If you think back to the smell of gingerbread baking in your grandmother’s kitchen, this recipe has similar attributes. It’s a 1930s blast-from-the-past, updated with rum-marinated fruit and a soft-crack topping. There’s something really satisfying about breaking a caramel shell to find gooey richness underneath. The aroma alone is enticing.
What we like best about this molasses rum cake recipe is it’s a little simpler than some types of baking. There’s no need to sift or mix components separately unless you want to! So, it’s ideal for a novice cook.
![](https://chefsclubkitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/shutterstock_2098743634-scaled-1.jpg)
Molasses Rum Cake
Ingredients
INGREDIENTS (The Cake)
- 8 oz candied cherries and pineapple
- 8 oz. golden rum
- 1.5 cups flour
- 1.5 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp ginger
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup melted butter
- 1 cup molasses
- ¼ cup sugar
INGREDIENTS (Frosting)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 6 Tbs butter
- 1 tsp. Vanilla extract
Instructions
INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE CAKE
- The night before baking, marinate the cherries and pineapple in the rum.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Blend all the ingredients (except the fruit) together using a hand mixer.
- Fold in the fruit.
- Transfer the batter into a well-oiled bundt pan.
- Even out the batter.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool to room temperature before putting the cake on a platter.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR FROSTING
- Place all the ingredients in a non-stick saucepan.
- Bring to a rolling boil.
- Stir periodically.
- Watch for the mix to reach 275 degrees F on a candy thermometer.
- Pour evenly over the top of your cake.
- It will look glossy and within a few minutes firm up.