Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Rum Cake

We’ve been on an island-high since returning from the Bahamas and we’re craving some of the good stuff. That’s right, some of that sweet nectar—Caribbean rum!

Did you know that sugar cane was introduced in the Caribbean by Christopher Columbus? So even though he didn’t discover America as we know it, he did lay the ground work for the caramel overtone, smooth alcoholic beverage we love today. So let’s celebrate him appropriately on Columbus Day by enjoying shots of rum.

With so many varieties of rum—straight, spiced, mild, strong…—it can be used to compliment everything from shrimp to bananas and risotto to one of my favorites, rum cake!

And they do sell it everywhere in the Bahamas (well everywhere they know the tourists will be). But unfortunately we did not find any gluten-free, dairy-free versions to satisfy our sweet tooth while on vacation so it was first on my list when we got home.

I did satisfy my sweet tooth with many piña coladas served in coconuts, but that’s a whole other story. ;)

This rum cake is moist, buttery, succulent. And BONUS it’s quite easy to prepare. You don’t even have to like rum to enjoy this cake!

GLUTEN-FREE, DAIRY-FREE RUM CAKE

Ingredients

For Cake:

• 1 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1 (15 oz) box of yellow cake mix (like Betty Crocker Gluten-Free Yellow Cake Mix)
• 1 (3.8 oz) box instant vanilla pudding mix (like Dr. Oetker Organics Vanilla Cooked Pudding and Pie Filling Mix)
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup dark rum

For Glaze:

• 1/2 cup vegan butter substitute
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup dark rum

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit then grease and flour six mini bundt molds. Sprinkle nuts evenly in the bottom of each bundt pans.
2. Combine cake mix and pudding mix in a large stand mixer bowl.
3. Mix in eggs, water, oil and rum and blend until well combined. Distribute evenly among the bundt molds.
4. Bake for 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
5. For the Glaze: In a saucepan over medium heat bring butter, water, sugar to boil. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring continuously. Remove from heat and stir in rum.
6. Allow to rest in the molds for 10 minutes before flipping the bundt out on to a plate.
7. Brush glaze over each cake and allow the glaze to be absorbed. Repeat until no glaze remains.
8. Dig in!