Banana Rum Cake
Who wants cake? This moist and tasty Banana Rum Cake features a bit of rum and plenty of ripe bananas…Cheers!
I’m a whiskey guy. No matter whether it’s American-made bourbon or Scottish-made scotch, I’ll almost always opt for a glass of whiskey if we’re sipping on cocktails. I’d be a little ashamed to admit how many different whiskeys we have in our liquor cabinet. We don’t drink all the time by any means. Instead, we just like trying different bourbons and scotches. It’s especially fun to pour little sips of several types and try them side-by-side. You really begin to appreciate the different layers of flavor in each one.
One of our good friends, however, is a rum girl. I always associate rum with the cheap rum-and-cokes I’d drink in college. I’m over those! Our friend has opened my eyes to all sorts of different rums, though, and I’ve gotta say that it’s fun trying the different styles and kinds. At the end of the day, I’m still a whiskey guy, but at least now I can appreciate a good rum.
We were sitting around one night recently, and we got to talking about baking with rum. Rum is a key player in all sorts of cocktails (like this New Orleans Hurricane), but it’s also great to use for marinating or baking. Last summer, we marinated some pineapple slices in rum and then tossed ’em on the grill alongside our steaks. Holy cow…talk about delicious! However, I digress. Today’s post is about baking with rum.
Banana Rum Cake
I made this Toasted Coconut Rum Cake several years ago, and I still get comments from my friends at the curling club about that one. As we were talking about flavors that pair well with rum, someone suggested bananas. Bananas Foster has always been one of my favorite desserts, so I got to thinking about whether I could turn Bananas Foster into a cake.
Bananas Foster involves pouring rum into a skillet and then igniting it. The thought of igniting a cake didn’t seem like such a good idea, so I backtracked a bit. Instead, I started with my mom’s famous recipe for banana bread and transformed that into a banana cake. Rum was used in place of the liquid in the recipe, and I’ve gotta say that this Banana Rum Cake turned out to be rather tasty!
This Banana Rum Cake doesn’t have an overt rum flavor. Instead, you’ll notice an extra layer of flavor in the cake, but you’d be hard-pressed to recognize it as rum if someone didn’t tell you. (That Toasted Coconut Rum Cake is a bit different as the cake gets soaked in a rum syrup overnight. It’s delicious, but it does have a strong rum flavor.)
If you’re looking to highlight the rum flavor in this cake, just use rum instead of milk for the glaze on top. Also, I recommend using a dark rum as I’m not sure a light rum would bring the same depth of flavor.
I happen to love nuts in my banana bread, and I think a cup of chopped pecans or walnuts would be pretty fantastic in this cake. Add in a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg, and I wouldn’t be sad about that either!
If you’re not feeling the alcohol here, I would recommend replacing it with a citrus juice. Apple or orange juice would both be totally acceptable, and the flavors would pair well with the bananas. Whether you use rum or juice, this Banana Rum Cake is a moist cake that is certain to be a crowd-pleaser! It didn’t last long here in our house. Cheers, friends!
Did you bake this Banana Rum Cake at home? Leave a comment. Or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog)!
Looking for other fun recipes using bananas? Check out these favorites, too:
Banana Pudding Cheesecake w/ Crumbled Pralines
Banana Cream Pie
Banana Walnut Coffee Cake
2-Ingredient Banana Ice Cream
Banana Rum Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1½ cups sugar
- ¼ cup dark rum
- ⅔ cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 3 ripe bananas mashed
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup sour cream
For the Glaze
- 1¼ cups confectioners sugar
- 2 Tbsp milk or rum
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Spray a standard 10-cup bundt pan with nonstick baking spray; set pan aside.
- Using an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy (~3-4 minutes on medium speed).
- Fold in rum, buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, lemon juice and bananas.
- Add flour, baking soda and salt; mix until just combined.
- Add sour cream; mix until just combined.
- Pour batter into prepared pan.
- Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick or skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes and then invert onto a wire rack until completely cool.
- Using a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and milk or rum.
- Drizzle glaze over cake before serving.
Banana cake brings back some lovely memories of my childhood!
Banana rum cake? This sounds like a great memory to make as an adult 😀
Now you’re talking, Alexandra! Add a splash of rum in there and turn that old favorite into a new favorite. 🙂 Hope your holidays have been awesome so far!
I’m not surprised this cake didn’t last long in your house. It looks absolutely to-die-for! I want this! I think it’s a great combination of flavors. And it looks so absolutely moist, David. You are a great baker!
Why thank you very much, Sir! This cake was truthfully a minor riff on the banana bread that my Mom used to make all the time when we were kids. The only credit I can take here is adding the rum…ok, that’s definitely worth something. Haha! Hope your holidays have been great so far, my friend!
I love rum in baked goods and pies, so this cake is a must try! And I need to steal your idea for grilling rum soaked pineapple too…sounds incredible!
Oh definitely try that rum soaked pineapple on the grill. Holy cow! But until summer grilling season returns, this banana rum cake can totally do the trick. It’s delicious! 🙂 Thanks, Marissa, and I hope your holidays have been awesome so far!
That’s the kind of cake I want for breakfast or do I have to wait till cocktail hour?
Rum is all the rage over here. I don’t go fo the stuff but to each his own. Like you, I’m a whiskey guy, well and a bit of gin.
Well it’s always 5:00 somewhere (or so I hear), so I say you don’t need to wait until cocktail hour at all. Slice up a piece and enjoy with some coffee or tea! 🙂 And then we’ll save cocktail hour for toasting our glasses of whiskey. Happy (early) New Year to you, Ron!
this does look very attractive david and i bet it tastes great. i am so not a rum girl (too many bad memories of throwing up in my youth), but i do love a really good and smoky whiskey/whisky. the depth of flavours in some scottish ones …
Yeah, I totally know what you mean about bad memories there, Sherry. For me, that’s Tia Maria. I can’t even look at a bottle of the stuff without bad memories. Also, I’m totally on board with the smoky whiskeys, too! I love the Isle of Islay single malts. Yum!!
I’d love to see your whisky cabinet David! And I’d also love to help you drink it! I wonder if I’d get away putting rum into my banana cake. Love the idea of it! Anyway this looks delicious and I’m in the mood for a festive Christmas glass of rum now so here’s wishing you, Laura and Robbie a very happy Christmas! Cheers!
Oh, I’d love to share a glass or 4 of whisky with you and Lynne! That would be a lot of fun. 🙂 In the meantime, though, rum goes quite well with bananas, so that was the idea behind this banana rum cake. It’s quite tasty…especially when curled up on the couch during the holidays. Speaking of the holidays, I hope you guys have had a very happy holiday season over there so far!
I’m a whiskey (or is it whisky?) guy, too! My favorites are those peaty Islay scotches as well as some of the brinier ones like Talisker. I usually have a “wee dram” or after dinner. Nice way to cap off the evening, especially with a roaring fire crackling away… But I do enjoy rum once in a while, also in baking. I can imagine it has to lend a nice extra layer of flavor to this banana cake.
Merry Christmas to you and yours, David!
I’m with ya on the whiskey vs. whisky thing, Frank. I always get it backwards! And, yes, I love those Islay single malts, too. That’s the good stuff that I save for a special night…or an especially cold night. 🙂
I hope you and your family have had a wonderful holiday season so far, too, my friend. Happy (early) New Year!
Hi David! Spot on as usual my friend! I don’t drink rum often, but this sounds delicious! Gary is a whiskey, bourdon guy (and gin), you two would get along great. My best friend gave me a bottle of Rum Chata for my birthday, I haven’t had any yet but it’s rum mixed with cream, vanilla and cinnamon so I’m sure I’ll like it. Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas, I’m sure Santa will be good to all of you!
Oh it sounds like Gary and I would have a lot to chat about over a nice glass of bourbon. 🙂 So I’ve never had a rumchata myself, but the flavors sound like something I would enjoy. Can we turn it into a bourbon-chata? Or would that just be eggnog at that point? Haha!
I hope you and Gary and the rest of the family have had a very happy holidays so far, Dorothy! It’s great to hear from you!!
OHHHHH my gosh YUM!!!! I absolutely love rum in desserts! This looks and sounds AMAZING! Your pics are mouthwatering! This Banana Rum Cake is perfectly moist, I can almost taste it just from looking at your gorgeous pics. Now I need to take a look at your Toasted Coconut Rum Cake!
Thank you so much, Shannon! There really is something fun about baking with rum, right? And if you like rum, then you definitely need to put that Toasted Coconut Rum Cake on the list of things to bake. Yum! I hope you had a very Merry Christmas, my friend!
Drinking rum isn’t my thing at all, but I love it in desserts! Banana and rum were made for each other! I’m adding this cake to my baking list for sure! Merry Christmas to you and your family, David!
I’m with ya, Kelsie. I prefer to bake with my rum, although I can at least respect a good rum now thanks to our friends who’ve taught us the nuances. The banana rum combo is a good one, and this cake was mighty tasty. 🙂
I hope you and the family had a wonderful Christmas, my friend. And Happy (early) New Year, too!
I don’t really like hard alcohol – for sipping I always prefer something relatively mild. Better – just wine or apple cider. However, I do love rum, bourbon, whiskey, and other strong liquors for cooking; they bring so much flavour!
This cake looks and sound wonderful. You probably remember that I am a little bit sceptical about bananas in baked goods as they might result in a soggy, heavy texture. Not the case here – it looks pleasantly moist. And combination of rum and bananas? Dear Santa David, I believe in Christmas miracles, so please make this cake appear in front of me. Thanks! 🙂
I hear ya, Ben. Liquor is definitely an acquired taste. I do love baking with liquor as it brings such a fun and unexpected layer of flavor. This banana rum cake is mighty delicious, too! I hope you and Andrey have had a wonderful holiday season so far, my friend. Happy (early) New Year!!
I’m envisioning a tropical vacation with bananas and rum! I love how moist this cake looks. This would be perfect to serve just about anytime, but I’m thinking I will make it for one of our family and friends game nights!
Haha! That tropical vacation sounds pretty awesome right now…even more so when I look out of my window and see the snow outside. Brr! This would indeed be a fun cake to make for a game night with friends. I hope you and the family have had a great holiday season so far, Kathy! Happy (early) New Year, too! 🙂
I hear you on the whiskey front, it’s my drink of choice too. In fact, I’m currently trying to whittle away my collection in advance of moving, as I can’t take the open bottles overseas! Love the idea for the banana rum cake, some great flavours!
Wait. You guys are moving?? Back to Canada? I missed that news! Or perhaps you’re moving to Saratoga Springs, NY…in which case we can get together for a glass of whiskey! 🙂 Thanks so much, Matt, and I hope you and the family have had a wonderful holiday season so far!
I don’t drink rum or whiskey — BUT, I love desserts made with them. As I sit here with my coffee, I’m seriously dreaming a slice of this will appear before me. Here’s hoping. 😉 Happy, happy holiday week, David! 🙂 ~Valentina
I love baking with liquor…it’s such an unexpected and fun ingredient. Bananas and rum pair well together in general, and this cake is proof! It would indeed go well with a nice mug of coffee. 🙂 I hope you have had a wonderful holiday week, too, Valentina!
The rum in the banana cakes sounds perfect, a great combination. The cake looks nice and moist. Perfect for the holidays!! David, wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas!!
Thank you so much, Dawn! Bananas and rum really are a fun combination. I hope you and your family have had a wonderful holiday season so far. Happy (early) New Year, my friend!
Definitely a delicious cake to add to my baking list. Merry Christmas to you and your family David.
Oh this cake is definitely worth putting on the list, Karen. It’s delicious! And the rum is such a fun and unexpected flavor in there. 🙂 Merry Christmas to you and your family as well. And Happy (early) New Year, too!
I do love the look of this cake and agree that rum is perfect for baking (in fact, I have just added some to my individual Christmas cakes). I am so intrigued by your mention of using rum for marinating though – those pineapple slices sound delicious. Tell me more! Wishing you and your family a very happy New Year, David!
Using rum in a marinade is a fun twist for sure, Katerina! Try those rum-marinated pineapple slices. Just through them on a hot grill for a minute or two and then serve ’em over say a nice classic pound cake. Yum!! I hope you and your family have had a wonderful holiday season so far, too. And Happy (early) New Year!!
My SIL used to make a rum butter cake for Christmas and she would slather it with a decadent rum butter icing and I used to go bananas for it – aaaand… that’s my Segway to this delicious Banana rum cake! This looks amazing David! Hoping you guys had a wonderful Christmas up there!
Hey there, Shashi! I like your segway over to this banana rum cake – it was a good one. 🙂 Also, that rum butter cake sounds fantastic!
We did indeed have a good Christmas up here, and now we’re trying to adjust to the new year. I hope y’all had a good one down there in GA!
ha ha:) i thought a segway was some kind of scooter…
A little help…I made this banana rum cake for the first time and Left Out the Sour Cream. What say you? Do I need to start over??
Hey Pete! That’s a tough question. If you haven’t put it in the oven yet, then I definitely say gently mix in the sour cream. If it’s already in the oven, then just roll with it! The sour cream adds moistness to the cake, so it might come out a bit dry without it.
Delicious & plush cake. I used coconut rum instead & it was perfect. Served to dinner guests who also loved it!
Oooo…I like the idea of coconut rim, Lisa! So glad this cake was a hit with the dinner guests. And thank you so much for taking the time to stop by and comment, too!
I made this in mini Bundt cake pans do I can give out as gifts. I made banana foster, diced the banana in small chunks and put in the center of the cakes. Beautiful cakes and yummy.
Hey Ginny! Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and leave a comment here. I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe – and I really like the idea of making these in mini Bundt cakes! I have a mini Bundt pan in the cabinet – I might just have to try that idea out soon! Cheers!
Hi there,
Wondering if I could sub Rumchata for the buttermilk?
Thanks and Merry Christmas!
Hey Robyn! Merry Christmas right back at ya. 🙂 As far as the Rumchata, I honestly have no idea. Milk softens baked goods, so I’m honestly not sure what would happen with Rumchata. I can say that this recipe is delicious and plenty “rummy” enough. I’d probably stick with the buttermilk partly to avoid it becoming too rummy…if such a thing exists. Haha. Let me know how it turns out?? Happy baking!
Hi I tried to make the banana rum cake today it came out very nice but why the bottom of my cake is a bit dense?
Hey Serene! I’m so glad you enjoyed this cake – the flavor really is quite good! As far as the dense layer at the bottom, there are a couple of possible culprits there. One of the most common explanations is the batter got overmixed. The butter and sugar should be creamed together at medium speed, but everything else should be mixed on low speed. Another possibility is too much liquid in the batter. I’ve made this cake a couple of times, and I haven’t seen the dense layer problem – did you make any substitutions that might have affected the total liquid? It’s a bit difficult to troubleshoot baking questions without standing there in the kitchen, but I hope this helps a little bit. Either way, happy baking!! 🙂
I love this cake. I made it as described (except I used buttermilk made from powdered buttermilk) and it was delicious. Next time I may use even more rum flavor, but delicious as is.
Hey Jim! I’m so glad you enjoyed this cake – it is quite tasty. Oh, and I often use the powdered buttermilk trick – I rarely keep actual buttermilk around, and the powdered version is perfect for baking! Enjoy the rest of the cake…if there is any left! 🙂
Cake had very good flavor and was very moist
I’m so glad you enjoyed this cake, Heidi – it’s a favorite here, too!