Italian Chocolate Rum Cake
This Chocolate Rum Cake combines rich, decadent chocolate with the sweet flavor of rum! This boozy fudgy bundt cake recipe is easy to make, incredibly moist and perfect anytime or even for the holidays!
Other favorite holiday treats with rum that I love to make include these Christmas rum cookies, chocolate rum balls or orange rum castagnole!
A little grown-up, a lot fudgy and the best chocolate cake for any special occasion, this homemade chocolate rum cake recipe is an indulgent sweet treat for the holidays!
It’s rich and dense like my favorite Italian brownie cake but not quite as gooey as my chocolate pudding cake which makes it perfect for making ahead and serving at special occasions or even the holidays.
The rum does not overpower the cake but adds a sweet taste that is nothing less than sensational! Topped with a rum spiked chocolate glaze, this cake may be for the holidays but you will want to make it year round.
Why You Will Love This Moist, Boozy Cake
- Better than any boxed mix: Making a chocolate rum cake from scratch will always taste better than anything you can buy!
- Rich and fudgy: This rum chocolate cake recipe combines rich chocolate flavor with rum which in turn creates a harmonious and boozy dessert experience!
- Moist and tender: This chocolate cake with rum has the best tender crumb right down to the last bite!
- Perfect for the holidays: In the Caribbean, rum cakes are a traditional holiday dessert, I am just putting my Italian spin on it!
Chocolate Cake with Rum Recipe Ingredients
- Dry ingredients: Cake flour, granulated sugar cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Wet ingredients: Eggs, egg yolk, plain full fat yogurt, oil or butter, 2% milk and vanilla extract.
- Rum: Light rum or dark rum can be used.
- Glaze: Melted dark chocolate bars, butter and rum.
- Garnish: Chopped walnuts, hazelnuts or almonds.
Substitutions and Variations
- For a booze-free version: Try this Italian chocolate bundt cake instead!
- Spiced rum: Instead of a light rum, try a spiced rum, like Bacardi Spiced, for more holiday flavor.
- Dark cocoa powder: Try using a dark cocoa powder to add a more intense fudge taste to this best chocolate rum cake!
- Milk: Instead of 2% milk, you can use whole milk or buttermilk.
- Yogurt: Try Greek yogurt or even sour cream if you don’t have plain yogurt on hand.
- Soak cake: While cake is inside the pan, loosen the edges with a knife then use a toothpick or skewer to poke holes in the bottom of the cake. Pour some glaze inside the holes allowing it to soak into the cake. Once the cake absorbs glaze, let it sit for 30 minutes before inverting to a wire rack.
How to Make Chocolate Rum Cake
In a large bowl sift dry ingredients including the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Next, in a stand mixer, beat the eggs, yolk and sugar, then add the yogurt, oil, rum and vanilla then beat to combine.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat on low speed to combine cake batter scraping down sides of the bowl as needed.
Pour the batter into the prepared bundt cake pan and bake. Let cool.
In the microwave, a bain-marie or small saucepan, melt together the chocolate and butter. Cool then stir in the rum. Pour the rum glaze over top of the cake and sprinkle with the chopped nuts before serving.
Expert Tips
- Generously grease your pan for easy removal of your finished cake. There would be nothing worse than getting your chocolate rum cake stuck in the pan!
- To make your own cake flour for every cup of flour called for simply replace 2 Tablespoons of all-purpose flour with 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch.
- Instead of white flour, dust your greased pan with cocoa powder.
- Bring ingredients to room temperature as they will incorporate into the rum cake chocolate more fully for a smoother batter.
- If you choose to soak your cake, only do so for about 30 minutes or you risk your cake sticking to the pan!
- For easy clean up, place a piece of parchment paper down first before inverting your cake onto the serving plate.
- Serve chocolate rum cake with a dusting of powdered sugar and fresh berries or nuts or for an even more decadent option serve with whipped cream, maple caramel sauce and a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Can rum cake get you drunk?
Technically because it contains alcohol it could, but you would have to eat a lot of cake! With only ¼ cup total of rum in the cake and a few tablespoons of rum in the glaze it would be a stretch to feel a buzz after a slice or even two of this rum cake.
The perfect easy Rum Cake!
More Chocolate Cake Recipes
- Chocolate Cake with Mocha Frosting
- Chocolate Birthday Cake
- One Pan Chocolate Cake
- Chocolate Swiss Roll Cake
- Chocolate Peppermint Cake
Italian Chocolate Rum Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups + 3 tablespoons cake flour (275 grams total, if you double the recipe then double this amount)
- ¼ cup unsweetened dutch processed cocoa
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt*
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 large egg yolk (room temperature)
- 1¼-1½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup yogurt (plain full fat) room temperature
- ¼ cup vegetable oil or melted butter (I use corn or sunflower oil)
- ¼ cup rum (I used light rum)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons milk (I used 2% milk)
*If using melted salted butter then add a pinch of salt.
GLAZE
- 3½ ounces dark chocolate
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1-2 tablespoons rum
- 2-3 tablespoons chopped nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts or almonds)
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350F / 180 C. Grease and flour or spray a 10 inch / 25cm bundt pan.
- In a large bowl sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer beat the eggs, yolk and sugar for 3-4 minutes, add the yogurt, oil, rum and vanilla beat to combine, about one minute.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat on low to combine. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45-50 minutes. Let cool 20 minutes in the pan then move to a wire rack to cool completely. Pour the glaze over the cake and sprinkle with the chopped nuts before serving. Enjoy!
GLAZE
- Melt together the chocolate and butter either bain-marie or microwave, let cool then stir in the rum.
This chocolate rum cake is absolutely divine! The cake is moist and tender, with just the right amount of sweetness.
Hi Paul, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed it. Take care!