This Lemon Rum Bundt Cake is a version of the beloved pound cake. Easy to put together with a soaking syrup and no buttercream.
This is one of the best pound cakes I have ever eaten. The texture is like velvet on your tongue and the butter adds a flavor no other shortening can. Two flours are used. All purpose flour provides strength to achieve and hold its height. Cake flour tenderizes the crumb.
I find it interesting that there is no leavening except the air beaten into the butter and sugar. Heavy cream adds to the melt in your mouth texture.
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The bread crumbs lining the pan add a contrasting crunch to the finished cake and helps the cake release. By adding lemon zest to the batter and soaking the Lemon Rum Bundt Cake in a lemon-rum syrup it becomes the quintessential lemon pound cake. This makes a large bundt pan. It can be made in two six cup molds if desired.
Lemon Cake
½ cup fine plain dried bread crumbs
1 ¾ cup all purpose flour (250 grams or 8 ¾ ounces)
1 cup sifted cake flour (100 grams or 3 ½ ounces)
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened (225 grams or ½ pound or 2 sticks)
3 cups sugar (600 grams or 21 ounces)
6 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
Zest of 2 large lemons
1 cup 40% cream
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 10 cup bundt pan very well with cooking spray. Place the crumbs in the mold and roll them around until every inch is covered with breadcrumbs. Set aside.
Whisk together the flours and salt. Set aside. Beat the butter and sugar on medium until very light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and lemon zest.. Add the eggs two at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add ⅓ of the flour mixture on low followed by ½ of the cream. Add ½ of the remaining flour and all of the cream, beating well. Finish with the remaining flour. The batter will be very thick and velvety.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan,smooth the top and bake for 75 to 80 minutes.
Shortly before the cake is finished baking, make the soaking syrup so it is ready when the cake comes out of the oven.
Lemon Rum Soaking Syrup for the Lemon Rum Bundt Cake
½ cup butter (8 tablespoons, 114 grams or 4 ounces)
¼ cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
¼ cup dark rum such as Meyers Dark Rum
¼ cup water
1 cup sugar
Combine in a medium saucepan as it will reallyl boil up and bring to a boil. Boil hard for about 8 to 10 minutes until the soaking syrup thickens slightly.When the cake comes out of the oven leave it in the pan and pole holes in the cake with a skewer. Spoon ⅓ of the syrup over the cake and let it soak in for 5 to 10 minutes. Spoon another ⅓ of the syrup over the cake again. Let it soak in completely. The cake will cool and that is fine.
Turn the cake out of the pan onto a rack over waxed or parchment paper. Alternately, place the rack with the cake in a rimmed baking pan. Skewer the cake again. In the photo below you can see the soaked area as well as the unsoaked area.Spoon the remainder of the syrup over the cake. Scoop the syrup that has fallen through and spoon over the cake again until it is all used.
This Lemon Rum Bundt Cake serves 12 to 16 people.
Note: Try to use a light colored bundt pan as the darker ones brown too quickly.
Bruce Tanenbaum says
How could I add fresh blueberries to the recipe?
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Bruce, just fold in 1 to 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries. Use a tester to make sure it's done.
Heather says
I'm baking this right now, and cannot waiting to taste it, I know it will be amazing
Thank you for sharing an 'honest' scratch recipe, so nice to have your guidance in the instructions!
Helen S Fletcher says
So excited you are making this. One of my favs - hope it will be one of yours
Rockyrd says
Just wanted you to know that I made this recipe into 30 mini bundts (petite four size) plus leftover in another small cake. Although the pan I used was a good heavy one, I watched them carefully so they would not over bake. They were not as brown as yours but with that wonderful syrup they were eaten quickly. I hid a few for us in the fridge and we ate them the next day after they came to room temp.
Wonderful.
Anyone out there reading this blog, should be making this cake and great syrup. Trust me, don't start tasting the syrup, there will not be any left for the cake!
hfletcher says
Thanks M.J. I love that you made little ones as petit fours. Wouldn't have thought of it.
Karen McCreary says
Helen, this looks amazing ! I received this same pan for a Christmas gift ! I can't wait to try this recipe . Can I use Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum ? It is a brown color , not clear like reg. Bacardi . (I love it mixed in my Coke Zero once or twice aa year .) Thanks for all your excellent work. I would love to be able to sell my baked goods . My kids say I'd be a squillionaire ! LOL Besides, who'd pay $60 for a Bundt cake HA HA ! ?? ((Have a hug for you and hubby)) K
Debbie Edwards says
Hi Helen
The cake looks delicious! Just one thing - for the syrup you say use 1/2 cup butter but then the tablespoon, gram and ounce measures all point to 1/4 cup.
Thanks so much for all the hard work you put into giving us your recipes!
Debbie
hfletcher says
Hi Debbie: First of all thanks for the catch. It should be 1/2 cup butter. The recipe has been corrected. Using the 1/4 cup would be fine also but mine was done with the 1/2 cup butter.
Rockyrd says
Dear Helen,
Its serves 12-16? Hahahahaha. It would serve ME!
My one neighbor always makes her rum cake with cake mix etc and brings it to pot lucks. Every one oohs and ahhs and now I will be a show off and bring this one!
I threw my old bundt out too, it was from the dark ages when they first came out. Actually I think I recieved it as an engagement present in the early 70's.
Yeah, I had long hair.
The pan was black non stick and got all scratchy inside- but a very heavy pan. Now I have to go out and buy one of these. Do you like the lighter colored ones better? Also- how about those fancy swirly ones? This cake should be able to take that mold, right?
Xo
hfletcher says
Hi M.J. I definitely recommend the lighter colored pans as the dark ones really get the product too dark. There are so many beautiful shapes but I stick with the one I have. It would be easy to buy and buy and buy the gorgeous new shapes but I worry about the releasing from them. Someone gifted me with a rose bundt pan and the product would never come out without something sticking. But the spraying and crumbs help immensely.
Karin says
4 cups of sugar in one bund cake?? :( no way
hfletcher says
Hi Karin: So here is how to think about this. If it were a 2 layer cake chances are the cake has 2 cups of sugar in it. An American buttercream is based on powdered sugar. If the cake was frosted instead of soaked it would take more than 2 cups of powdered sugar to fill and frost it. It also serves 16 people which amounts to 50 grams or 1 3/4 ounces of sugar per serving.
karenb says
Helen, the cake looks fabulous!! I would like to make it this weekend for a gathering but cannot use Rum. What would you suggest I use in place of the rum in the soaking syrup?
hfletcher says
I am assuming the alcohol is the problem. Just double the lemon juice and make it all just lemon. That is the way it started.
Manisha says
Helen this cake looks lovely. I love pound cakes. When I think of a cake I think of pound cake :))))
Have the same bundt pan as yours :) Will give it a try.
Love
hfletcher says
Hi Manisha - This is one of my favorites. So glad you like it. When we moved, I got rid of my former bundt pan that was exactly like this but no handles. I thought I wouldn't need it because there are only 2 of us now. I forgot about blogging - so I got to buy another one! The original was a bit heavier as I remember but this is light colored and bakes up beautifully. Hope all is going well personally and business wise.