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Bacardi Rum Cake

This Bacardi Rum Cake Recipe is incredibly moist and boozy. Made with Bacardi rum and other simple ingredients, this cake is easy to make but tastes amazing.

slice of bicardi rum cake on white plates with whole cake in background

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Detailed measurements and full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Bacardi Rum Cake is a delicious yellow cake soaked in rum, resulting in a delicious sweet and rum-flavored dessert. This dessert should be consumed and enjoyed by adults only as the dessert starts with rum in the batter, and then the baked cake is soaked in additional rum. Did I mention this cake was boozy?

Rum cake has its origins in the Caribbean, where rum is produced. Rum cakes can vary, from some being black fruit cake and others being yellow cake soaked with a good bit of rum. For this cake, I chose to use Bacardi spiced rum. Spiced rum adds a unique flavor to this recipe and goes well with the vanilla flavor in the cake mix.

up close photo of top of bicardi rum cake

How to make Bacardi Rum Cake

First, preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Ingredients Needed:

  • Unsalted butter: For greasing the bundt pan and for the glaze.
  • Pecans: Chopped pecans. You can also use other chopped nuts, like walnuts or pistachios. You can also omit the nuts if you prefer.
  • Dry ingredients: Yellow cake mix and vanilla pudding. Keeps the recipe easy and moist.
  • Wet ingredients: Milk, vegetable oil, and Bacardi rum.
  • Sugar: Both brown sugar and granulated sugar are used to make the sweet rum glaze.

How to make Bicardi Rum Cake

Bake the Cake

Generously grease a 10-inch bundt cake pan with 1 Tablespoon of unsalted butter.

Place chopped pecans in the bottom of the bundt pan and sprinkle with a little brown sugar. Set aside.

greased bundt pan with chopped nut on inside

Add boxed cake mix and a package of dry vanilla pudding mix to a large bowl and stir to combine. Add eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and ½ cup of Bacardi rum in a separate bowl and whisk.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir until combined. Pour mixture into bundt pan over the pecans.

Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Set aside to cool.

baked rum cake in bundt pan

Make the Glaze

While the cake is cooling, make the glaze by combining 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.

rum glaze for cake

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 the cake from the bundt pan by flipping it onto a platter.

bicardi rum cake on white platter

Serve and enjoy.

How to store Bacardi rum cake?

You can store it at room temperature or in the fridge, depending on your preference, in an airtight container. If you choose to refrigerate the cake, be sure to bring it to room temperature before serving for the best flavor and texture. The cake will stay fresh for three days at room temperature or up to a week. refrigerated.

Does the rum bake out of the rum cake?

Some of the rum is evaporated during the baking process, but not all of it. Additionally, the cake is soaked in additional rum after baking.

How to give rum cakes as gifts?

You can bake smaller portions of these cakes in smaller bundt cake pans or even muffin pans. Reduce the baking time if making smaller versions of this recipe. The smaller versions make great Christmas and Holiday gifts.

Looking for more delicious dessert recipes? Try these out

slice of bicardi rum cake on white plates with whole cake in background
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4.84 from 6 votes

Bacardi Rum Cake

This Bacardi Rum Cake Recipe is incredibly moist and boozy. Made with Bacardi rum and other simple ingredients, this cake is easy to make but tastes amazing.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 16 people
Calories 355kcal

Ingredients

Cake

  • 1 Tbsp unslated butter softened
  • ½ cup chopped pecans
  • 1 15.25 oz package yellow cake mix
  • 1 3.4 oz package instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 4 large eggs
  • ½ cup milk
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • ½ cup Bacardi rum

Glaze

  • ½ cup butter
  • ¼ cup water
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup Bacardi rum

Instructions

Cake

  • Generously grease a 10-inch bundt cake pan with 1 Tablespoon of unsalted butter.
  • Place chopped pecans in the bottom of the bundt pan and sprinkle with a little brown sugar. Set aside.
  • Add boxed cake mix and a package of dry vanilla pudding mix to a large bowl and stir to combine. Add eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and ½ cup of Bacardi rum in a separate bowl and whisk.
  • Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir until combined. Pour mixture into bundt pan over the pecans.
  • Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Set aside to cool.

Glaze

  • While the cake is cooling, make the glaze by combining 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.
  • 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 the cake from the bundt pan by flipping it onto a platter.
  • Serve and enjoy.

Notes

  • I use Bacardi Spiced Rum in this recipe. Any kind of dark rum can be used in its place.

Nutrition

Calories: 355kcal
Recipe Rating




Kayla M.

Saturday 31st of December 2022

Is it possible to use white rum? I have some tropical flavored white bacardi.....what do you think?

Imma

Sunday 5th of February 2023

Yes it sure is if that is all you have on hand.

Barbara Knotts

Wednesday 21st of December 2022

May I use Pudding mix that is not instant?

James

Wednesday 14th of December 2022

I made this with bottom-shelf dark rum and it's among one of the best cakes I've ever eaten, let alone made. Foolproof recipe. Going to try making a bourbon bundt cake out of this soon. Thank you Tanya!

Tanya

Tuesday 20th of December 2022

Thank you James! So glad you enjoyed the cake :)

Mary

Wednesday 26th of October 2022

I feel so dmb now.. I was going nuts trying to find the instant vanilla pudding cake mix that is listed in the cake part of the recipe.. I now realize it is a typing eror.. the "cake mix" part should not be there..

Tanya

Thursday 27th of October 2022

Hi Mary, I see that now. Just fixed it. Thanks for letting me know.

Kendall M

Tuesday 9th of August 2022

This cake looks delicious but I prefer making my cakes from scratch, would you happen to have a recipe for such a cake? Thank you

Tammi

Wednesday 10th of August 2022

@Tanya, Hi, I agree with Kendall. Do you think I can substitute your yellow cake mix (Birthday cake) recipe for the yellow box cake?

Tanya

Tuesday 9th of August 2022

Hi Kendall, I haven't made this cake from scratch, unfortunately. However, if I do, I'll be sure to update the instructions.