Baba Rum Cake is a beloved delicacy that has found its way into pastry shops across the Italian peninsula if you’re a fan of excellent pastries.
Every time you eat it, the soft, smooth crust gets bathed in rum syrup, giving you a sense of rapture. Today’s variation, which is baked in a bundt pan and served with ice cream and fresh fruit, is a great way to round off the meal. With the Baba Cake recipe, you can make this delectable rum cake at home. This exquisite cake is sure to become a festival favorite in no time.
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE BABA CAKE
1 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
1/2 c. of milk
1/2 oz. of fresh brewer’s yeast
5 tbsp. of unsalted butter
1 tsp. of salt
2 of small eggs
FOR THE RUM SYRUP
2 1/2 cups water
1 ¾ cup sugar
1 cup of grape juice
5 oz. of rum
star anise
cardamom
cinnamon sticks
FOR THE CREAM
14 oz. of cream
1 tbsp powdered sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
MAKE THE BABA CAKE
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 320 degrees F (160 degrees C), then butter or non-stick spray the inside of a 9-inch bundt cake mold.
Step 2: Combine flour, fresh brewer’s yeast, salt, and sugar in a mixing dish; stir well and set away.
Step 3: Place the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a stirrer and beat on high until smooth.
Step 4: Reduce the mixer’s speed to medium and add the eggs and milk to the butter mixture, beating until the mixture is uniform.
Stage 5: Reduce the speed of the mixer to low and gradually add the dry flour combination from step 2 to the liquid mixture from step 4 to make a soft, almost creamy dough. For 4-5 minutes, or until the mixture is totally smooth, combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Step 6: Evenly pour the dough into the prepared cake mold, cover with a moist towel and cling film, and place the cake mold in a warm room to rest for about 90 minutes, or until the dough has doubled in size.
Step 7: Bake the cake for 40 to 45 minutes in a preheated oven, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
Step 8: When the cake is done, remove it from the oven and cool for about 5 minutes in the mold before gently removing it from the shape and cooling entirely on a wire rack.
MAKE THE RUM SYRUP
Step 1: Combine the water, grape juice, 3 anise seeds, 3 cardamoms, and a cinnamon stick in a pot and cook over medium heat until the mixture boils slightly, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the fire and continue to cook. Allow to cool for a few minutes.
Step 2: Toss in the rum with the other ingredients in step 1 and stir well until the syrup is fully mixed.
MAKE THE CREAM
Step 1: In a mixing dish, whisk together the cream and powdered sugar until well blended and stiff.
ASSEMBLE
Step 1: Place the cake on a cooling rack and pour the syrup over it slowly, making sure it is uniformly coated.
Step 2: Pour the rum syrup that has accumulated in the tray over the cake once more and allow it to drain.
Step 3: Add the remaining 3 to 4 tablespoons of syrup to the pot and heat until the mixture thickens, then cover the cake as directed in step 2.
Step 4: Slice the cake and serve it with whipped cream on top.
