Gluten Free Holiday Rum Cake Recipe

When I was diagnosed with celiac disease, there were a few foods I genuinely feared I would never again be able to eat, gluten free. One favorite I thought I might never enjoy was a gluten free Holiday Rum Cake.

My mother made this heavenly confection at this time every year, cut it into halves or quarters, wrapped them in colorful cellophane with a pretty bow, and delivered them to friends and neighbors as holiday gifts. It didn’t take long for people (not just me!) to eagerly anticipate this holiday tradition and begin to politely inquire when they could expect their holiday rum cake delivery!

As I’m sure you would agree, a delicious tradition such as this one needed to be carried on … gluten free.

Unfortunately, it took me quite a few holidays before I got the recipe just right (the original recipe called for such things as a “pudding-in-the-mix commercial cake mix” — making it a bit harder to convert for my gluten free holiday rum cake), but now I happily share this gluten free Holiday Rum Cake recipe with you all since I can’t be there to knock on your door with a a cellophane-wrapped edible gift!

This pound cake-like cake is dense in all the right pound cake-y ways, and it’s also a lot like a poke cake in that the rum glaze is infused throughout in pockets of deliciousness you can see and of course taste (and covet!).

If you’re really in the Christmas spirit, use Pistachio Instant Pudding  (Jell-O® brand is currently gluten-free and dairy-free) instead of vanilla in this recipe, and use pistachios instead of pecans – the lovely green hue and subtle pistachio flavor are quite nice in this pound cake! 

For the traditional vanilla recipe, I like using Dr. Oetker® Vanilla Pudding Mix, as it’s gluten-free, dairy-free, organic and Non-GMO as well. While the glaze is optional, it’s super tasty, and really is the icing on this cake!

This gluten free holiday Rum Cake makes the perfect friends and neighbors gift when baked in small tins or loaf pans for the holidays, as well. It’s become one of our favorite things to deliver to our neighbors in the year of COVID: the perfect ring-and-run treat to show you care, deliciously!

Check out more gluten free gift ideas in my holiday gift guide!

With the release of my new gfJules Cake Mix, I’ve had a few customers ask if they can use my cake mix instead of my gfJules Flour to make this cake even easier to whip up. I’m happy to say that I’ve experimented with the recipe and with a few modifications, my gfJules Best Gluten Free Cake Mix also makes the Best Gluten Free Rum Cake! See the recipe below for notes!

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Gluten Free Holiday Rum Cake Recipe

Yield: Serves 10-12

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Additional Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

This gluten free Holiday Rum Cake is simply divine! Part pound cake, part poke cake, it's hard to wait for the holidays to make this treat!

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Ingredients

From-Scratch Cake Recipe:

• 3/4 cup light rum (may substitute equal amount of another clear liquid like apple juice, but will change flavor)
• 1/2 cup mild cooking oil of choice (e.g. safflower, sunflower, avocado, non-GMO canola, vegetable, etc.)
• 4 eggs (or substitute)*
• 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 2 2/3 cup (360 grams) gfJules® Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 1/4 cup granulated cane sugar
• dash salt
• 1 package gluten-free vanilla or pistachio pudding dry mix (e.g. Jell-O® Brand = 3.4 oz or Dr. Oetker® = 3.8 oz – either works; both are currently Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free)
• 1 cup chopped pecans or pistachios (optional)

From gfJules® Best Gluten Free Cake Mix Recipe:

• 1 cup light rum (may substitute equal amount of another clear liquid like apple juice, but will change flavor)
• 1/2 cup mild cooking oil of choice (e.g. safflower, sunflower, avocado, non-GMO canola, vegetable, etc.)
• 4 eggs (or substitute)*
• 2 Tbs. white vinegar
• 1 gfJules® Best Gluten Free Cake Mix
• 1/4 cup (50 grams) gluten-free vanilla or pistachio pudding dry mix (e.g. Jell-O® Brand or Dr. Oetker® – either works; both are currently Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free)
• 1 cup chopped pecans or pistachios (optional)

Glaze:

• 1 cup granulated cane sugar
• 1/4 cup light rum (or other liqueur)
• 1/4 cup water

Instructions

Cake:

Preheat oven to 325° F or 300° F convection.

Combine all liquids in a large mixing bowl and beat until combined; sift in dry ingredients and beat for 2 minutes on medium speed – expect the batter to be very thick and taffy-like.

For cake: Oil and dust a bundt pan with gfJules® All Purpose Flour. Sprinkle with chopped nuts, if using. Scoop batter out on top of the nuts and smooth with a rubber spatula.  Bake for 55-60 minutes, removing from oven when a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean but not wet.

For cupcakes: Oil at least 18 muffin cups with gfJules® All Purpose Flour (or you may use paper cupcake liners). Fill the muffin cups only 1/2– 2/3 full of cake batter. Bake for 20-30 minutes – test with a cake tester or toothpick to ensure that it is clean when removed from the baking cakes.

Glaze:

Bring ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan. Continue to boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. If you like poke cakes, poke holes in the cake with a toothpick and pour hot glaze over the hot cake while still in the pan; otherwise, simply pour the glaze over the cake in the pan. Let stand for 30 minutes, then flip the cake onto a plate.

If the glazed cake is allowed to stay in the pan longer than 30 minutes, the glaze will stick to the pan and make it difficult to remove the cake.

Should this occur, put the pan back into a warm oven to soften the glaze, then run a rubber spatula around the inside of the pan to loosen it before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.

Notes

*To Replace 4 Eggs in this recipe (use all of the below):

• ½ cup dairy or non-dairy yogurt (not Greek style, not fat-free) OR vegan mayo (to total 2 eggs)

PLUS

• 2 recipes of commercial gluten free egg replacer like Ener-G® Egg Replacer (to total 2 eggs)

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment (and maybe even a picture!) below or share a photo on Instagram! Be sure to tag me! @gfJules

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