Bahamian Rum Cake

Since most of the world's rum is produced in the islands of the Caribbean, the liquor is found in many dishes native to The Bahamas. One of those is rum cake, a buttery treat with a strong rum flavor. 

If you have a pulse, you probably know that the Caribbean region is known for its rum. One of the main crops in the islands of the Caribbean in the 17th century was sugarcane. Rum is distilled from alcoholic byproducts of the sugar refining process.

For that reason, rum is a central ingredient in all kinds of recipes native to the nations of the Caribbean.

One of those recipes is rum cake from The Bahamas. This cake is unlike any I have had before, from the mixing process down to the texture. It requires three bowls to mix, but the result is so very worth it.

Despite being lightened by whipped egg whites, the texture is dense like a pound cake, and so very buttery. It also has a very distinct flavor of rum that doesn't hit you right away. It's a fun cake to eat!

I made this in a 6-cup (half-size) bundt pan, but if you don't have one of those, double the recipe and add another egg white (so, the whites of 3 large eggs) and use a full-size bundt pan.

If you use sugar to coat the pan, make sure you cover every possible square inch of the pan. As you can see in some of my photos, the cake did stick in places. Of course, you can skip the sugar coating altogether, and just spray with nonstick spray, but the sugar does add a nice crust to the cake.

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Bahamian Rum Cake #ProgressiveEats

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

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Ingredients

For the cake:

• ¼ cup sugar for coating the bundt pan
• 1 ¼ cups cake flour
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
• 5 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• ¼ cup buttermilk, room temperature
• ¼ cup dark or light rum, not spiced
• 1 ½ tablespoon vegetable oil
• ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1 large egg white

For sauce:

• ¼ cup butter
• ¼ cup water
• 2 tablespoon pineapple juice
• 2 tablespoon dark or light rum, not spiced
• ½ cup white sugar

For the topping:

• ¼ cup sweetened coconut flakes

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 6-cup bundt pan with cooking spray, then add the ¼-cup sugar to the inside of the pan and gently tap and turn it around until the inside of the pan is coated in sugar.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and ¾ cup sugar with the paddle attachment.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter, buttermilk, rum, oil, vanilla, and yolks until combined.
4. In a third bowl, beat the egg white at medium-high speed until foamy. Blend in the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form and set aside.
5. Gradually pour the butter mixture into the flour mixture and mix on medium-low speed until just combined. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer.
6. Fold the whipped egg white into the cake batter until no streaks remain. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared bundt pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
7. While the cake is baking, spread the coconut flakes on a baking sheet. Place them in the oven with the cake during the last five minutes of baking time. Check them frequently.
8. Transfer the cake and the pan of toasted coconut to cooling racks and let cool for at least 15 minutes.
9. Make the rum sauce: Whisk together the sugar, butter, and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and continue to boil for one minute. The mixture should be thick but still pourable. Remove from the cooktop and carefully stir in rum (fumes from the bottle can ignite).
10. Once the cake has cooled slightly, poke holes all over its surface with a toothpick or skewer. Pour about half of the rum sauce over the cake. Let it rest 5-10 minutes, until the sauce is absorbed. Carefully tip the cake onto a serving platter and drizzle the remaining sauce over the cake. Immediately sprinkle the toasted coconut over the cake, so it will adhere to the sauce. Cover until ready to serve.

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Adapted from the Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board

Welcome to Progressive Eats, our virtual version of a Progressive Dinner Party. This month we're featuring dishes native to or inspired by the islands of the Caribbean. We rotate hosting duties and this month is my turn! Our dishes this month are inspired by the cuisines of Jamaica, Cuba, The Bahamas and more. You'll certainly find a delicious recipe to add to your repertoire!

If you're unfamiliar with the concept, a progressive dinner involves going from house to house, enjoying a different course at each location. With Progressive Eats, a theme is chosen each month, members share recipes suitable for a delicious meal or party, and you can hop from blog to blog to check them out.

Taste of the Caribbean Progressive Eats Menu

Main Course

• Caribbean Shrimp and Grits from Creative Culinary
• Cuban Sweet Potato & Black Bean Tacos with Candied Plantains from The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Instant Pot Jamaican Goat Curry from Spice Roots

Veggies/Side Dishes

• Easy Slow Cooker Jamaican Baked Beans from Mother Would Know
• Red Beans and Coconut Rice from All Roads Lead to the Kitchen

Desserts

• Bahamian Rum Cake from The Redhead Baker
• Coconut Macaroons from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Vegan Mango Pineapple Fool from Pastry Chef Online