Italian Rum Cake
Indulge in the fantastic flavors of Italy with our authentic Italian Rum Cake – a perfect blend of airy sponge cake soaked in a rich rum syrup, layered with velvety custard, enveloped in a smooth whipped cream (or buttercream frosting) and coated with nuts. It is off-the-hook in flavor and amazingly delicious!!
Each bite has the perfect balance of moist cake, creamy filling, and a little kick of rum, topped with crunchy nuts for an added texture. Ideal for weddings, anniversaries, or any special occasion, this luxurious cake offers the ultimate celebration and is truly unforgettable! It’s my top choice every year for my birthday.
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Growing up, Italian rum cake was a must-have for every birthday celebration. We didn’t do chocolate cake, sheet cake, or any other cake. My family and most other Italian American families in the neighborhood had this kind of cake to celebrate birthdays.
What is Italian Rum Cake?
If you’re not familiar with this cake, let me introduce you (because I think you’ll really LOVE it)!
Italian rum cake is typically made of the following major components: (1) three layers of sponge cake that are soaked with a sweetened rum-flavored syrup, (2) decadent layers of vanilla and chocolate pastry cream filling (3) bakery style frosting, stabilized whipped cream frosting , or even cream cheese frosting (4) edges coated with lots of crushed nuts (peanuts in Philly or sliced almonds in other areas of the Northeastern USA).
Suggested Time Table
Don’t be intimidated by the instructions – I have found that the real key is to make the cake in small steps over time.
Making things over two or three days allows for easier assembly the morning of or the day before the event/celebration. Although the cake can be served a few hours after assembly, but it is best served the following day to allow it to set.
A suggested timetable could be:
- A week to a month beforehand, make the sponge cake and freeze it.
- Two days before, make the pastry cream and the rum syrup.
- The day before, add whipped cream to the pastry cream, make the frosting, and assemble the cake.
Sponge Cake: Ingredients and Method
Start by combining flour and salt in a small bowl and set it aside. In a standing mixer, whip egg whites on medium-low until foamy, then add cream of tartar. Continue mixing until the whites become opaque, ensuring there is no yolk mixed in, as this is critical for the cake to rise properly. Gradually add 1/2 cup of sugar to the bowl, increasing the mixer’s speed until soft peaks form. Then, transfer the egg whites to another bowl and set aside.
In the same bowl, now empty, whip the egg yolks at high speed for 3 to 5 minutes until they lighten in color and ribbon when the beaters are lifted. Slowly add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, cold water, and vanilla, mixing at low speed until combined. Sift the flour mixture onto the egg yolk mixture in two stages, stirring gently with a large spatula.
Next, fold in the whipped egg whites gently but thoroughly. Transfer the mixture to prepared pans, smoothing the tops if necessary. Bake for about 20 minutes until cooked through. Even if slightly overbaked, the rum syrup added later will effectively moisten the cake.
Tips for Making the Sponge Cake
When making a sponge cake, start by separating the eggs while they’re cold, as this makes it easier to keep the yolks and whites separate.
Weighing ingredients is more accurate than measuring by volume, so use grams or ounces. When incorporating the egg whites into the batter, do it gently but thoroughly to maintain their volume.
Do not grease the sides of your pan, as sponge cakes require a surface to cling to for rising. Finally, bake the cake immediately after mixing the batter to get the best results.
Pastry Cream: Ingredients and Method
The process to make the vanilla and the chocolate pastry creams is quite similar so to save time and space, only the chocolate version is shown.
Keep in mind that you’ll repeat this process and omit the cocoa powder and add vanilla extra instead for your second filling.
The preparation of the pastry cream for this cake involves a few critical steps. Start by whipping heavy cream separately and set it aside; this will be added to the pastry cream later, after it has been cooked and cooled, and just before assembling the cake.
In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolks and cornstarch, then set this mixture aside. In a medium saucepan, combine milk, sugar, salt, and your choice of vanilla or chocolate (for vanilla or chocolate cream). Heat this mixture until small bubbles form (scalding), then remove from heat.
To temper the eggs, gradually add about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture to the egg yolks and cornstarch, whisking quickly to prevent the eggs from curdling. Once all the milk mixture is incorporated, return the entire mixture to the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens. Be vigilant as the mixture can thicken rapidly. Continue stirring until the thickening process slows or stops.
Allow the pastry cream to cool, then refrigerate it until you’re ready to assemble the cake. When assembling, first whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form, being careful not to overbeat. If the pastry cream has been refrigerated and has firmed up significantly, rewhip it before folding it together with the whipped heavy cream.
Frosting: Ingredients and Method
Start by adding gelatin and water to a small saucepan, heating it on low until the gelatin dissolves. Be careful not to let the gelatin set.
Meanwhile, whip the cream and sugar together on medium speed until the mixture is slightly thickened. Gradually add the dissolved gelatin mixture to the cream, continuing to whip. Finally, increase the mixer speed and continue whipping until the mixture is firm.
The Rum Syrup
This is probably the easiest step: simply mix sugar, extract (or rum), and water in a small saucepan, heat gently until the sugar is dissolved, and then cool the mixture. Avoid overheating the syrup after the extract or alcohol has been added, or you will cook off the flavor.
You can apply to the sponge cakes with a large spoon or using a squeeze bottle if you have one.
I like to line up the cakes and apply the syrup while the parchment paper is still on bottom of cakes – makes it easier to move the cakes.
Rum extract substitution: you can use 2 tablespoons of dark rum OR 5 tablespoons of light rum for every 1 tablespoon of rum extract.
Assembly
Ensure all your ingredients are ready including the baked and cooled cake layers, pastry cream (with the whipped cream folded in), rum syrup, and frosting.
Begin assembling the cake by placing a layer of sponge cake on a cake plate or board (be sure to peel off the parchment first). Soak this layer with one-third of the rum syrup. Next, spread all of the vanilla pastry cream over this layer.
Add a second layer of sponge cake on top of the vanilla cream (again, peel off the parchment) and soak it with another third of the rum syrup. Then, cover this layer with all the chocolate pastry cream. Place the final sponge cake layer on top (peel off parchment) and soak it with the remaining rum syrup.
Finish by applying frosting to the top and sides of the cake. Decorate the sides with nuts and add any additional decorations to the top as desired.
Variations
Nuts: while almonds are common in some places, peanuts are preferred in Philadelphia. Choose nuts according to your preference.
Filling: The traditional Italian rum cake filling includes one layer each of vanilla and chocolate pastry cream, but feel free to experiment with all vanilla, all chocolate, or even raspberry or cannoli cream fillings.
Syrup: Consider substituting rum syrup with sweetened vanilla syrup for a lighter touch.
Frosting: Options range from bakery-style frosting to stabilized whipped cream or cream cheese frosting. Choose what suits your taste.
Cake layers: While sponge cake is traditional, a butter cake base can also be used as an alternative.
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📖 Recipe
Italian Rum Cake
Equipment
- 8-inch round cake pans (three total) or use 9 inch cake pans and do 1.5X the sponge cake recipe
- parchment paper to line bottom of cake pans
- standing mixer or hand mixer
- cake board (I use 10-inch size) (helpful but not necessary)
Ingredients
Ingredients for the sponge cake: (can use 9 inch cake pans and make 1.5 times the sponge cake recipe for thicker layers).
- 1 cup (125 g) unbleached all-purpose flour sift onto a sheet of waxed paper and then spoon into measuring cup and level to rim if not weighing
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 large eggs (separated into yolks and egg whites) separate when cold. Use when room temperature. Make sure egg whites do not contain any yolk!
- 1 cup (200 g) superfine or regular sugar , divided
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 3 tablespoons water , cold
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Ingredients for frosting (stabilized whipped cream):
- 3 cups (714 g) heavy cream
- 3/4 cup (90 g) powdered sugar
- 3 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
- 4 tbsp cold water
Ingredients for the vanilla pastry cream filling:
- 5 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
- 4 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 cup (244 g) milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/16 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup (59.5 g) heavy cream (whipped) NOTE: this gets mixed in AFTER the pastry cream has been cooked and chilled
Ingredients for the chocolate pastry cream filling:
- 5 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar plus 2 tablespoons
- 4 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 cup (244 g) milk
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1/16 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup (59.5 g) heavy cream (whipped) NOTE: this gets mixed in AFTER the pastry cream has been cooked and chilled.
Ingredients for the rum syrup:
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon rum extract
Ingredients to assemble the cake:
- 2 cups (473.18 g) crushed peanuts OR sliced almonds , lightly salted
- 8 inch cake board (optional)
Instructions
How to make the sponge cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and position rack in center of oven
- Grease bottom only of cake pans with butter and flour/cake spray and for added measure, line bottom of pans with parchment paper (DO NOT grease the sides of the pan or your spongecake may not rise properly)
- Combine flour with salt in a small bowl and set aside.
- In a standing mixer, whip the egg whites on medium-low speed until foamy (not stiff) and then add the cream of tartar and continue mixing until the whites become opaque
- Add 1/2 cup sugar slowly to the side of the bowl and increase the speed of the mixer until soft but not stiff peaks form. Scrape the contents to another bowl and set aside
- Using the same bowl, which is now empty, add the egg yolks and whip at high speed for 3 to 5 minutes until lightened in color and the mixture "ribbons" when the beaters are raised
- Slowly add the remaining sugar (ie, 1/2 cup), cold water, and vanilla into the egg yolks and mix until combined on low speed
- Sift the flour onto the egg yolks in two additions, and stir gently with large spatula to combine.
- Gently but thoroughly fold in the whipped egg whites
- Transfer mixture to prepared pans and bake for about 20 to 30 minutes until cooked through; using 3 pans, I only needed 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven, cool for about 10 minutes in the pans and then carefully remove the cakes from the pan (see next step).
- To prevent tearing or crumbling around the edges, I carefully use a knife to loosen the edges with a gentle up-and-down sawing motion (not gliding the knife around), ensuring a smooth release of the cake without damaging its sides.
- After fully cooled, wrap and refrigerate or freeze.
How to make the pastry cream:
- Note that the heavy cream gets whipped separately and is added to the finished pastry cream AFTER it has been cooked and cooled. I do this just before I'm getting ready to assemble the cake.
- In a small bowl, add egg yolks and cornstarch. Whisk to blend and set aside
- In a medium saucepan, add milk, sugar, salt, and vanilla OR chocolate (depending on if you are making the chocolate or the vanilla cream [you will repeat all of these steps to make the other flavor)Heat until small bubbles form (scalded) and remove from heat.
- Temper eggs by adding small amounts (about 1/2 cup/4 ounces) of the hot milk mixture, a little at a time, while whisking very QUICKLY to prevent the eggs from curdling.
- After all of the milk mixture has been added into the eggs/cornstarch, return everything to the saucepan and cook over medium heat and stir constantly until thickened. The mixture thickens quickly (depending on how hight heat is)!! Stir fast and furious with whisk!Continue to heat and stir until it has stopped thickening.
- Cool the pastry cream and refrigerate until ready to use (this is when you do the last step below, adding the whipped cream). TIP: when folding in the whipped cream during next step, you must rewhip the pastry cream if it has set.
- When ready to assemble the cake, whip heavy cream until soft peaks form (overbeating will cause it to turn to butter) and then fold together with cooled pastry cream (rewhip the pastry cream first if it has been refrigerated and/or it has firmed up a lot).
- Repeat all these steps for other flavor (chocolate or vanilla).
How to make stabilized whipped cream
- Add gelatin and water to a small saucepan and heat gently just until the gelatin dissolves. Do not let the mixture set. If the gelatin cools too much you will have lumps or threads of gelatin in your whipped cream.
- Whip the cream and sugar using a standing mixer until the mixture is slightly thickened.
- Add the gelatin mixture slowly and then increase speed to high and continue whipping until the frosting is firm.
How to make the rum syrup:
- Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and heat over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves and then cool or store in refrigerator.
How to assemble the cake:
- Using a teaspoon or small squeeze bottle, distribute the rum syrup evenly over each of the three cake layers.
- Place one cake layer on the bottom of an 8- or 10-inch cake board or cake dish (you may spread some frosting between the dish and bottom layer to prevent the cake from shifting)
- Spread all of the vanilla pastry cream on top on the bottom layer and then top with another layer of sponge cake. Spread all of the chocolate pastry cream on top of middle layer and then top with final layer of sponge cake
- Frost cake, and add generous amount of crushed peanuts or sliced almonds to the sides of the cake. (if you have refrigerated the frosting (made ahead) you may have to rewhip it.
- Decorate the top if desired and refrigerate until serving.
Notes
- 28 ounces of powdered sugar (7 cups)
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 cup shortening
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- milk to thin frosting if needed
Add powdered sugar slowly, 1 cup at a time.
Mix on medium-to-low speed to prevent air bubbles from forming.
Add vanilla extract and mix to combine. STORAGE
Frosting and fillings keep for about five days in the refrigerator. Cake layers can be frozen for up to 3 months (wrap well in plastic wrap and place in freezer bags).
Store the Italian rum cake in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it. Leftovers should also be stored in the refrigerator.
I have successfully frozen leftover pieces of cake to save some for a future date. The slices of cake freeze well and taste great! I wrap slices in plastic wrap and then place in a freezer bag. I have not attempted to freeze a whole cake.
Nutrition
Sources: Pastry cream adapted from Good Things by David; Sponge cake from Baking911; Bakery Frosting from My Madison Bistro
Amazing!!! My grandparents grew up in South Philly and always had Italian Rum cakes for birthdays. My sister and I do our yearly trip to Isgro’s every winter to get our dad’s birthday cake. We weren’t able to get there this year so I decided to try making a cake instead. My dad LOVED it, and that’s very high praise. Thank you so much for such a detailed, delicious recipe.
I can’t stop making this cake! It is delicious, just like I get at my favorite Italian restaurant only better!!!
Hi, I am currently making the cake. All good so far, but my whipping cream is not thickening. I heated the water and gelatine until dissolved and then put into the cream a little at a time. And my cream went from being partially thick to looser. I’m scared to keep whipping in case it turns I even more loose. Any suggestions?
It’s for my dads 80th today, so would love some help.
Oh no! I’ve never had that happen to me so not sure exactly how to help but here are a few links for you to troubleshoot! Fingers crossed….
https://www.leaf.tv/articles/how-to-re-thicken-whipped-cream/
https://www.tropilite.com/blogs/news/confused-about-how-to-fix-runny-whipped-cream#:~:text=To%20solidify%20runny%20whipped%20cream,long%20as%20the%20original%20whipping.
I made this cake twice,its delicious it’s one of my favourite
I’m so thankful to have found this! I grew up on Long Island, and the version we had in the ’70’s-80’s had a chocolate pastry cream layer and a cannoli cream layer. No nuts that I can remember. I wanted to make this for my Mom’s birthday next week as my Dad passed recently and we’ve been reminiscing about the food we grew up with. This was the cake we had for every event…birthdays, Christenings, Communions. You name it! I’m going to try the cannoli/chocolate filling so its just as my Mom remembers. Thanks so.much for posting this!
Wow! That combo sounds so good! Was the cake soaked with rum? If not I think a sugar syrup would be yummy too (basically just leave out the rum but still make the syrup to soak the cakes). Hope you enjoy!
It was soaked in rum! I remember that being a big deal when I was a kid! It was a bit like eating a tiramisu in terms of the flavors now that I think about it…
Marie,
Beautiful…..I am married 51 years come July 31 (husband & I Italian on both sides) and we had a Traditional Italian Rum cake for our wedding cake. Our Bakeries in NY used crushed Walnuts. I have also worked in an Italian Bakery in NC (Owner was from NJ) and I love how precise your INSTRUCTIONS ARE. You are right, if you take your time, nothing is difficult about this recipe with a delish result. Thank you for sharing. Although I haven’t made this recipe yet, I’m giving you 5 STARS because, it is spot on right down to the stabilized vs bakery frosting with great instruction,
Thanks Stephanie! Best wishes to you and your husband on many more beautiful years together!
Hi Marie, I wish I could give this 100 stars!!! LOVE it. I have made MANY over the years and always got compliments. This cake is just like Ciminari’s in So Philly, a cake we always had for every birthday growing up. Although it is labor intensive, it is worth EVERY minute of work. I am also a SO Philly transplant. Thank you SO much for this recipe. Warm wishes, Linda
Awwwee, thanks Linda!! I’m really so glad you love it! It’s a really special cake, my favorite too!
Are you sure 4 Tbsp of cornstarch for pasty creme? I have to look for another recipe and the “creme” came out like silly putty. My cake deflated some and I did everything correct for cake but it still looks usable.
Hi Arthur, yes, the pastry creme is on the thicker side because you are supposed to fold in the whipped cream afterwards, which loosens the consistency. it sounds like you haven’t completely made the recipe so I’m curious why you rated the cake recipe so poorly?
I made the cake. It tastes great. The pastry creme is wrong IMHO. Other recipes call for 2 TBSP not 4. If you want to delete my post and I will. Repost.
Yes, it is intentionally very thick since I call for folding in whipped cream. I agree that alone (without the whipped cream) the pastry cream would absolutely be too thick – what’s crazy is that some people have said it’s too runny (if you read through all the comments….mine has never come runny) – I’m assuming those people haven’t cooked it long enough or maybe didn’t realize that some measure was off. I’m glad you enjoyed!
Sounds fabulous. I’ve been tasked to make a rum cake for a wedding, and I’m thinking of trying this. However, I probably won’t have access to a kitchen, the wedding is 5 hours away. Can I put this all together the day before, and transport? (3 cakes, 6, 8 & 10″) I’m concerned the cream will make the cakes unstable for transport, especially that far. If it’s better to assemble when we get there, I would have to take mixers for the whip cream and try to assemble in our hotel room. Would you try that or be safe and go without the cream?
This is tough to answer because I’ve never done it and this is a big event so my gut instinct is to advise you not to chance it. If you are feeling daring, I would put together the night before so the cake and filling have settled and it is easier to slice. It is not a very tall cake, which most wedding cakes seem to be..
I have made this cake several times and it never disappoints. Once I made it with a strawberry and custard filling, another with a chocolate and custard filling. Both received rave reviews.
Question: how can I cut this back to only make a two layer cake?
Thank you
Shelley
I did not bake the cake yet but gave you 5 stars bc I have baked enough to know this is a good if not great recipe!! Also the appearance is beautiful.Will be making it soon.BTW I live here in Pittsburgh and we always use almonds this is the first time I have seen it decorated with peanuts.
I finally got around to making this. It turned out wonderfully and was very well received by my family of rum cake critics. I may have to make this for all of our birthdays now. I went with the bakery icing and it was exactly what they wanted (and very tasty). We also like a good soaking with the rum drizzle, especially on the bottom layer (wet bottom!), so next time I’ll make more drizzle with more rum in it. It was suggested that there “should” be rum in the pastry cream, but I suspect if I use more rum syrup on the cake layers it will migrate onto/into the pastry cream layers overnight.
OMG! This cake did not disappoint! Better than the bakery ones I’ve had recently! I grew up with Italian Rum birthday cakes for all birthdays and holidays. The last several cakes we had bought at the bakery have been so disappointing, cake has been dry and the prices have sky rocketed. I found this recipe and made it for my husband’s birthday! It was a huge success!! The Boston bakeries use slivered almonds which is my favorite.
We didn’t like nuts. Always substituted chocolate jimmies. South Philly bakeries all would do that. Looking forward to trying your recipe!
Did everything right, beat the egg whites and yolks enough, but cake didn’t rise
Your recipe calls for egg whites whipped into SOFT peaks. My cakes didn’t rise much. I bake a lot and can only think that at some point you must have to whip the whites into somewhat stiff peaks. Yes?
The egg whites must be completely free of all yolks and it has happened to me as well – because of all the layers, it still comes out pretty good.