Hot Buttered Rum Bundt Cake with Buttery Glaze

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 12 servings
• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 55 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes

Quick Ingredients

• Nonstick baking spray with flour (or butter and flour for the pan)
• 2 1/2 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour; 1 1/2 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp baking soda; 3/4 tsp fine salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg; 1/4 tsp allspice; 1/8 tsp cloves
• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, room temp
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar + 1/2 cup (110 g) light brown sugar
• 4 large eggs; 2 tsp vanilla
• 2/3 cup (160 ml) buttermilk + 1/3 cup (80 ml) dark rum
• Glaze: 1/2 cup (113 g) butter; 1 cup (200 g) sugar; 1/4 cup (60 ml) water; 1/2 cup (120 ml) dark rum; 1 tsp vanilla; 1/2 tsp cinnamon; 1/8 tsp nutmeg; pinch salt

Do This

• 1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously grease and flour a 10–12 cup Bundt pan.
• 2. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Combine buttermilk and rum in a cup.
• 3. Cream butter with sugars until fluffy (3–4 minutes). Beat in eggs one at a time, then vanilla.
• 4. Mix in dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk-rum, beginning and ending with dry. Spoon into pan and smooth.
• 5. Bake 55 minutes, until a tester comes out clean. Set pan on a rack.
• 6. For glaze, simmer butter, sugar, and water 3 minutes. Off heat, stir in rum, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Poke holes in warm cake; slowly spoon half the hot glaze over cake in the pan. Rest 10 minutes, invert, then spoon on remaining glaze. Cool 20–30 minutes before slicing.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Classic hot buttered rum flavor: buttery, warmly spiced, deeply cozy.
• Irresistibly moist crumb thanks to a hot rum glaze that soaks every ridge.
• Foolproof for home bakers: simple steps, pantry spices, showstopping results.
• Bundt format feeds a crowd, travels well, and tastes even better the next day.

Grocery List

• Produce: Optional: 1 orange for zest (if you’d like a citrus note)
• Dairy: Unsalted butter, large eggs, buttermilk
• Pantry: All-purpose flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, vanilla extract, baking powder, baking soda, fine sea salt, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground allspice, ground cloves, dark rum, nonstick baking spray with flour (or butter and flour for the pan)

Full Ingredients

For the Pan

• Nonstick baking spray with flour, or 1 tablespoon soft butter plus 1 tablespoon flour

Spiced Bundt Cake

• 2 1/2 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (110 g) packed light brown sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup (160 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) dark rum

Buttery Rum Glaze

• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) water
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) dark rum
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Pinch of fine sea salt

Optional to Finish

• 1/2 cup (60 g) toasted chopped pecans, for sprinkling
• Confectioners’ sugar, for a light dusting

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Preheat and prepare the pan

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the center. Generously coat a 10–12 cup Bundt pan with nonstick baking spray with flour, or brush every nook with softened butter and dust with flour, tapping out excess. Careful pan prep ensures a clean release and sharp ridges.

Step 2: Combine dry ingredients and mix the liquids

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. In a measuring cup, stir together the buttermilk and dark rum; set aside. Having both mixtures ready makes the batter come together smoothly.

Step 3: Cream butter and sugars

In a large bowl (or stand mixer fitted with the paddle), beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping the bowl once halfway. Proper aeration is key to a tender, even crumb.

Step 4: Add eggs and vanilla

Beat in the eggs one at a time, allowing each to incorporate before adding the next. Mix in the vanilla. If the batter looks slightly curdled, it will smooth out once the dry ingredients are added.

Step 5: Alternate dry and wet ingredients

With the mixer on low, add one-third of the dry ingredients, then half of the buttermilk–rum mixture. Repeat with another third of dry, the remaining liquid, and finish with the last third of dry. Mix just until combined after each addition; do not overmix. Scrape the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and smooth the top.

Step 6: Bake

Bake for 55 minutes, until the cake is risen, the edges pull slightly from the pan, and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Begin checking at 45 minutes if your oven runs hot. The internal temperature should read about 200°F (93°C). Set the pan on a wire rack.

Step 7: Cook the hot buttered rum glaze

During the last 10 minutes of baking, make the glaze. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, sugar, and water. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and carefully stir in the rum, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. The mixture will sizzle; keep your face back. For a less boozy finish, return to low heat and simmer 30 seconds. Keep the glaze warm.

Step 8: Soak, release, and finish

While the cake is still in the pan, use a long skewer to poke holes all over the surface. Slowly spoon or ladle about half of the hot glaze over the cake, giving it time to soak in. Let stand 10 minutes, then invert the cake onto a serving plate or rack. Spoon the remaining glaze over the top and down the sides, encouraging it into the ridges. Sprinkle with toasted pecans if using. Cool 20–30 minutes to set the glaze, then slice and serve. A light dusting of confectioners’ sugar is optional but lovely for contrast.

Pro Tips

• Grease every crevice of the Bundt pan thoroughly to avoid sticking and preserve those pretty ridges.
• Use room-temperature butter, eggs, and buttermilk for a smoother batter and a finer crumb.
• Weigh your flour if possible; 300 g prevents a dense cake from accidental over-measuring.
• Poke lots of holes while the cake is warm and in the pan—this is how the glaze finds its way into every crumb.
• For stronger rum flavor, add the rum off heat and do not re-simmer; for a milder taste, simmer the glaze 30–60 seconds after adding rum.

Variations

• Pecan Crunch Bottom: Sprinkle 1 cup chopped toasted pecans into the prepared Bundt pan before adding batter for a buttery, nutty base.
• Orange-Rum Twist: Add 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest to the batter and 1 tablespoon orange juice to the glaze for a bright citrus note.
• Alcohol-Free: Replace the 1/3 cup rum in the batter with 1/3 cup extra buttermilk plus 1 1/2 teaspoons rum extract. For the glaze, replace the 1/2 cup rum with 1/2 cup apple juice and 1 teaspoon rum extract.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Once fully cool, cover the cake tightly at room temperature for up to 5 days; the rum glaze actually improves moisture and flavor over time. For longer storage, wrap slices or the whole cake well and freeze up to 2 months; thaw overnight at room temperature. To serve warm, microwave individual slices for 10–15 seconds to revive the buttery aroma and tender crumb.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate for 1 of 12 servings: 520 calories; 25 g fat; 63 g carbohydrates; 5 g protein; 1 g fiber; 41 g sugars; 250 mg sodium.