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How to make a rum baba bundt cake

A show-stopping combination of two classic bakes, this bundt-shaped take on the traditional French yeast cake is packed full of nuts and dried fruit and soaked with a boozy rum syrup. With it's berry and whipped cream topping, it would make a lovely festive alternative to a Christmas cake. Don't forget to grab the ingredients list at the bottom before you hit the shops.

  1. Make the batter

    Put 125ml whole milk in a small pan and heat through until warm but not quite boiling. Set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric hand whisk, mix 250g strong white bread flour, 75g golden granulated sugar, 7g (1 sachet) fast-action dried yeast and ½ tsp sea salt. Add the warm milk and an egg, and whisk until combined. One by one, add 3 more eggs, whisking in between. Add 150g softened unsalted butter gradually, whisking until the batter is smooth and shiny. It should look like a mix between bread and cake batter. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and leave in a warm place until doubled in size.

    Make the batter
  2. Add the fruits and nuts

    Once risen, mix briefly to knock out the air from the dough, then add 50g currants, 50g dried cranberries, the zest of 1 large orange and 100g roughly chopped mixed nuts. Whisk until just combined. Grease a 2-2½ltr bundt tin with butter. Pour the mix into the tin, cover with clingfilm and leave to rise again for about 1 hr.

    Add the fruits and nuts
  3. Prepare the syrup

    Meanwhile, prepare the syrup. Put 100g golden granulated sugar and 200ml water into a small pan over a low heat, and stir to dissolve the sugar. Once the sugar has dissolved, increase the heat and bubble for 5-7 mins. Pour the syrup into a jug and leave to cool. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to gas 4, 180°C, fan 160°C.

    Prepare the syrup
  4. Bake

    Once the dough has risen to the top of the tin, bake for 30-35 mins, until golden and a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 mins before transferring to a wire rack placed on a tray/large plate to cool completely.

    Bake
  5. Soak the cake

    Add 125ml dark rum to the cooled sugar syrup, stirring to combine. Pour it slowly over the cooled cake and allow to soak in (the tray below will catch any excess). Lift up the cake and dip the bottom into the syrup on the tray below, if you like.

    Soak the cake
  6. Decorate and serve

    Put the cake on a serving plate. Top with 200ml softly whipped cream, then decorate with 200g mixed berries, such as redcurrants and blackberries, and dust with icing sugar. Serve any excess syrup alongside the cake.

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  7. Delicious spins

    Spiced rum: When making the syrup, simmer the sugar and water with 1 cinnamon stick, 5 whole cloves and 2 star anise. Leave to cool, then strain before stirring in the rum.

    Ginger and mixed peel: Swap the currants for finely diced crystallised ginger and the dried cranberries for mixed peel.

    Raisin and cinnamon: Switch the currants for raisins and the orange zest for 1 tsp cinnamon.

  8. Ingredients

    We've prepared a simple shopping list so you can easily get all you need to make this show-stopping dessert. Be sure to note down the ingredients or take a screenshot before heading to the shops.

    125ml whole milk
    250g strong white bread flour
    75g golden granulated sugar
    1 x 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
    ½ tsp sea salt
    4 eggs
    150g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
    50g currants
    50g dried cranberries
    1 large orange, zested
    100g mixed nuts, roughly chopped

    For the syrup:
    100g golden granulated sugar
    125ml dark rum

    For the topping:
    200ml double cream
    200g mixed berries, such as redcurrants and blackberries
    icing sugar, to dust

    Serves 12

    Each serving contains

    • Energy

      1675kj
      401kcal
      20%
    • Fat

      23g 33%
    • Saturates

      13g 65%
    • Sugars

      24g 27%
    • Salt

      0.3g 4%

    of the reference intake
    Carbohydrate 40.5g Protein 5.4g Fibre 1.4g