ll definitely make it again. Thanks so much!
★★★★★
Made this cake for the first time…came out fantastic…super moist…everyone loved it….will definitely make again
★★★★★
I have made this several times for coworkers. It is a hit every single time I make it. Very good cake. Super easy to make. Thank you sharing a wonderful recipe.
★★★★★
Can you use this rum cake recipe to make rum cupcakes ? If so do you add or delete anything
I used the cupcake pan. These were perfect! Bake for 12-15 minutes. I didn’t use wrappers and I didn’t change s as my thing in the recipe
If I use King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour, would you recommend that I do anything different, or just follow the recipe as is?
Hi, I’m an older gentleman that likes to Bake. Unfortunately, I don have a mixer. Can I use box cake mix?
I made this for Christmas. It turned out perfect! I used pecans instead of walnuts.
This is the BEST Rum cake Ive ever made. Ive used the box mix, but this is sooo much better! Its moist and rich and has so much buttery flavor. Thank you so much for sharing!
Its an easy recipe, so no excuses.
★★★★★
Can I make this without the vanilla pudding mix? What is the purpose of the pudding mix?
I absolutely love this rum cake! It is a hit with everyone that tries it. Delicious 😋
★★★★★
I’ve been making this recipe for quite a few years now, and it’s amazing. My grandmother always made rum cakes for the holidays and this recipe reminds me of hers. The only thing I do differently is that I use a dark rum— myers rum. My grandmother always used this rum so it’s very nostalgic, and tastes amazing with this recipe.
★★★★★
Hi! I’m so happy you enjoy this holiday favorite! I love that you use dark rum too! It’s such a delicious and moist cake!
It looked great, but too dry without a ton of the rum sauce on it. Next time, I’m going to add a little buttermilk or sour cream to correct that. Otherwise, a decent recipe.
★★★★
This cake is utterly delicious! I made it last weekend. The rum flavor is definitely there but it does not taste like alcohol at all. Very yummy and I’m glad I gave it a try!
★★★★★
Hi Cassie! I’m so happy you enjoyed this!
I’m a little confused. The notes say it’s made without cake mix but then uses vanilla pudding mix. What is that? Do you have more exact measurements for making this outside of the US? Either in grams or oz? This cake looks amazing and I really want to try it.
Hi! The pudding mix just makes it a little moist. You can leave it out if you don’t have it.
I made these in a cupcake pan without the wrappers. These were such a hit!
So moist and delicious. I put about a tablespoon on walnuts in each spot and poured the mix on top. Baked for about 12-15 minutes. Placed on a cooling rack to cool and then poured the glazed.
Huge success!
★★★★★
This Rum Cake with Butter Rum Glaze looks absolutely decadent! I love the combination of rich flavors and can’t wait to try this recipe. Perfect for the holidays or any special occasion! Thank you for sharing!