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The Best Easy & Moist Thanksgiving Rum Cake

A perfect slice of homemade Thanksgiving Rum Cake being served as dessert at a festive holiday dinner.

A rich and incredibly moist rum cake, perfect for Thanksgiving or any special occasion, that starts with a convenient yellow cake mix and instant vanilla pudding base. The cake features a delicious crumble made from brown sugar, pecans, and white chocolate chips, which is layered throughout the batter in a Bundt pan. After baking, the warm cake is repeatedly brushed with a homemade rum, brown sugar, and butter glaze, allowing the cake to soak up the sweet, boozy syrup.

Ingredients

Scale
  • For the Cake:
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing
  • All-purpose flour, for dusting
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 cup pecan pieces
  • 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • One 13.25-ounce or 15.25-ounce box yellow cake mix
  • One 3.4-ounce package instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons white or gold rum
  • For the Glaze:
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup white or gold rum

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously grease and flour a 10- or 12-cup Bundt pan.
  2. Make the Crumble: In a food processor, pulse the brown sugar, pecans, white chocolate chips, pumpkin pie spice, and salt until the mixture resembles fine crumbs with some larger bits. Sprinkle one-third of this mixture evenly in the bottom of the prepared Bundt pan.
  3. Make the Batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the cake mix and pudding mix. Add 3/4 cup of water, the eggs, sour cream, melted butter, and rum. Whisk until well combined.
  4. Layer the Cake: Pour half of the batter into the Bundt pan over the crumble layer. Top with another third of the pecan mixture. Pour the remaining batter on top, then finish with the last of the pecan mixture.
  5. Bake and Cool: Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
  6. Make the Glaze: While the cake is cooling, combine the brown sugar and butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until the butter melts. Add the pumpkin pie spice and salt. Bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat. Pour in the rum and stir to combine.
  7. Glaze the Cake: Invert the warm cake onto a serving platter with a rim. Brush the rum glaze onto the sides and into the center hole of the cake. Repeat this process 3 more times, every 30 minutes, for a total of 4 brushings.
  8. Slice and serve immediately, or cover and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Notes

  • This recipe uses a cake mix and instant pudding mix as a convenient shortcut for a consistently moist cake.
  • The multi-step glazing process, where the glaze is applied in intervals, is a key technique that allows the cake to fully absorb the rum syrup.
  • A Bundt pan is the traditional and recommended pan for this type of cake.
  • This is an alcoholic dessert intended for adults.

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