Description
This decadent Chocolate Rum Cake combines rich cocoa flavors with the warm spice of rum, layered with a silky chocolate rum ganache buttercream frosting. Perfectly moist and tender, this cake is baked to perfection and coated with a luscious, creamy frosting that melts in your mouth. An ideal dessert for any special occasion or a luxurious treat for chocolate lovers.
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 113 grams unsalted butter
- 240 grams spiced rum
- 250 grams pastry flour (9-10% protein)
- 64 grams dutch processed cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons espresso powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 165 grams dark brown sugar
- 100 grams granulated sugar
- 180 grams whole fat buttermilk (room temperature)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 120 grams sunflower oil
Ganache Buttercream Frosting Ingredients
- 125 grams unsalted butter
- 200 grams heavy cream
- 250 grams dark chocolate (65-70% cocoa), finely chopped
- 110 grams powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons spiced rum
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Prepare Ganache Frosting: Place the heavy cream and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously until the butter melts.
- Add Chocolate and Flavorings: Remove from heat, then stir in chopped dark chocolate, powdered sugar, spiced rum, vanilla extract, and flaky sea salt with a whisk until fully melted and smooth without boiling the mixture.
- Chill Frosting: Transfer the ganache to a medium bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour to chill and thicken.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pans: Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC/160ºC Fan). Grease two 9-inch cake pans with non-stick spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- Make Butter-Rum Mixture: In a medium skillet over medium heat, combine spiced rum and unsalted butter (113 grams). Cook until the butter melts and mixture is creamy; then remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the pastry flour, sifted cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, espresso powder, ground cloves, and fine sea salt. Set aside.
- Beat Wet Ingredients: Using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or hand mixer, beat the eggs with granulated sugar and dark brown sugar until combined. Add buttermilk and vanilla extract, mixing again.
- Combine Wet Mixtures: Pour in the cooled butter-rum mixture and sunflower oil into the wet ingredients and mix until incorporated.
- Add Dry Ingredients to Wet: Add one-third of the dry flour and cocoa mix to the wet ingredients and mix on medium-low speed. Repeat this step two more times until all dry ingredients are combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed to ensure even blending.
- Fill Cake Pans: Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans and smooth the tops.
- Bake the Cake: Place the pans on the middle rack and bake for 23-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If using multiple racks, switch pans halfway through baking for even cooking.
- Cool the Cake: Remove cake pans from the oven and let them cool completely on wire racks.
- Whip Frosting: Remove chilled ganache from the fridge, then whip it with an electric hand mixer for 1-2 minutes until thick and spreadable.
- Assemble the Cake: Remove the cooled cake layers from their pans, peeling off the parchment paper from the bottoms. Place one cake layer on a serving plate.
- Frost Between Layers: Spoon and spread a thick layer of ganache frosting over the top of the first layer.
- Add Top Layer: Place the second cake layer right side up on top of the frosted bottom layer.
- Frost Outside of Cake: Use the remaining ganache to evenly cover the top and sides of the cake.
- Serve: Slice and serve your moist, flavorful Chocolate Rum Cake.
Notes
- Use pastry flour with low protein (9-10%) for a tender crumb; all-purpose flour will make the cake denser.
- Room temperature eggs and buttermilk ensure proper mixing and texture.
- Do not let the ganache mixture boil to avoid curdling or grainy texture.
- If ganache is chilled longer than an hour, allow it to soften to room temperature before whipping for easier spreading.
- Switching pans halfway through baking promotes even heat distribution in convection ovens.
- The espresso powder enhances the chocolate flavor without being detectable.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
