Rum Pound Cake

The centerpiece of every holiday gathering in my lifetime has been my great aunt’s rum cake. Family members would sneak bites throughout the day, long before it was time for dessert. Her recipe was modeled after the classic Bacardi version with cake mix, instant pudding, and lots of rum. This pound cake takes all of the best parts of the OG and makes everything just a little more decadent.

Instead of using a boxed cake mix as the base, this rum pound cake is made from scratch with two whole sticks of butter that amp up the richness. And to add even more moisture (and a bit of the nostalgic flavor we know and love), this recipe also features a package of vanilla instant pudding.

There’s rum inside and outside this cake. The batter gets a small dose of dark rum, while the glaze is spiked with even more of it. The dark rum is key here—the prolonged aging process imparts a much richer, nuanced flavor than what you’d get from white rum.

It also can’t be a proper rum cake without nuts. This recipe calls for either pecans or walnuts, both of which would work well here. Ultimately, it’s just up to your personal preference.

If you end up having leftovers, you can tightly wrap the loaf in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Made this recipe? Let us know how it went in the comments below!