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The Best Rum Cake Tortuga Recipe

Betsi
This rum cake is a delicious taste of the Caribbean! Soft and soaked with rum, its a tropical taste that will have you clamoring for more! For a new twist, try the orange citrus version of this rum cake!
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Additional Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Calories 445 kcal

Ingredients
  

Basic Rum Cake

  • 1 Package plain yellow cake mix without pudding added
  • 1 Package 3.4 ounces vanilla instant pudding
  • 1/2 Cup rum
  • 1/2 Cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 Cup water
  • 4 Large eggs
  • **You can add nuts to this recipe if you like nuts. Finely chop 1 cup of pecans or walnuts and place in bundt pan AFTER it has been greased and floured.

Rum Cake Glaze

  • 4 Tablespoons butter 1/2 stick
  • 2 Tablespoons water
  • 1/2 Cup sugar
  • 1/4 Cup Bacardi dark rum

Citrus Rum Cake

  • 1 Package plain yellow cake mix without pudding added
  • 1 Package 3.4 ounces vanilla instant pudding
  • 1 Cup orange juice we like to use Natalie's Orange Juice*
  • 8 Tablespoons 1 stick of butter (we like to use a good, rich European butter - unsalted) - melted
  • 1/4 Cup dark rum
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 Tablespoon grated orange zest from 1 medium orange
  • *If you like a citrus rum cake use 1/2 cup orange juice and 1/2 cup pineapple juice OR grapefruit juice as a substitute for the 1 cup of orange juice

Citrus Rum Cake Glaze

  • 4 Tablespoons 1/2 stick of butter
  • 1/2 Cup sugar
  • 1/4 Cup dark rum
  • 1/4 Cup orange juice

Instructions
 

  • Rum Cake Recipe
  • Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees. Lightly grease a Bundt pan and dust with flour. Shake out the excess flour.
  • Sprinkle the nuts on the bottom of the pan.
  • Mix together cake mix, pudding mix, rum, oil, water, and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend together with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute.
  • Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes, scraping the sides down if needed. The batter should look thick and smooth.
  • Pour batter into the prepared Bundt pan, smoothing it out with the rubber spatula. Place the pan in the oven.
  • Bake cake until golden brown and springs back when lightly pressed with your finger, approximately 58 to 60 minutes.
  • Remove pan from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for 20-25 minutes.
  • Run a long sharp knife around the edge of the cake and invert it onto a serving plate. 
  • Take a long, thin, wooden skewer and poke holes in the top of the cake and around the sides.

  • Rum Cake Glaze
  • Place butter in a small saucepan and melt it over low heat, 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the water and sugar, stirring. 
  • Increase the temperature to medium heat, and bring the mixture to a boil.
  • Reduce the heat slightly and let the glaze simmer until thickened, 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly. 
  • Remove pan from heat and stir in the rum. 
  • Spoon the glaze over the cake, allow it to seep into the holes and drizzle down the sides and into the center of the cake.
  • Allow the cake to cool completely before slicing.

  • Orange Citrus Rum Cake
  • Grease and flour bundt pan, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Shake out the excess flour.
  • Place the cake mix, pudding mix, orange juice, melted butter, rum, eggs, and orange zest in a large mixing bowl.
  • Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop and scrape the sides down, and mix on medium for 2 minutes. The batter should look thick and smooth.
  • Pour into the bundt pan, smoothing out the top, and bake for 45-50 minutes.
  • When cake is golden brown, and springs back when pressed down with your finger, it's ready to come out of the oven and cool down for 20-25 minutes on a wire rack. 
  • Run a long sharp knife around the edge of the cake and invert it onto a serving plate. 
  • Take a long, thin, wooden skewer and poke holes in the top of the cake and around the sides.

  • Orange Citrus Rum Cake Glaze
  • Place butter, sugar, rum, and orange juice in a small saucepan over medium heat.
  • Bring the glaze to a boil, stirring constantly, and cook for 2 minutes.
  • Spoon the hot rum glaze over the cake, allowing it to soak into the holes and drizzle down the sides and in the center of the cake.
  • Allow the cake to cool completely before slicing.