Holiday Rum Cake
Categories: Cakes, Holiday, Recipes
Tags: , Allergy Friendly, Christmas, Dairy Free, Desserts, Rum Cake
When I was diagnosed with celiac disease, there were a few foods I genuinely feared I would never again be able to eat. One of those favorites was my mother’s Holiday Rum Cake.
She made this heavenly confection at this time every year, cut it into halves or quarters, wrapped in colorful cellophane with a pretty bow, and delivered to friends and neighbors as holiday gifts. It didn’t take long for people (not just me!) to eagerly anticipate this holiday tradition and begin to inquire of her when they could expect their rum cake delivery!
As I’m sure you would agree, a delicious tradition such as this one needed to be carried on … gluten free.
Unfortunately, it took me quite a few holidays before I got the recipe just right (the original recipe called for such things as a “pudding-in-the-mix commercial cake mix” – a bit harder to convert to GF!) , but now I happily share this recipe with you all since I can’t be there to knock on your door with a a cellophane-wrapped edible gift!
If you’re really in the Christmas spirit, use Pistachio Instant Pudding (Jell-O brand is currently gluten-free and dairy-free) instead of vanilla in this recipe, and use pistachios instead of pecans – the lovely green hue and subtle pistachio flavor are quite nice in this pound cake! (For the traditional vanilla recipe, I like using Dr. Oetker Vanilla Pudding Mix, as it’s gluten-free, dairy-free, organic and Non-GMO as well). The glaze is optional, but super tasty!
Holiday Rum Cake
- • 4 eggs
- • 1/2 cup light rum (may substitute equal amount of another clear liquid, but will change flavor)
- • 1/2 cup vegetable oil of choice
- • 2 tsp. gluten-free vanilla extract
- • 2 2/3 cup Jules Gluten Free™ All Purpose Flour
- • 2 tsp. gluten-free baking powder
- • 1 cup granulated cane sugar
- • dash salt
- • 1 package gluten-free vanilla pudding dry mix (Jell-O Brand = 3.4 oz; Dr. Oetker = 3.8 oz – either works; both are currently Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free)
- • 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
This beautiful pound cake has the dense, moist crumb you remember — making it totally irresistible!
Preheat oven to 325° F or 300° F convection.
Add all liquids and beat until mixed; sift in dry ingredients and beat for 2 minutes on medium speed – expect the batter to be very thick and taffy-like.
For cake: Oil and dust a bunt pan with Jules Gluten Free™ All Purpose Flour. Sprinkle with chopped nuts. Scoop batter out on top of the nuts and smooth with a rubber spatula. Bake for 50-60 minutes, removing from oven when a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
For cupcakes: Oil at least 18 muffin cups with Jules Gluten Free™ All Purpose Flour (or you may use paper cupcake liners). Fill the muffin cups only 1/2– 2/3 full of cake batter. Bake for 20-30 minutes – test with a cake tester or skewer to ensure that it is clean when removed from the baking cakes.
- • 1 cup granulated cane sugar
- • 1/4 cup light rum (or other liqueur)
- • 1/4 cup water
Bring ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan. Continue to boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour over the hot cake while still in the pan. Let stand for 30 minutes, then flip the cake onto a plate. If the glazed cake is allowed to stay in the pan longer than 30 minutes, the glaze will stick to the pan and make it difficult to remove the cake. Should this occur, put the pan back into a warm oven to soften the glaze, then run a rubber spatula around the inside of the pan to loosen it before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.
Serves 10-12.
48 Comments
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21. Aug, 2012
[...] Oetker’s pudding is also GF. I found this out when reading a recent post on Jules Speaks Blog. However, ingredients change all the time time so make sure you read ingredients or call company if [...]
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28. Nov, 2012
[...] Click here for Jules’ Holiday Rum Cake over at Jules Speaks Gluten Free. [...]
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hailey-cakes said: on December 15, 2010
I cant wait to try this for my hubbys Christmas party on Saturday:)
Stephanie said: on December 18, 2010
I just tried this recipe the other day… and it turned out great!!! It wouldnt really flip over after baking, I used a bread pan and it rose to much to flip. But, it was delicious and moist. No one could guess that it was gluten free!! Great recipe!
Karen said: on December 18, 2010
Hi Jules ~ can’t wait to try this one. A co-worker’s father makes a great rum cake and I’ve never been able to try it. Now I can make my own!!
Question for you ~ I thought I had a recipe for gluten free pecan cups and now I cannot find it. Do you have one??? thanks!
Karen
Jules said: on December 18, 2010
Hi Karen, I don’t know that I am familiar with that pecan cups recipe – do you have a non-gluten-free recipe for it? If you do, send it to Support@JulesGlutenFree.com and they/I will help you convert it to gluten-free! You could also post the question on the Gluten Free Cookie Swap or my Facebook page and see if any of those people (there are thousands!) have one to share!
Ami Frank said: on December 14, 2012
Karen-
I do have a recipe for Pecan Tossies (like little mini pecan pies) if that is what you are looking for. Email me at ami.frank12@gmail.com if you are interested! I was going to put them on the cookie swap, but I haven’t gotten photos of them yet.
Nancy said: on December 18, 2010
What kind of cake pan do you use for the rumcake?
Jules said: on December 18, 2010
I use a bundt pan with non-stick finish, but you could use a tube pan instead. It’s just important in recipes contemplating the use of a pan with a tube in the center (i.e. bundt or tube pan) that you use that type of pan, or the cake may not cook thoroughly in the center.
Karen Carlo said: on December 20, 2010
Sounds super yummy! Does anyone have thoughts on what to replace the nut topping with?
Ami Frank said: on December 14, 2012
brown sugar crumble topping would work very well – more like a coffee cake crumble.
Jules said: on December 14, 2012
Oh yum, Ami! That is such a great idea for a coffee cake — I think I might have to surprise my mother with this for after Christmas breakfast!
Teresa said: on December 21, 2010
I’m SO excited to try this recipe. Thanks for sharing it!
Kim said: on December 25, 2010
I made this on Christmas Eve, and it looks like it came out perfect!!! I only hope it tastes as good as the one I sampled in your class in Columbia, MD. I do have a ?. Were part of the pistachios supposed to go in the dough, and then part in the topping. That wasn’t quite clear to me. For example 1/4 c. in the topping 3/4 c. in the cake. So looking forward to tasting on Christmas! I also made tons of cookies that you taught us in your class. I was so motivated after taking the class. Thank you!
Jules said: on December 26, 2010
Hi Kim, I’m so glad the class motivated you to get to baking!!! About the rum cake, I don’t put any of the nuts in the cake, just as a topping, so obviously, you could reduce the amount or cut them altogether. Hope you had a great holiday!
Carolyn said: on November 30, 2011
Made this cake for Thanksgiving and it was awesome! Family could not believe it was gluten free.
Jules said: on November 30, 2011
Carolyn, that’s fantastic! I love this recipe – so glad your family does now too!!!
Suzanne said: on June 7, 2012
This sounds like a great recipe except that I would use virgin coconut oil instead of the canola (80% of canola oil is GMO). I would also make sure to use pastured eggs.
As for a different glaze, I’d have to play around with it. I actually think the cake without the glaze would be quite delicious. I would use the sugar in the raw in place of granulated sugar.
Jules said: on June 7, 2012
Good call on the virgin coconut oil, Suzanne!
Trish said: on December 15, 2012
You can purchase expeller pressed canola oil at Wholefoods and in the organic sections of food stores. That eliminates the GMO issue. Another alternative is light olive oil! I use that in all my baking.
LaDora Grant said: on November 29, 2012
How much of the alcohol will be used up in the cooking? Would I dare give the cake to a person whose car is equipped with a breathalyzer?
Jules said: on November 29, 2012
Wow LaDora, I’ve never gotten that question before! I wouldn’t want to make a representation about this, but it’s always been my understanding that the alcohol evaporates from baked goods. Might be best to err on the side of caution, though, and pick another recipe!
Claire in IN said: on December 14, 2012
You could use Rum Extract. It imparts the same flavor with no true alchol after baking. Just use water for most of the liquid or even Almond Milk.
Jules said: on December 14, 2012
Great tip, Claire!
Margo said: on December 14, 2012
Hi Jules, would it be worth the effort to try and replace the eggs in this recipe? I don’t usually attempt it with recipes that call for more than two eggs, but I wonder if Ener-G egg replacer, and a mixture of gelatin and something else would work?
Jules said: on December 14, 2012
Hi Margo, I haven’t tried it in this recipe, but to substitute for the 4 eggs, I would first try adding 4 Tbs. arrowroot powder to the dry ingredients AND 4 Tbs. applesauce to liquids. Let me know how it turns out!
KATHY SMITH said: on December 14, 2012
DO YOU USE INSTANT PUDDING OR REGULAR PUDDING-OR DOES IT MATTER.
THANKS
Jules said: on December 14, 2012
Hi Kathy – I’ve actually used both, but I know my mother always used instant. Enjoy the recipe!
Tricia said: on December 14, 2012
YUM! Can’t wait to try; however, how would this do using Truvia & sugar-free Jello pudding? Thank you, Jules, for choosing to help all of us Celiacs! (btw, I think, by process of elimination, I’m having problems with Xanthan Gum. Heard of this problem before? of any help for it?) Thanks again!
Jules said: on December 14, 2012
Thank you, Tricia – you are so sweet! The sugar-free jello pudding should be fine. Regarding the Truvia, I haven’t tried it as a substitute for 1 cup of sugar in baking before. I have tried blown Stevia and Baking Splenda. Either of those should work, but you’ll have to let me know how it goes if you make it with the Truvia!
Jules said: on December 14, 2012
Oh, and Tricia, regarding the xanthan gum, I have heard of some people feeling like they had a sensitivity to it. Xanthan gum is actually in a lot of foodstuffs, so if you find that you are sensitive, you need to read those labels! Especially things like dressings and sauces often contain it. There are different sources for xanthan gum (some are made from corn, some are not), so you could try to find an alternative source and see if it’s still troubling you. To substitute for xanthan gum, guar gum often works but it can upset some peoples’ tummies too. I would drill down and see if it’s really the xanthan gum that’s causing you trouble and then go from there – it’s a tiny ingredient in a lot of foods, so be sure it’s not something else before you tackle substituting for it.
Rene said: on December 14, 2012
This is exciting! My sister makes the most DELICIOUS fruitcake every year – yes, I know, such an oxymoron! But truly! She makes about 50 to give out every Christmas and has done so for probably 25 years. What is REALLY is, however, is not the fruitcake texture you are used to but cake consistency with nuts and dried fruit in a bundt shape and soaked in rum! My celiac husband and gluten-intolerant son cannot eat it anymore, and my son is the most devastated. I think I could easily add the dried fruit to this recipe and get a very similar result to her famous rum fruitcake. THANKS, JULES!
Jules said: on December 14, 2012
It sounds delicious, Rene! Fingers crossed for you that this recipe works for your sister’s famous fruit cake!
Rene said: on December 14, 2012
Jules, I guess I should have asked – do you think dried, candied fruit would change anything about the recipe?? Thanks!
Jules said: on December 14, 2012
Hi Rene – I don’t think dried fruit would alter the recipe in any measurable way. There isn’t enough moisture in candied fruit to typically throw things off. Let me know what you add and how it turns out!
Terri said: on December 14, 2012
I thought rum was not GF – what is used to make rum? I can make fruitcakes with rum if it is GF – learned something today – Yeah!
Jules said: on December 15, 2012
Hi Terri – Rum is made from sugar cane byproducts, so it is safe. Distilled alcohol is gluten-free! Cheers!
Susan said: on December 14, 2012
Can I make this using 2 loaf pans instead?
Jules said: on December 15, 2012
Yes Susan, but I’m not certain about bake times, so check them closely before taking them out of the oven.
Elizabeth vonTauffkirchen said: on December 24, 2012
Hi, Jules!
I first saw this recipe when you posted it to your blog a couple of years back. It has since become a family favorite for us. Thank you so much for sharing!
Today (for Christmas Eve) I am altering it a little. I am substituting half the sugar for real maple syrup and using walnuts instead of pecans. I can’t wait to see how it turns out.
Thanks again for your blog and sharing your recipes with us all!
Jules said: on December 27, 2012
Elizabeth – we love that recipe too, in fact we just made it again today! SO good!!! I can’t wait to hear how your variation worked!
Renee said: on December 30, 2012
I made this cake and baked it for 50 min. Checked it for doneness and took it out of the oven. I poured the glaze over it and let it sit for about 20 min. When I went back to take it out of the pan, it looked like the cake had shrunk. Did I need to leave it in the oven longer even though when I tested it, it seemed done? The cake wasn’t gooey in the middle, but was really dense.
Jules said: on December 31, 2012
Hi Renee – I compare the consistency of this cake to a pound cake. Was it like that when you cut into it? Sometimes cakes shrink if you take them out of the oven quickly into a colder room. You could try opening the door of the oven and leaving the cake inside to cool a bit more slowly so it’s not shocked into contracting next time.
Renee said: on December 31, 2012
Okay, thank you. I’ll try that next time. The cake had a really good taste, but kind of spongie instead of pound cake like. I only have a hand mixer, so had to finish mixing it by hand, as it was too thick for my poor little mixer. Thank you for all your inventive recipes!
Jules said: on January 2, 2013
Oh ok, Renee, that explains some of it. Yes, the batter is very thick, but the more you can whip it up (a stand mixer is nearly a must to do that here, though), the better the result. Glad you enjoyed the taste, nonetheless!
Danielle said: on January 11, 2013
I am going to make your rum cake tomorrow and need to buy a bundt pan. I was wondering if this cake fits in a 10 in or 12in bundt pan?? Thanks…sooo excited to make this!
Jules said: on January 12, 2013
Hi Danielle – I’d go for the 12 inch if there’s a choice, but either should work well. Enjoy the recipe!!!
Danielle said: on January 13, 2013
Thank you! Friends coming over in 2 weeks as their child was sick so didnt make yet. Not sure if I want to wait that long!! Thanks again!