Courtesy Sister Honey’s
Rum Cake’s Origin
The Spirited Story of Rum Cake
Few desserts can make you feel like you’re on vacation quite like rum cake. Dense yet tender, soaked in butter and spirits, it’s a treat that brings the warmth of the tropics straight to your plate. But where did this boozy delight come from, and what separates a great rum cake from a forgettable one?
A Caribbean Concoction with Colonial Roots
Rum cake’s story begins centuries ago in the Caribbean, where British colonists introduced the traditional steamed holiday pudding. Islanders swapped out the suet and brandy for locally available ingredients: butter, sugar, tropical spices, and most importantly, rum.
The rum itself came from the region’s booming sugarcane industry. Molasses, a byproduct of sugar refining, was distilled into rum, a spirit that quickly became a signature export and a key ingredient in local cuisine. Over time, Caribbean bakers transformed the stodgy English dessert into something vibrant and sun-soaked: lighter, sweeter, and infused with the unmistakable warmth of island rum.
In Jamaica, it evolved into Black Cake, made with rum-soaked fruits aged for months. In the Cayman Islands and the Bahamas, it became a golden sponge, drenched in buttery rum syrup and often served at holidays, weddings, and birthdays. Each island has its own take, but all share the same foundation of flour, eggs, butter, sugar, and a generous pour of rum.
What Makes a Good Rum Cake
Courtesy Vicky Bakery
Not all rum cakes are created equal. The best ones strike a perfect balance between moistness, sweetness, and spirit. Here’s what to look for (or bake for):
Quality Rum: Cheap rum burns; good rum blooms. A dark or gold rum adds depth, with notes of vanilla, caramel, and spice. Some bakers even mix rums for complexity—think aged Jamaican rum for warmth and a lighter Puerto Rican rum for brightness.
Soak, Don’t Drown: A rum glaze should seep into the cake, not pool on top. The goal is a sponge that’s infused but not soggy, allowing the alcohol to enhance flavor without overpowering it.
Butter Is Non-Negotiable: Butter gives rum cake its lush crumb and velvety texture. Margarine has no place here.
Nuts and Fruits (Optional but Excellent): Toasted pecans, chopped walnuts, or rum-soaked raisins add personality and texture.
The Resting Game: Like revenge, rum cake is best served cold. Let it rest overnight to let the flavors marry because the rum mellows, the butter settles, and magic happens.
A Slice That Tells a Story
Every bite of rum cake carries a whisper of history; the journey from Old World puddings to New World creativity. It’s the taste of the islands, of resourcefulness and celebration. Whether it’s made with a family recipe handed down for generations or from a boxed mix brightened up with extra rum (we won’t judge), a good rum cake feels like a celebration of flavor, of heritage, and maybe of a little harmless indulgence.
So the next time you’re lucky enough to have a slice, take a second to raise your fork and toast to the sweet, spirited legacy of rum cake.
Where Can You Get A Rum Cake Locally?
Sister Honey’s
247 E Michigan St, Orlando, FL 32806
This rum cake is, quite frankly, the best. It’s incredibly moist, rich, and flavorful, just like a rum cake should be! Made with a dark rum, this cake has pecans and maraschino cherries baked in top of cake and glazed with a sweet buttery rum sauce. It is priced at $70.00.
Exotic Caribbean Delights
1020 W Michigan St, Orlando, FL 32805
For those who love a slice of paradise, Exotic Caribbean Delights rum cake delivers an exceptional Caribbean flavor journey. Jam-packed with organic fruit medleys and seasoned with a lavish blend of three rums and two wines, each bite is a testament to patience and tradition. Topped off with that same spirited blend, it offers a sophisticated touch to your holiday festivities.
- 4″ Cake $9.00
- 6″ Cake $30.00
- 8″ Cake $50.00
Rum Cakes By FLAV
These are locally made, homemade rum cakes. FLAV bakes their cakes with fresh eggs, sweet creamy butter, spices, Cruzan Rum and walnuts for a rich and decadent taste. You’ll need to specify No Walnuts when ordering if that’s your thing. While still fresh from the oven, the entire cake is doused with my special Cruzan Caribbean Rum Glaze, making for an incredible finish.
Rum cakes ship extremely well, and keep fresh for up to 3 weeks if properly covered and refrigerated immediately upon arrival. Cakes can also be frozen when wrapped well in aluminum foil and or plastic prior to freezing, it will remain fresh and moist for up to six months! Each Rum Cake will please up to 18 people depending on the size of the slices.
- Small $22.00
- Large $38.00
Charlie’s Bakery and Creamery
3213 Curry Ford Rd, Orlando, FL 32806
The Italian version of rum cake is irresistible from Charlie’s Bakery and Creamery. Rich Vanilla Cake soaked in Myer’s Dark Rum®, filled with their signature vanilla custard, iced in handmade whipped cream, topped with toasted almonds and dark chocolate shavings, is exceptional. It does contain alcohol.
- 6″ Cake $36.95 / 8″ Cake $64.95
- 10″ Cake $89.95 / 12″ Cake $142.00
Caribbean Sunshine Bakery
2528 W Colonial Dr, Orlando, FL 32804
Caribbean Sunshine Bakery offers a Jamaican Fruit / Rum Cake that is done to perfection, light and fluffy with that great taste to top it off. Select a rum cake size from 8″ – 16″. Prices range from $47.00 to $115.00.
Take A Trip To South Florida
Vicky Bakery
Vicky Bakery, Florida’s iconic Cuban bakery brand, and the real Havana Club, forced from home and aged in exile, but forever Cuban, are coming together once again just in time for the holidays with the limited-edition Vicky Bakery x Havana Club Rum Cake, available for preorder starting November 1 and at all Vicky Bakery locations beginning November 15.
The two beloved brands – both deeply rooted in Cuban tradition – have reunited to create a dessert that celebrates family, history, and craftsmanship. This special-edition rum cake combines recipes from Vicky Bakery, dating back to the 1950s, and the Arechabala family’s, who founded Havana Club, from the 1930s, resulting in a rich, moist, and spirited cake that embodies the warmth and flavor of the season.
“For Vicky Bakery, the holidays are about getting together, honoring tradition and creating new, lasting memories,” said Elizabeth Santiago, Managing Partner at Vicky Bakery. “Blending our family’s legacy recipe with Havana Club’s has created something that feels both nostalgic and new – a true taste of home that celebrates the Cuban spirit across generations.”
“Havana Club is rooted in family, flavor, and tradition, values we share deeply with Vicky Bakery,” said Giovanny Gutierrez, Havana Club Rum national brand ambassador. “When you think about the holidays in South Florida, rum cake is simply part of it. Generations have grown up with it from Cuba to across the Caribbean and bringing it back with Vicky Bakery feels like celebrating a tradition that connects us all, a true taste of the season.”
Back by popular demand, the collaboration reflects Vicky Bakery’s ongoing commitment to honoring heritage while creating offerings that resonate with their modern-day audience. Designed to bring families together and spark celebration, the Vicky Bakery x Havana Club Rum Cake represents more than dessert – it’s a shared story of culture and community.
The limited-edition eight-inch rum cake comes in a custom Vicky Bakery x Havana Club box, priced at $39.99 – $49.99 and serving 8–10 people. Preorders can be placed by calling or visiting any Vicky Bakery location.