Tags
Bundt, Bundt cake, cake, coffee, King Arthur Flour, pumpkin, pumpkin spice, rum, rum cake
fromTracey G.
Caribbean Rum Cake from King Arthur Flour
I’ve had this Caribbean Rum Cake from King Arthur Flour on my to-make list for a LONG time. It was the last in the Year of the Bundt series they did, and I never had any rum around, and it was something I never remembered to buy, lol. Last Christmas on a whim, I asked my Mom-in-Law if they had any rum laying about, since they host more gatherings and whatnot, and she did! So, instead of the traditional borrowing sugar, I borrowed rum!
But then, I never seemed to have a chance to make it, it kept slipping through the cracks, so when I saw that a cake week was coming up – I knew immediately it would be this cake I was making! Finally!
The funny thing, though, is I am not a rum fan, lol. I prefer my Pina Coladas and any other tropical-style drinks, virgin. I don’t like the alcohol taste. (I’m more of a beer drinking girl!) So, for me to make this cake was kind of funny, a huge leap of faith and also an experiment in whether I’d be wasting a bunch of ingredients!
I am happy to report that I actually LOVE this cake! Oh my goodness, it’s yummy! I did make one minor addition to the syrup – instead of just adding vanilla, I also snuck in a little more butter rum flavor as well… The longer this cake has sat, the better this cake has gotten! Unfortunately, Jeremy’s not a fan of it, he doesn’t like rum, and even it being in cake-form isn’t enough to help! So, that unfortunately leaves it all to me! Yikes! I will have to find a way to share this thing, somehow, because it’s a lot of cake when it’s just for one person!
The ingredients are super simple, the only extra items I needed to get was the rum and the instant vanilla pudding (usually I have the pudding on hand, but had used my last package as an impromptu dessert one night!).
CAKE
- King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- sugar
- 3.4-ounce box instant vanilla pudding mix (not sugar-free)*
- baking powder
- salt
- unsalted butter
- vegetable oil
- milk
- large eggs
- rum, plain or spiced
- vanilla extract
- butter-rum flavor, optional
- almond flour, for dusting baking pan, optional
SYRUP
- unsalted butter
- water
- sugar
- salt
- rum, plain or spiced
- vanilla extract
So, this would be a great cake for a cocktail party, it’s dessert and cocktail all in one! Seriously though, the rum is cooked in both instances, so I’m sure the majority of the alcohol has evaporated, but they do provide a non-alcoholic variation as well. I was actually going to go with that option, but threw caution to the wind and decided to give the true version a chance first! I am interested too in trying the non-alcoholic version though, as it just relies on the Butter Rum Flavoring, which I absolutely adore (reminds me of the Brach’s Butterscotch Candies, my all-time favorite things besides their Bridge Mix, lol), and maybe Jeremy might like it better that way! When I do make it, I’ll report on whether it’s just as good, better or the same!
One little side note, while I was getting the batter in the Bundt pan, I had the song “Rum And Coca Cola” by The Andrew Sisters (another favorite of mine, I love The Andrew Sisters!) in my head, and told Kris I felt like I should’ve had a 50’s-style flouncy apron and high heeled shoes on with a cigarette in one had while the spatula was in the other, lol. It was a very strange feeling!
from Kris B.
Pumpkin Espresso Bundt CakeRain, slightly cooler temperatures, and pumpkin flavored anything and everything lining the grocery store shelves are certain indicators that fall may actually arrive here in Texas. I am not one of those who gets excited on September 1 when Starbucks begins serving Pumpkin Spice Lattes. I’m not a Starbucks fan to begin with; I am faithful to my sugar-free vanilla latte with almond milk and an extra shot from Dunn Bros. coffee. I’m not sure why I’m not a PSL fanatic; I love coffee and an I love pumpkin and its typical accompanying spices. I guess you really can’t teach an old dog, or an old coffee addict, new tricks.
Cake, however, is another story.
When I found this recipe for Pumpkin Espresso Bundt Cake on the King Arthur Flour website, it immediately went into the “must make” file. Pumpkin, coffee, pumpkin spice, and cinnamon…how could it be bad? It was almost like finding the perfect purse. Not too big, but big enough. The right number of pockets. The color I’ve been looking for. The perfect strap length. You understand the feeling. All of the pieces come together in a perfect combination.
This is a bundt cake layered with spicy goodness.
CAKE
- pumpkin purée
- eggs
- vegetable oil
- brown sugar
- granulated sugar
- vanilla extract
- King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour
- baking powder
- baking soda
- pumpkin pie spice
- cinnamon
- salt
FILLING
- brown sugar
- espresso powder
- cinnamon
The cake batter is mixed in a single bowl. In a separate bowl, the filling ingredients are combined. The cake is assembled by alternating layers of batter and filling in a 10 cup well-greased bundt pan. Make sure you know exactly how big your bundt pan is! My “standard” looking pan is 14 cups. Yep, I know this because I made a cake awhile back that looked more like a crueller than a bundt cake because there was not enough batter in that recipe to fill the pan. I intended to buy a smaller bundt pan at that point, but never managed to remember that when I was in a place to do so. It crossed my mind about the time that I reached into the cabinet for the pan to make this cake!
Fortunately, my cathedral bundt pan is 10 cups. And how appropriate for all of those people who worship the union of pumpkin spice and espresso! 🙂
Here are a few words from King Arthur Flour about bundt cakes and their pans.
For finishing, this recipe calls for a glaze consisting of granulated sugar, hot brewed coffee, and optional rum to be brushed over the warm cake so that it soaks in. I’m not a fan of this kind of glaze so I opted for a more standard powdered sugar glaze that is added after the cake is completely cooled. I used 1 cup of powdered sugar and 3-4 TBS of hot strong brewed coffee. Between the thicker obvious glaze and the cathedral shape of the pan, the glaze didn’t run off the cake in a pretty way, but let me tell you, don’t judge a cake by the its looks! This cake is one of the best pumpkin recipes I’ve ever had. That’s saying a lot because not only am I faithful to my sugar-free vanilla lattes with almond milk and an extra shot, I am also faithful to my mother’s recipe for pumpkin bread. I will make no other pumpkin treat in the fall but that. Until now…If this “cheating” weighs heavily on my heart, I may try adding this recipe’s filling as a layer to my mom’s pumpkin bread, but that is a personal loyalty thing having nothing whatsoever to do with this recipe. It is fantastic just as it is!
And the best part?
The Pumpkin Espresso Bundt Cake pairs perfectly with my vanilla latte! It is indeed possible to have your drink and eat it too! 🙂
And, just to make you smile on a Monday, take a few minutes to watch this video! It captures the true joy of cake baking!