A combination of sponge cake, vanilla and chocolate pastry creams, rum syrup, whipped cream frosting, and nuts makes this Italian rum cake out of this world!
And so, here is my complete guide to making this amazing cake.
Table of Contents
Jump to:
- Table of Contents
- What is Italian rum cake?
- Overview of the process
- What is sponge cake?
- How to make the sponge cake (and top tips)
- Top tips for making sponge cake
- Making the pastry creams (vanilla and chocolate)
- Making the stabilized whipped cream frosting
- Making the rum syrup (and substitute)
- Assembling and decorating the cake
- Variations of this cake
- Make ahead tips and storage
- Italian Rum Cake
Italian birthday cake (Italian rum cake)
This amazing cake is better than most cakes you may find these days at the local bakery. My opinion of course. But, hopefully you may agree!
This cake is one of my weaknesses. If I let myself, I could probably eat the WHOLE thing. No kidding. Last day on earth? Yes, I’ll take a piece of Italian rum cake as part of my last meal. Heck, maybe even make it the entire meal!
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.
Italian rum cake will always remind me of my old neighborhood in Philly; my mother; my Italian roots; my childhood….bittersweet memories for sure. I’m so glad that I’ve found a way to make it just as I like it because it seems to be harder and harder to find a good Italian rum cake!
I’ve heard that Wegman’s has an Italian rum cake now! People, make this cake – it will be better than Wegman’s – I promise (apologies to Wegmans – I really love Wegman’s!!)
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) then filled with layers of decadent vanilla and chocolate pastry cream (3) iced with a bakery style frosting, or stabilized whipped cream frosting and (4) then coated on sides with lots of crushed nuts (peanuts seemed popular in Philly OR sliced almonds in other areas of the Northeastern USA) on the outside.
So you have a combination of cake, vanilla and chocolate cream, frosting, booze, and nuts! Winning!
Overview of the process
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 the components over two or three days allows for easier assembly the morning of or night/day before the event/celebration. Of course, if you have a good helper, it can be made much quicker!
I suggest making the sponge cake first (and then freezing depending on when you want to assemble and serve the cake (see Make ahead tips and storage)
Then one or 2 days before you want to serve, make the pastry creams and the frosting and rum syrup.
The cake can be served a few hours after assembly but it is best served the following day to allow it to set.
What is sponge cake?
So what is a sponge cake anyway? A sponge cake is a type of foam cake, which is lighter and springier than a butter cake. According to Rose Levy Berembaum’s book, The Cake Bible, a sponge cake is similar to a genoise cake (which is another type of foam cake) but sponge cake has no added fat aside from the egg yolks.
Because sponge cakes don’t have a lot of fat, they are typically drizzled with syrup, in this case, a rum syrup!
The volume in your sponge cake depends on how the eggs are beaten, their temperature and the order in which the ingredients are added to your cake batter.
For more in depth reading about the different types of cakes, the reader is highly encouraged to see “Understanding Cakes” chapter of The Cake Bible. Is it an excellent book (although this recipe is not from Rose’s book, it is most definitely is a true sponge cake, just as Rose Levy Beranbaum describes according to the ratio of ingredients).
How to make the sponge cake (and top tips)
- 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 (the egg whites should not have ANY yolk at all in them or they will not whip up well – this is crucial for the cake to rise well).
- Add ½ 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, ½ cup), cold water, and vanilla into the egg yolks and mix until combined on low speed
- Sift the flour onto the egg yolk mixture 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, smooth tops if needed, and bake for about 20 minutes until cooked through. (the beauty of this cake is that even if your cake is slightly over baked the rum syrup, applied later, will moisten it very well!)
Top tips for making sponge cake
- Separate eggs while cold (this makes it easier to keep yolks and egg whites separate
- Ensure that your egg whites do not contain any traces of yolk (it helps to use separate bowls to inspect each new egg you separate before adding them to the other egg whites, otherwise you may taint the whole batch)
- Egg whites that have yolk in them will not whip well (egg white volume is vital to obtain optimal cake volume)
- Let the eggs come to room temperature after separating them. This helps to ensure that ingredients blend well.
- Gently but thoroughly fold the egg whites into the batter
- Weigh ingredients (grams or ounces) instead of measuring by volume (cups)
- Work quickly once egg whites are beaten so they don’t deflate
- Bake the cake immediately after the batter is mixed.
Making the pastry creams (vanilla and chocolate)
The process to make the vanilla and the chocolate pastry creams is quite similar and so to save time and space, only the chocolate version is shown.
Keep in mind that you’ll repeat this process again and omit the cocoa powder and add vanilla extra instead for your second filling.
The ingredients (chocolate pastry cream):
- Note that the heavy cream gets whipped separately and is added to the cream AFTER the pastry cream 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); heat until small bubbles form (scalded) and remove from heat.
- Temper eggs by adding small amounts (about ½ 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 can thickens quickly (depending on the heat)!! Stir fast and furious with whisk!
- Keep stirring until you see that it has stopped thickening or the thickening has slowed down.
- Cool the pastry cream and refrigerate until ready to use (this is when you do the last step below, adding the whipped cream).
- 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).
Making the stabilized whipped cream frosting
The Frosting Ingredients:
- Add gelatin and water to small sauce pan and heat on low until gelatin is dissolved; do not let the gelatin set
- In the meantime, begin to whip the cream and sugar until slightly thickened on medium speed
- Add the gelatin mixture in a slow stream and continue whipping
- Increase the mixer to very high and whip until firm.
Making the rum syrup (and substitute)
This is probably the easiest step: simply mix sugar, extract (or rum) and water in small saucepan and heat gently until sugar is dissolved and then cool.
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.
Assembling and decorating the cake
- Place a layer of sponge cake on cake plate or cake board if you have one.
- Soak cake layer with ⅓ of the rum syrup. (alternatively you can soak the layers all at once before starting to assemble cake).
- Top with all of the vanilla pastry cream.
- Place another layer of sponge on top of vanilla pastry cream.
- Soak cake layer with ⅓ of the rum syrup.
- Top with all of the chocolate pastry cream.
- Place the final layer of sponge cake on top of the chocolate pastry cream.
- Soak cake layer with the rest of the rum syrup.
- Apply frosting to top and sides of cake.
- Add nuts to the sides of cake and decorate top as you please!
Variations of this cake
- Nuts: I’ve seen a few versions of this cake online but with almonds instead of the peanuts. In Philadelphia, most if not all of the rum cakes that I’ve seen have the peanuts – I do wonder what area uses the almonds? It’s easy enough to substitute, but here in Philly, we’ve gotta have the peanuts. Feel free to use whatever nuts you’d like.
- Filling: Traditional filling for italian rum cake has been 1 layer of vanilla pastry cream and 1 layer of chocolate pastry cream. Of course, you can make it all vanilla or all chocolate. One reader mentioned they have had the cake with a layer of chocolate and a layer of raspberry filling..sounds delicious! I think it’d be fun to make a version with cannoli cream as filling one day! I’d probably skip the rum syrup and just drizzle with a sweetened vanilla syrup.
- Frosting: Finally, when I first started making this cake, I used a “bakery style frosting” whose recipe now appears in the recipe card notes section. I now use a stabilized whipped cream frosting, which is lighter in comparison Readers have also mentioned using a cream cheese frosting, which I think is more of a homestyle version.
- Rum syrup: If you are making the cake for children, consider using a vanilla sugar syrup (by simply leaving out the rum and adding a tablespoon of vanilla extract instead) instead of the rum syrup.
- Cake layers: Sponge cake is very traditional (and delicious) but if you want to use a butter cake base instead, feel free.
Make ahead tips and storage
Because this cake contains so many components, it can be time consuming to make. A suggested time table might be (just to give you an idea; this is super flexible of course):
- Make the sponge cake a few days to week/month before needed and freeze it.
- Make the pastry cream the morning before needed and refrigerate.
- Make the the rum syrup and frosting and assemble the cake the night before the celebration.
Storage: Frosting and fillings, about 5 days in the refrigerator. Cake layers can be frozen 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.
Some may ask if Italian rum cake can be frozen. I have successfully frozen leftover pieces of cake when I want 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.
More Cakes To Try:
More Italian Baking To Try:
Italian Rum Cake
Equipment
- 8-inch round cake pans (three total)
- 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:
- 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
- ½ 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
- ¾ cup (90 g) powdered sugar
- 3 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
- 4 tbsp cold water
Ingredients for the vanilla pastry cream filling:
- 5 egg yolks
- ½ cup (100 g) sugar
- 4 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 cup (244 g) milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/16 teaspoon salt
- ¼ 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
- ½ cup (100 g) sugar plus 2 tablespoons
- 4 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 cup (244 g) milk
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1/16 teaspoon salt
- ¼ 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
- ½ 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 inside of cake pans with butter and flour/cakespray and for added measure, line bottom of pans with parchment paper
- 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 ½ 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, ½ 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, and then run knife carefully around rim to loosen and invert to wire rack. 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 ½ 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, rewhip the pastry cream if it has been refrigerated to reduce the chance of lumpiness.
- 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
Nutrition
Sources: Pastry cream adapted from Good Things by David; Sponge cake from Baking911; Bakery Frosting from My Madison Bistro
Dawn says
Just found this recipe and I’m getting ready to make it now for a retirement party I’m hosting this weekend. I always like to make instead of buy a cake if I have time. Growing up in the New Haven Ct area, this was the cake of choice for special gatherings. My mother’s best friend was a baker and she made the best cakes! They were sheet cakes with half chocolate and half vanilla Italian cream filling between layers with strawberry pie filling and/or maraschino cherries on the filling also, frosted with whipped cream….no nuts. Thanks for the memories, can’t wait to taste this when it’s done (but I’m using my Nana’s Italian cream recipe that we always fought over).
KC says
I just finished making this for my dad’s birthday. My husband-to-be is from South Philly, and he and my dad both LOVE Italian rum cake. We usually buy it from a local bakery but this year, I thought I’d try my hand at making it. Haven’t tasted it yet, but it looks beautiful!!
Em says
I grew up in South Philadelphia and never saw this made with peanuts. However, you could have it made with “jimmies” (black sprinkles) instead of sliced almonds, which is the way we always ate it.
Michael sulpizio says
I was raised by my grandmother back in the 50s in east Hollywood Los Angeles California both my parents worked and lived in the San Fernando valley so they thought I’d be more stable at my grandmothers house we were very near the Los Feleze area there was an Italian bakery there on Los feleze called Sarnos bakery their pastrys we’re superb! Like you their Rum cake was to die for! And was the cake of choice for every one of my birthdays! Made much like yours except for the nuts they used Almonds chopped and sliced they went out of business back in the early 70s 2nd generation ran it out of business. I will try your recipe changing only the nuts oh, I forgot to mention they had pine nuts scattered here and there! I would have to change it to sugar free if possible as I am diabetic! I look forward to it as I have not had this Rum cake in close to 50 years.
Jody says
In New York it is the almonds.
ALEXANDRIA V.R. says
My husband’s family is from northeast Philly and the rum cake they used to buy had sliced almonds, I’ll be making this for my mother-in-law this Christmas as she hasn’t had a descent rum cake since we moved to Florida. Thanks for the recipe.
Jackie says
Hi Marie. I’m from South Philly too. I remember Italian Rum Cake as “the Birthday cake.” Had to have it and you are on point with the icing and the peanuts being crushed smaller (more like those used as topping at the ice cream parlor. ??
MARIE says
I’m from south of Boston area …..lots of Italians…the rum cake above. … was a traditional wedding cake in that area. I don’t recall the peanuts at all, but the frosting was more of a whipped cream frosting……delish!
Candi says
They use Almonds in R.I. and peaches in one layer..Love you his cake..I love making it with fresh Whip Cream
Marie says
Oh that sounds good! I think there are a bunch of ways this can be customized. Best cake ever, isn’t it?
Raven Taylor says
Omg! This is a great recipe, I make it for my massage therapy co-workers. They love it!!!
Marie says
That’s so nice of you! They are lucky!
Theresa says
In upstate NY they use almonds instead of peanuts. I think it depends on where your Italian roots come from. We also used this cake for celebrations and I have looked forever for a recipe to try to and make since there are no Italian bakeries in western Kansas. I am also looking for pusties, vodka riggies, and cannolis.
Marie says
Oh, my husband LOVES pusties! I have a few recipes, and I’ve been meaning to try them for years. My mom makes connolis all the time but her recipe for the shell is a bit unconventional – she doesn’t like a shell that is too too hard. it’s good though! I’ll have to ask my brother in law about vodka riggies!
MIRKA says
i JUST MADE MY VANILLA FILLING AND ITS PRETTY RUNNY. IS THAT THE WAY IT SUPPOSE TO BE?
Marie says
Hello – is it still hot? The cream will continue to thicken as it cools. It’s hard to give you advice because I can’t see how thin it is…maybe this article on a similar cream will help, I hope!
Janet Aquilino says
This is my all time favorite cake!! My Husband is from South Philly and also Italian. .. I make this cake, but, I’ve been wondering …. if I make a larger cake can I freeze leftovers???
Marie says
Yes!! I’ve frozen leftovers with no problems. I absolutely love this cake too. I think I’ll make it for Mother’s day, because it’s been too long. Try it with the stabilized whipped cream…so good. I just wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and them place in a freezer bag. You may have to cut the leftover cake in smaller pieces depending on how much is left.
Maria bazerghi says
Omg we must have been separated at birth, this would have to be “my” most loved things on this planet. Not even the best chocolate cake ever made can can hold a candle to this cake.
Thank you for sharing the recipe, I have been lookig for sooo long for this that its not funny.
Anyway just thought i would give a shout out to you and say thank you sister lol
Marie says
Lol, it’s true!! This is hands down the best cake ever, i agree! I’m so glad you found it. Try it with the stabilized whipped cream frosting, which is my new favorite. Let me know how you make out, sister! 🙂
Danielle Gagliano says
I tried this recipe over Easter this year. The 3 pan strategy is excellent and the pastry cream was great.
I was not a fan of the frosting. Too sweet. My husband and I had an Italian tort rum cake as our wedding cake. The bakery (Italian family run) used a frosting that was cream cheese based which I understand is more in keeping with Italian tradition. I’ll make this again with a different frosting and a bit more rum syrup
Marie says
Hi Danielle! I’m so glad you liked the cake – I agree with you about the frosting (except I’m more of a fan of the stabilized whipped cream frosting vs the bakery frosting and not a cream cheese frosting for this particular cake but, of course, it’s completely customizable). I’m not sure if you noticed the link for a stabilized whipped cream frosting at the end of the post/recipe (may be worth a try vs the cream cheese frosting and more flavor neutral). Funny you mention the cream cheese frosting because my Italian-born mom made hers that way alllll the time, but none of the Italian bakeries in my area ever did so (ie, Italian bakeries in Philadelphia), and that’s what prompted me to find a more “bakery-style” approach. I do love cream cheese frosting on a carrot cake though – yum!
Catherine Heart says
I’m originally from Utica, N.Y. and the Florintine Italian pastry shop makes an amazing rum cake with the almonds instead of peanuts.
Marie says
I’ll have to try it! Try this version and use the almonds – I think you’ll love it! I’ve been using a stabilized whipped cream frosting, which I’ve grown to like more than the bakery frosting
Theresa says
Is this recipe close to the Florintine’s? That is where we are from too! If is is, then I am all for it!
Kathleen Bushnell says
Florentine made everyone’s wedding cake..have they been in business forever? I’m going to try this and see.
Dan says
Hey the extract above should be tea spoons not table spoons. Lol. You can make the pudding in 10 mins. Just mix up a chocolate pudding but instead of rum, do one teaspoon orange and another almond. That’s probably our favorite combo. Any flavor really. Coconut and lemon without the cocoa is very good as well. But the chocolate always comes out creamier and thicker. Just play with it. I adapted it from a recipe for “biancomangiare”.
Dan says
Everyone loved it. Not a crumb left, literally. Lol. My Dad said it was just like the rum cake he grew up with. The pudding fillings are a lot easier to make. And left overs can be chilled and eaten with a spoon since they are pudding. 6 table spoons corn starch, 4 table spoons granulated sugar, 4 cups whole milk. For the white filling/layer: 2 table spoons [EDIT: as corrected by Dan he says extracts should be teaspoons not tablespoons] vanilla extract and an additional table spoon corn starch.
For the black filling/layer: 4 table spoons unsweetened dark cocoa, 1 table spoon vanilla extract, 2 table spoons rum extract.
Wisk continuously until thickens and begins to boil. Remove from heat, keep stirring for 30 secs then begin ro ladle onto cake. (I made tje vanilla first then added the second cake layer then made tje chocolate pudding. The sponge cake was perfect, the rum syrup was great, I did add extra rum. The only thing I would change is cit the butter cream frosting recipe in half. Excellent recipe overall. Gonna make another one this week.
Marie says
Good to know, thanks for the feedback! I’ll have to try your pudding filling sometime
Dan says
Just made this. Took me 4 hours. Never baked a cake before and this is my 3rd dessert recipe ever. Haven’t tasted yet but eent together well. I substituted the vanilla and chocolate with my own pudding recipe. Added extra vanilla to the white filling and added rum to the dark filling. I’m from Boston and rum cake was always with almonds. I topped with marichino cherries. Rum syrup seemed like it had too much water. But i used it all. The frosting recipe made double what i used to frost the cake. I also added almond extract to it. Overall i really liked preparing this.
Marie says
Hope it works for you – as written it always works perfectly for me. This cake is my absolute favorite. I’m also loving it lately with stabilized whipped cream frosting instead of the bakery frosting. A little lighter
Kathleen says
I grew up in CT and we used toasted almonds. I’m getting married next summer and will have to try making this. My extended Italian family owns a pastry shop and this is a tradition! Now thy I’m in Colorado, I can’t find a good rum cake. Yummy!