Go Back

Butter Rum Cake

A moist, tender butter rum cake topped with a buttery brown sugar sauce and crunchy pecans, perfect for holidays and gatherings.
Print it Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Brunch, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 350
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the cake
  • 1 cup chopped pecans Toast lightly for extra flavor
  • 1 package (15.2 ounce) golden cake mix
  • 1 package (3.6 ounce) instant vanilla pudding powder mix
  • 4 large eggs
  • ½ cup cream (heavy or half-and-half)
  • ½ cup melted butter For the batter
  • ½ cup dark rum In the batter
For the sauce
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • ½ cup rum For the sauce

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Generously grease and flour a 10-cup Bundt pan.
  2. Sprinkle 1 cup chopped pecans evenly across the bottom of the prepared pan.
Mixing the batter
  1. In a stand mixer, combine the golden cake mix and instant vanilla pudding powder.
  2. Add 4 eggs, ½ cup cream, ½ cup melted butter, and ½ cup dark rum.
  3. Beat on medium until the batter is smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
Baking
  1. Pour the batter over the pecans in the Bundt pan, smoothing the top gently.
  2. Place in the oven and bake for about 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
  3. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edges, then invert onto a serving plate.
Making the sauce
  1. In a saucepan, melt 1 cup butter over medium heat.
  2. Stir in 1 cup packed brown sugar until dissolved. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened.
  3. Remove from heat and stir in ½ cup rum.
Finishing touches
  1. While the cake is still warm, drizzle half of the sauce evenly over the top and down the sides, allowing it to soak in.
  2. Reserve the remaining sauce to serve alongside.

Notes

For a non-alcoholic version, substitute brewed strong coffee or about 2–3 tsp of rum extract in place of the rums. Greasing the Bundt pan well is essential for release.