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.

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.
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
Bacardi Rum Cake
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
- First, preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. 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.
Mona
Thursday 21st of September 2023
Great cake! I especially love that all the ingredients are a half cup measure. I veganized the cake with 1/2 cup of Just Egg and 1/2 cup of soy creamer and the glaze with 1/2 cup of vegan butter. It came out perfect!
Tanya
Thursday 21st of September 2023
Thanks so much, Mona! So happy you liked the cake and the fact that you made it Vegan.
Susan
Saturday 12th of August 2023
Can the rum cake be frozen? I would like to make it ahead of time for an event.
Tanya
Sunday 10th of September 2023
Hi Susan, yes, it can be frozen. Just wrap the cake up before freezing. I would suggest slicing before freezing as well. It will last for up to 3-4 months. Just defrost in the fridge before enjoying.
JANIE
Monday 17th of July 2023
WHAT TEMP. TO BAKE?
Tanya
Wednesday 19th of July 2023
Hi Janie, the cake should be baked at 325 degrees Fahrenheit. My apologies, the temperature was included in the blog post but not the recipe card. Hope you enjoy :)
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?
Tanya
Monday 5th of June 2023
Hi Barbara, I haven't tried it with pudding mix that was not instant, so I'm not sure how it would affect the texture.