Caribbean Rum Cake

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This Caribbean Rum Cake recipe is inspired by the Tortuga rum cakes. A moist vanilla sponge cake that is soaked in a sweet rum mixture, topped with a delicious pecan crunch.

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If you want to impress your future in-laws, bake them a Caribbean Rum Cake. Well, that’s what I did. My then guy friend, who is now my husband, invited me to his house for Thanksgiving soon after we met. I wanted to bring something that was delicious yet a little risky. Rum cake became a clear and obvious choice to bring. 

This cake is inspired by the popular Tortuga rum cake and is now requested by family year after year.

This cake is made with boxed cake mix (shhh, that’ll be our little secret) and soaked with good quality dark rum. I originally found the recipe on all recipes but have made a few adjustments over the years to suit my taste. 

How to make Caribbean Rum Cake

First, preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Generously grease a bundt cake pan with unsalted butter. I use a whole 2 Tbsp to grease the pan and I make sure every nook and cranny is greased up so that the cake doesn’t stick. Then place chopped pecans in the bottom of the bundt pan and sprinkle with a little brown sugar. Set aside.  

In a large bowl, sift boxed cake mix and package of dry vanilla pudding mix in a large bowl. Add eggs, rum, milk, and vegetable oil and stir until thoroughly combined.

Pour mixture into bundt pan. Bake in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

How to make Caribbean Rum Cake Glaze

When your cake is almost done baking, start to prepare the glaze. 

Combine butter, water, ½ cup brown sugar, and ½ cup white sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to boil and boil for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionaly. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup of rum. 

When Cake is done baking, remove from oven and use a toothpick to poke holes in the cake while it is still in the bundt pan. Then pour the glaze over the cake while it remains in the bundt pan. Allow the glaze to soak into the cake for about 15-20 minutes. 

After soaking, use a butter knife to release the sides of the cake from the bundt pan. Remove cake from bundt cake by flipping it onto a platter. 

Serve and enjoy. 

Notes

• I use Myers’s dark rum for this recipe. I’ve used other brands but prefer Myer’s over all others. 
• This rum cake tastes like rum. If you’re not a fan of boozy cake, you won’t like this recipe. 
• This cake isn’t for the children. 
• This cake can be eaten when done but is best after being refrigerated for a day. 

I hope you enjoy this rum cake as much as my family and I do.

Looking for other delicious cake recipes? Try these out:

• Jamaican Black Cake
• Peach Cobbler Cake
• Chocolate Cola Cake
• Mini Rum Carrot Cake
• Red Velvet CupCakes
• Carrot Cake Cheesecake (Pressure Cooker Recipe)

Print Pin

4.8 from 5 votes

Caribbean Rum Cake

This Caribbean Rum Cake is inspired by the Tortuga rum cakes sold in the Caribbean and many stores in the States.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword caribbean rum cake, tortuga rum cake

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Cooling 20 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings 16 people

Calories 355kcal

Author Tanya

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

For Cake

• 2 Tbsp unslated butter
• ½ cup pecans chopped
• 1 18.25 oz package yellow cake mix
• 1 3.4 oz package instant vanilla pudding cake mix
• 4 large eggs
• ½ cup milk
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup dark rum

For Glaze

• ½ cup butter
• ¼ cup water
• ½ cup white sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup dark rum

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Generously grease a 10-inch bundt cake pan with unsalted butter.
• Place chopped pecans in the bottom of the bundt pan and sprinkle with a little brown sugar. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, sift boxed cake mix and a package of dry vanilla pudding mix in a large bowl. Add eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and ½ cup of rum and stir until thoroughly combined. Pour mixture into bundt pan over the pecans.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

For Glaze

• Combine butter, water, ½ cup brown sugar, and ½ cup white sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to boil and boil for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup of rum.
• When Cake is done baking, remove from oven and use a toothpick to poke holes in the cake while it is still in the bundt pan. Then pour the glaze over the cake while it remains in the bundt pan. Allow the glaze to soak into the cake for about 15-20 minutes.
• After soaking, use a butter knife to release the sides of the cake from the bundt pan. Remove cake from bundt cake by flipping it onto a platter.
• Serve and enjoy.

Notes

• I use Myers’s dark rum for this recipe. I’ve used other brands but prefer Myer’s over all others. 
• This rum cake tastes like rum. If you’re not a fan of boozy cake, you won’t like this recipe. 
• This cake isn’t for the children. 
• This cake can be eaten when done but is best after being refrigerated for a day. 

Nutrition

Calories: 355kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 308mg | Potassium: 62mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 249IU | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 1mg

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Recipe adapted from All Recipes.

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