When I first agreed to create a rum cake recipe using Diplomatico Anejo rum, I honestly had no idea what a rum cake was (a great way to accept a challenge, no?) The only rum cake experience I’ve had was at a food event, where one of the vendors was serving a delicate, frosting-less vanilla cake soaked in rum with a rum-infused whipped cream. It was pretty great.
I assumed a rum cake was just a cake with rum in it but a Google search revealed that a traditional rum cake is usually in a bundt shape, often containing nuts, sometimes with rum in the actual batter, sometimes with rum in the glaze, and sometimes both. I looked at a few recipes in the interwebs to use as a starting point but all of them contained massive amounts of sugar - as in 3 cups for one cake (OMG WHY??) Then I thought back to this incredible buttermilk poundcake and realized it would be the perfect basis for a rum cake.
Next, I wanted to incorporate pineapple (perhaps as a subconscious nod to the pina colada?) and top it with something creamy. I considered sweetened mascarpone or whipped cream, but ended up using one of my all-time favorite ingredients instead - plain ol’ sour cream. It’s definitely a Ukrainian people thing, and if you’ve never spread some on your banana bread or pancakes, you’re missing out. The cake turned out moist without being too chewy - it made me question why we don’t soak every cake in booze.
A few words about this rum: it’s a dark-style rum aged for four years. It’s sweet in the beginning, followed by a nice woody finish. It’s a truly complex spirit and even good enough to enjoy neat. I’ve never been a fan of rum, but this bottle is quickly turning me into a convert.
Pineapple Rum Cake
(Yield: One 8×8 cake)
Cake ingredients:
- 1 ½ c all-purpose flour
- 1/3 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- 4 oz butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 c sugar
- 2 eggs + 1 egg yolk
- ½ tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp lemon zest
- 1/3 c + 2 tbsp buttermilk
Procedure: Preheat oven to 350F. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder and soda. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle (a food processor with the blade attachment will do a fine job), beat the butter until light and fluffy, and add sugar. Beat until smooth. Then add eggs, one at a time, beating until incorporated after each addition. Then add vanilla, lemon juice and zest. Then, alternate between adding dry ingredients and buttermilk, starting and ending with dry ingredients, in two additions. Pour batter into greased pan. Bake for 1 hour, or until golden brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Top the cake with rum glaze while it’s still warm.
Rum glaze:
- 1/4 c water
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp Diplomatico rum
Procedure: In a small saucepan, combine water and sugar. Place over a medium-low flame and bring to a simmer. Stir in butter and cook for about 5 min. Turn heat off and stir in rum. Prick warm cake all over with a fork and pour glaze over cake. Let stand for 30 min.
Pineapple sauce:
- 1 1/2 c finely diced pineapple
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp Diplomatico rum
Procedure: Combine pineapple, lemon and water in a small skillet. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 3 min, stirring occasionally, until pineapple starts to soften a bit. Add rum and simmer for another minute. Right before serving, top each piece of cake with pineapple sauce and a dollop of sour cream.
Diplomatico Rum was sent to me for the purpose of recipe development. I was not otherwise compensated for this post. All opinions are my own.
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