Pumpkin Rum Cake

Slice of pumpkin rum bunt cake with mini pumpkin

This delicious pumpkin rum cake is incredibly moist with a comforting pumpkin spice flavor. It's soaked in a butter rum sauce that complements the pumpkin perfectly to create an elevated, but simple, fall dessert.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Pumpkin Rum Cake

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1 20

Servings slices

Calories 553kcal

Author Fiona Dowling

Equipment

12-cup bundt pan mine is 10.5 inches in diameter and 4 inches deep

Ingredients

Pumpkin Bundt Cake

¾ cup chopped pecans optional
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (313 grams)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoons baking soda
¾ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup canola oil (240 ml) or vegetable oil
1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
¾ cup brown sugar (158 grams) light or dark
3 large eggs whisked
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon rum extract
1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree (210 ml) NOT canned pumpkin pie filling

Butter Rum Sauce

⅓ cup unsalted butter (75 grams)
¾ cup granulated sugar (150 grams)
⅓ cup rum (80 ml) I used dark, spiced rum
3 tablespoons water (45 ml)

Instructions

Pumpkin Rum Cake

Preheat the oven to 350F (180C).
Add the chopped pecans to a cookie sheet and spread into an even layer. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes, or until the appear toasted.
Remove from the oven and turn down the temperature to 325F (170C).
Grease and flour the bundt pan, being sure to get into every crease. Alternatively, brush the pan with pan release (this is what I did).
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a separate large bowl, whisk together the oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, whisked eggs, vanilla extract and rum extract.
Then whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. I typically do this about ½ at a time. Once you no longer see lumps, stop mixing. Be sure not to overmix the batter.
Add the toasted pecans to your prepared pan.
Then spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 50-60 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. You should start to see the edges of the cake pull away from the outside of the pan. If you're unsure, I'd recommend baking for a few extra minutes to ensure that the cake is fully baked.
Cool in the pan about 20 minutes, then carefully invert the pan so that the cake slides out onto a wire rack.

Butter Rum Sauce

Add the butter, sugar, rum and water to a small saucepan over low heat.
Melt together as you gently whisk the ingredients together.
Bring the sauce to a boil for 5 minutes while gently stirring.
Using a wooden skewer or toothpick, gently poke holes in the warm pumpkin cake.
Brush the cake with the butter rum sauce, letting it soak into the cake. I typically use about ½ of the sauce and pour the rest into a gravy boat. Then when serving, guests can choose to pour more sauce onto their piece.

Notes

Pecans: Pecans are optional. Measure pecans after chopping.
Spices: Feel free to substitute the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves with 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice.
Rum Extract: Rum extract can typically be found in the baking aisle of your grocery store, near the vanilla extract.
Pumpkin Puree: Be sure to use pure pumpkin and not canned pumpkin pie filling.
Rum: I used dark, spiced rum. There is no need to buy anything expensive for this recipe.
Storage: Store cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Nutrition: Nutrition details provided are an estimate only and based on 1 slice, assuming the cake is sliced into 12 uniform pieces and that it's made with pecans and that all the butter rum sauce is used.

Nutrition