This Bacardi Rum Cake is an easy and delicious holiday dessert prepared with a boxed cake mix. Topped with a heavenly butter rum glaze, pecans, and fresh fruit, this classic rum cake is always a crowd-pleasing dessert.
The Christmas season does not automatically mean you need to stress yourself out baking elaborate desserts! Thankfully, this easy cake is all about celebrating the holidays with minimal effort. No one will ever guess this cake was made with a boxed cake mix!
Ingredients Needed
- Pecans – I spread chopped pecans over the bottom of the bundt pan before pouring the batter over the top, giving the cake a nutty crunch layer. Feel free to use another nut you like, such as walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, or macadamia nuts.
- Butter golden boxed cake mix – Use a quality boxed cake mix (I use Duncan Hines).
- Instant vanilla pudding mix – Using instant pudding in cake batter is one of my favorite hacks for a moist cake.
- Eggs
- Water
- Vegetable oil
- Bacardi dark rum – Dark rum gives the cake a subtle, boozy flavor that’s never overwhelming.
- Glaze – You’ll need butter, sugar, water, and rum to make a traditional butter rum glaze.
- Garnish – I like to garnish this cake with maraschino cherries and seedless green grapes for a festive presentation.
How to Make Bacardi Rum Cake
For the detailed instructions, please see the recipe card.
- Add the nuts: Sprinkle the pecans evenly in the bottom of the prepared bundt pan.
- Make the batter: Mix the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water, vegetable oil, and rum in a large mixing bowl until smooth.
- Bake: Pour the batter over the pecans in the bundt pan and bake the cake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Set it aside to cool.
- Make the glaze: Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Stir in the sugar and water, then bring it to a boil. Continue boiling until it’s a thick syrup. Take it off the heat and slowly stir in the rum.
- Decorate: Invert the cooled cake onto a serving plate and use a toothpick to poke holes throughout. Drizzle the glaze on top, then garnish with cherries and grapes.
5 Star Review
“I have been making this rum cake for years during the holidays. It’s a big hit with family and friends.” ~ Valerie
Helpful Tips
- Use room-temperature ingredients: It always helps to set the eggs, butter, and rum (if chilled) on the kitchen counter for 20 to 30 minutes before baking. Room temperature ingredients always yield a smoother batter and evenly baked desserts.
- Don’t overmix the batter: Overmixing the batter will lead to a dense cake.
- Let it cool: Let the cake cool completely before removing it from the bundt pan and pouring the glaze over the top.
Common Questions
What is the best rum to use in a rum cake?
Bacardi dark rum is one of the best rums you can use in desserts and rum cake recipes because it has a rich flavor that brings the perfect balance of sweetness and spice. If you can’t find Bacardi specifically, use another dark rum.
Does rum cake taste like rum?
Using ½ cup of rum in the cake does give it a subtle boozy flavor. However, only the rich flavors are left behind since most of the alcohol evaporates as it bakes.
Storage
- Refrigerator: Wrap the cooled cake in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container. Store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Wrap the cooled cake or slices in layers of plastic wrap and aluminum foil, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
Bacardi Rum Cake
This moist and delicious rum cake is prepared with a boxed cake mix and drizzled with a rich butter rum glaze. An easy holiday dessert!
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Servings: 12
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 (15.25 ounce) box butter golden cake mix
- 1 (3.4 ounce) box instant vanilla pudding mix
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup Bacardi dark rum
- Maraschino cherries and seedless green grapes for serving and garnish (optional)
For the Glaze:
- ½ cup butter 1 stick
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup Bacardi dark rum
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a bundt pan (with at least a 12-cup capacity) with cooking spray (or grease and flour pan).
- Evenly sprinkle pecans in bottom of pan.
- Mix together the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water, vegetable oil, and rum with a mixer on medium speed until smooth in a large mixing bowl.
- Pour batter over pecans.
- Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted is removed clean. Place on a cooling rack to cool.
- Prepare the glaze while the cake is cooling. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add sugar and water and stir to combine. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Boil for 4 to 5 minutes until thickened, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and very slowly pour in rum (*exercise caution when pouring in rum; mixture will vigorously bubble). Stir to combine.
- Once cake has cooled, invert onto a serving plate. Using a skewer or toothpick, pierce holes throughout the cake. Drizzle glaze over tops and sides of cake, allowing it to absorb the glaze.
- Serve and garnish with maraschino cherries and/or grapes, if desired.
Notes
- Nutrition info does not include fruit.
- Cook time includes time to prepare glaze.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To freeze, wrap securely in plastic wrap, then wrap in aluminum foil (or place in a resealable plastic bag) and freeze for up to 3 months. Place in the refrigerator overnight to defrost.
Nutrition
Calories: 517kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 343mg | Potassium: 65mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 42g | Vitamin A: 331IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 127mg | Iron: 1mg
If provided, nutritional info is a courtesy, is not guaranteed and should only be considered as a guideline.
Tried this recipe?Mention @TheBlondCook or tag #theblondcook!
Diane I
This is a good and simple recipe that yields a nice result. One thing I did differently after removing cake from mold and poking it with a skewer on all sides was to ladle some of the rum syrup into the mold and replace the cake, then ladle on the remainder of the syrup. Waste not, want not and the cake becomes wonderfully infused with the rum.
The second time I tried this it was to make individual servings for a buffet. The recipe easily filled 10 mini molds and a 1 Qt. jelly mold. 12 minutes for the mini molds and about 25-30 min for the jelly mold.
Sylvia Ross
I would like to make mini pan cakes. Can I mix the pecans into the batter instead ?
Hi Sylvia – I haven’t tested it this way, so I can’t say with 100% certainty… but I wouldn’t hesitate to try it. Let us know how it turns out if you make it! 🙂
Valerie
I have been making this rum cake for years during the holidays. It’s a big hit with family and friends..
Lazy Foodie
It looks so yummy, cannot wait to try. Love the fact that you used a cake mix, which makes it easier yet has your own signature. Thanks for sharing.