Coconut Rum Cake
A special rum cake baked with equal parts coconut, sugar, and flour, and lots of rum. Imagine a toasted coconut macaroon in cake form and you've got the idea.
My love for rum cakes runs deep. If yours does too, this is the cake for you. It’s hard to tell from the photo, but this beauty is basically a toasted coconut macaroon in cake form - doused in rum. It has a strip of freeze-dried raspberries baked in, but if you prefer pineapple, that swap is also really great. Sometimes I skip the fruit all together & let the rum really take center stage. A dusting of powdered sugar before serving makes it pretty.
Fruit or No fruit? What Kind?
You can see the strip of fruit (raspberries) in the rum cake in the photos above and below here. I've been using freeze-dried fruit a lot in my baking lately because it has incredibly intensity, color, and none of the moisture that goes along with fresh or frozen fruit. It works particularly well in cookies, cakes, quick breads, crusts, etc. Not as great for fruity fillings, although you could use it as a boost or accent as a percentage of the overall filling.
Rum Cake Add-Ins
Aside from the raspberries, the recipe below is quite straightforward, a great coconut rum cake canvas. From there you can take in in oh-so-many directions. Sometimes I add spices - a bit of Vietnamese cinnamon or freshly grated nutmeg is alway welcome. Grated makrut lime is amazing if you use freeze-dried pineapple in place of the raspberries. To be honest, you can’t really go wrong adding citrus zest in general - lime, lemon, Meyer lemon, orange - or a blend. All good. Last idea - how about a Dark 'N' Stormy rum cake? You could add dried ginger, candied ginger, and/or grated ginger. Along with the coconut? Yes please.
What Type of Rum Makes the Best Rum Cake?
Like most other recipes that call for alcohol in them, use wine (or in this case rum), choose something you drink anyway. It should taste delicious. On the rum front for this recipe there is a range of rums to choose from. I like a good-quality dark or spiced rum for this cake - the more flavor the better.
Transferring the Cake Batter into the Pan
I just want to call out the way I build this cake. I fill the baking pan two-thirds full with cake batter, and then sprinkle with the raspberries. After that I use a fork to poke and work the berries down into the batter just a bit. Lastly, top with the remaining batter (see below), and give the whole pan a couple good thwaps on your counter. This gives you a nice, condensed stripe of berries along the base of the finished rum cake. You could, of course, fold the raspberries into the batter along with the rest of the flour mixture, so they're more evenly dispersed, but I like this version best.
How to Apply the Rum Syrup
This cake itself isn't huge, but it can take on a good amount of rum. You can see my set up in the photo below. That is the cake hot out of the oven, just turned out of the pan. It is on a cooking rack arranged over a rimmed baking sheet. The rim on on the baking sheet keeps any run-away rum in the pan and off the counter. Be sure to brush the rum syrup all over the tops, sides, and inside the center of the cake.
Turning Cake into Rum Cake
There are other ways to get the rum syrup into the cake as well. You can pour half of it over the cake while it is still warm and in the pan. Turn the cake out after that and finish by topping it with the remaining rum. I like this approach in theory, and you'll see it used in alot of other recipes, but the syrup tends to break down the crumb of the cake a bit, and you're more likely to have trouble getting the cake out of the pan. I play it safe, and glaze after the turnout.
The finished rum cake dusted with lots of powdered sugar just before serving.
Here's a close-up of a cross-section of the cake...
What type of Coconut?
One last thing, you really want to get the coconut right here. The key is unsweetened, dried coconut. And it’s important that it is finely grated. I see a lot of big-flake coconut in the stores now, and I love it, but it’s not right for this cake. If you want to get that nice, moist crumb you see in the pics, get the finely grated - I usually grab the Bob's Red Mill brand for this cake if I see it in the store.
More Cake Recipes
- Chocolate Devil’s Food Cake
- Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting
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- Coffee Cake
- No Bake Chocolate Cake
- all baking recipes
Happy baking! -h
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Coconut Rum Cake
The cake bakes right to the edge (pictured above) of a 6-cup pan which can make some bakers a bit nervous. If that’s you, bump up to a 7-cup bundt pan. I’ve also had success using a 1-lb loaf pan (8.5-inch x 4-1/2-inch) for this cake, but you will need to bake the cake significantly longer for the middle to set.
- 1/3 cup / 65g sugar
- 2/3 cup / 160ml rum
- 9 tablespoons / 135g unsalted butter, room temp, plus more for the pan
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups / 140g finely grated unsweetened coconut
- 1 1/2 cups / 300g sugar
- 1 1/2 cups / 190g unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon / 4g baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon / 3g fine grain sea salt
- 3/4 cup / 180 ml buttermilk
- 1- ounce / 28g freeze-dried raspberries, crushed a bit
- Powered sugar, for serving
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Combine the 1/3 cup sugar with 1/3 cup water in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, stir in the rum and allow to cool to room temperature while you work on the rest of the cake.
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If you haven’t already done so, allow your butter and eggs to come up to room temperature. Preheat your oven to 350F with a rack in the center.
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Prepare the pan. Butter and flour (or coconut flake) a 6-cup bundt pan (see the head notes for alternate pan size ideas). Set prepared pan aside.
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Combine the coconut and a big spoonful of the sugar in a food processor (or blender). Pulse until the coconut breaks down into tiny dry flecks. Stop short of the coconut breaking down into any sort of paste. You’re after a coarse coconut meal texture. Whisk this coconut mixture in a medium bowl along with the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
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Make the batter. Using a mixer (or by hand), beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugar and continue to mix until uniform. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl a few times along the way. Gradually add the buttermilk, mixing until it is just incorporated. Fold in the flour mixture, mixing just until the batter is uniform. Transfer 2/3 of the batter immediately to the pan, sprinkle with the raspberries, and then use a fork to press the berries into the batter a bit, you want to make sure they are pushed into the batter, so you don’t end up with any dry pockets. Cover the berries with the remaining cake batter, and rap on the counter a few times to knock out any air bubbles.
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Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a cake tester to the center comes out clean. If you’re baking in a loaf pan, this can take quite a bit more time. When done baking, remove from the oven, wait five minutes, and turn out onto a cake rack arranged over a rimmed baking sheet. Brush, with the cake right side up, all over with the rum syrup. I usually do this in two batches, letting the cake absorb the first half of the syrup first. Wait ten minutes, then apply the rest of the syrup.
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Serve dusted generously with powdered sugar.
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This cake stores beautifully, wrapped and refrigerated, for days. Bring back to room temperature to serve, redusting with more powdered sugar if needed.
Serves 12.
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Comments
Hello!! I wanted to know if I could use fresh coconut? The other question is fruit-strawberry/ guava paste and how much to use?
Hi Vee – I’m not sure on the fresh coconut question. I’ve only tested this cake with finely ground dried coconut. But if you give it a test, please report back! It might just take a bit of experimenting.
I made this delicious cake twice in the past month and it was a hit each time! The first time I used the ingredients listed except I subbed freeze-dried strawberries for the raspberries because I couldn’t get raspberries. Still great! The second time I made it gluten free and was able to get some freeze-dried raspberries. To make it gluten free, I used Bob’s Red Mill gluten free flour instead of the all purpose flour. I used the same proportions as original the recipe and it turned out great! No one could tell it was gluten free and everyone is asking for the recipe. Thanks for sharing as it will be a new go-to, easy recipe. I will also note that I skipped adding the coconut to the food processor (to save time and cleaning) and I had no issues.
Thanks Jill! Happy to hear it was a straight swap. xx!
I’m going to make this but need to know what “turn the cake out” means – is that when you turn it over?
Hi Shirley, turn the cake out of the pan. Hope this helps!
I made the cake this weekend and it was an enormous hit! What a beautiful and simple recipe. This cake will definitely become a favorite.
Thanks Joan! So glad you enjoyed it! -h
Thanks for the great recipe – it turned out really well. I used Kraken spicy rum – I’m curious if you have a favorite?
Hi Kirsten – I’ve used that before as well – A+!
Can’t wait to make this. Would a sugar substitute work ie coconut palm sugar for the cake (not the syrup)?
Jane
Hi Jane – you could give it a try. Mybe give it a spin in the food processor to make it finer? Let me know if you try it!
I only have dark rum in the liquor cabinet. Would that work?
Yes – no problem!
I want to try this, but can only find shredded coconut – should I pulse it a little in the food processor?
Hi Kirsten – sounds like you have what you need. So yes, just follow the instructions re: the food processor. Enjoy!
What a gorgeous looking cake, can’t wait to make this. I am a huge of fan of ginger in any form; the addition of dried ginger, candied ginger, and/or grated ginger sounds fantastic with the coconut
Could you please advise on quantities for each respective ginger addition.
Thank you.
Karen
I think I’d start with a tablespoon of dried, 1/2 cup or so of the candied/crystallized, 2 – 3 tablespoons grated? Something along those line with give you some real ginger oomph!
Sounds good! I am going to try this instead of my usual go to rum cake. The only thing, shouldn’t the rum syrup have butter?
Hi Jan – I just do a straight rum + simple syrup here – no added butter to the syrup.
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