Chocolate Rum Cake

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Indulge in a rich, moist chocolate rum cake infused with spiced rum and layers of dark chocolate ganache buttercream frosting. Chocolate layer cake is the perfect chocolate lover's recipe for a Valentine's Day dessert or birthday cake.

Slice of chocolate cake with chocolate ganache frosting topped with red currents on a plate with a fork.

🌿 Ingredients You'll Need

Spiced Rum with its lingering finishing taste of cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and vanilla enhances the chocolate notes of the cake and frosting. The hot buttered rum made with melted butter not only melts the chocolate, but it also blooms the cocoa powder. The alcohol will bake out of the cake in the oven, leaving behind a subtle spiced flavor.
Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder creates a lovely rich chocolate profile to our rum cake. Sift cocoa powder through a wires sieve to prevent any lumps in the batter.
Cloves and Espresso Powder gives the cocoa powder a little extra chocolate kick.
Dark Bittersweet Chocolate of 70% cocoa creates a luxurious chocolate ganache frosting.

Overhead view of a chocolate frosted cake with a slice being pulled out on a tablecloth next to jar of rum.

How to Make Frosted Chocolate Rum Cake

Start by weighing out all the ingredients and setting them out on your counter for easy access. Heat the butter and rum in a small saucepan, stirring until the butter is melted. Let the buttered rum cool completely. Prepare two 9-inch cake pans with baking spray and bottom layer of parchment paper and set them aside until the batter is ready.

Sift the flour and cocoa powder into a medium mixing bowl and whisk in the rising agents, espresso powder, salt and cloves. Separately, in a large mixing bowl of stand mixer beat together the eggs with both sugars. Pour in the buttermilk, cooled buttered rum, and oil. Then, mix again.

Spoon in the cocoa flour mixture a third at a time, mixing until you have a rich chocolate cake batter. Divide the cake batter between the two cake pans and bake.

To make the chocolate ganache frosting, combine all the ingredients into a medium sized saucepan. Heat on medium low until the chocolate and butter are melted, whisking into silky dark chocolate liquid. Transfer the chocolate ganache to a medium mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.

Whip the chilled ganache with a hand mixer until fluffy. Place one cooled cake layer on a serving plate, cover with chocolate frosting then, add the second cake layer. Spread frosting over the top and sides of the cake with an offset spatula. Slice and serve the cake plain or topped with berries.

Two slices of chocolate frosted chocolate cake topped with currant berries on plates, next to a bottle of rum on a tablecloth covered table.

Baking Tips

Weigh Your Ingredients:
My recipes are all tested by weighing ingredient in grams to be the most accurate. By using a kitchen scale, your recipe will turn out as close to the written recipe as possible. This is the kitchen scale I use everyday.

Use High Quality Butter:
Make the cake batter with rich European style butter with 82% butterfat for the best flavor. Try brands like President, Plugra, Kerry Gold, or Vermont Creamery if you're in the States.

Spiced Rum Alternative:
Spiced rum can be swapped evenly for black spiced rum that has deep earthy notes of molasses, cinnamon, and orange zest.

Weigh Cake Batter for Even Cake Layers:
To bake even layers, I always weigh the batter filled cake pans, using my kitchen scale. Tap the pans on the counter to release any extra air bubbles from the batter. Use baking strips like these, which I wrap around my cake pans for even heat distribution.

DO NOT OVER BAKE the Cake Layers:
Avoid overbaking the cake layers to keep them from becoming dry and crumbly! The cakes are done when the center sets and the edges start turning golden brown. Lightly press your finger on the center of the cake to test—if it feels slightly firm or offers a bit of resistance, it's ready.

Make Ahead Options:
Make the chocolate ganache buttercream ahead and store it in the fridge until ready to assemble the cake. You can also make your cake layers the day before, wrap the cooled layers in plastic wrap and store them in the fridge until ready to assemble the next day.

Keep an Eye on the Oven:
Ovens heat differently, causing slight variations in baking times. For best results, watch your cakes closely and adjust as needed.

Storing and Freezing Cake Leftovers

Unfrosted cake layers can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the fridge for 4-5 days of freshness. Or place wrapped layers in a freezer safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

Frosted cake can set out at room temperature in an air tight container for 2-3 days of freshness. Or place in the fridge for a few more extra days.

You can also keep cake in the fridge, then to revive a slice, just warm slightly to bring back softness in the frosting and moisture to cake.

Slice of chocolate cake with chocolate frosting topped with red currents on a plate with a fork.

FAQ's

Can I substitute the Rum?

The spice rum creates a depth of lovely flavor to the chocolate cake. But, if you need to swap it out use brewed coffee instead. I would also add a teaspoon of cinnamon to makeup for the lack of spices from the 'spiced rum'.

Can this be converted into cupcakes?

Yes, this cake batter can be used to make 24 cupcakes. Divide the batter evenly amongst the cupcake liners.
Use a 1.5-2 tablespoon cookie scoop to equally measure each cupcake or simply fill each cupcake liner ¾ full with batter.
Place trays on middle rack of oven and bake at 350F (180C) for 20-22 minutes.
Cupcakes will dome on top with a slight crack, should spring back when slightly touched with finger tip, or check for doneness by inserting a toothpick that comes out with clean with a few crumbs.

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