Easy and Moist Pecan Rum Cake Recipe

This pecan rum cake recipe is so moist that it’ll last several days without being refrigerated! It may take a little more time to prepare (you’ll need to bake it a day ahead or first thing in the morning), but the delicious rum syrup makes it all worthwhile.

Have you ever heard of returning a Bundt cake to its pan once it’s been baked and cooled? It works really well when saturating the cake with the quick, easily made syrup. Allow at least eight hours for the cake sit at room temperature and to fully absorb the sweetness and moisture it offers.

If you don’t have coconut oil you can substitute any other oil or shortening, but you won’t get the health benefits that it has to offer. This versatile oil not only makes the thyroid’s job easier and helps increase metabolism, but also fights cholesterol, taking away some of your guilty pleasure when eating this fabulous dessert.

Pecan Rum Cake Recipe

what you'll need

cake
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup non-fat milk powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, softened, ½ cup
1/2 cup coconut oil, or vegetable shortening
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup dark rum
1 cup pecans, chopped
rum syrup
1/2 stick unsalted butter, 4 Tbsp
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup dark rum

let's do it

Place a rack just below the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees. Grease and flour Bundt pan very well. Set aside.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, powdered milk and kosher salt then set aside.
In a separate large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the sugar, butter, coconut oil and vanilla until light and fluffy. Beat in 1 egg at a time on medium speed, making certain to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Ensure that each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. Stir the milk and rum together in a 2-c liquid measuring cup then set aside.
Add about ⅓ of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix gently until combined then add ½ of the milk mixture and stir again until well combined. Repeat this process, ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until fully combined and remember to scrape down sides of the bowl. Add the pecans, folding them gently into the batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and bake for 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack for 10 minutes.
After cooling slightly, invert the cake onto the cooling rack and allow it to cool an additional 20–30 minutes.
Meanwhile, wash and dry the Bundt pan then prepare the rum syrup. For the syrup, place the butter, water, sugar and salt into a small saucepan and set over medium heat.
When the mixture begins to bubble, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in the rum.
Now for the fun part! Place the cooled cake back into the Bundt pan and use a bamboo skewer or long toothpick to generously poke holes throughout the cake. Slowly pour the hot rum syrup evenly over the cake, saturating it entirely. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and allow the cake to soak up the syrup for at least 8 hours at room temperature. Invert cake once again onto a cake plate and serve.