Christmas Rum Cake (Bizcocho Navideño)
This Christmas rum cake is soft, warmly spiced, and filled with dried fruit, walnuts, and just the right touch of rum. The fruit is soaked before baking, then the finished cake gets a little rum syrup on top for even more flavor.
💛 Victoria made this bizcocho navideño for us at La Cocina de Keesha Studio. She has been teaching baking for many years, and you can see that experience in recipes like this one. Even with the soaked fruit, spices, and syrup, she breaks the process down into simple steps that are easy to follow at home.
For more sweet treats to share this holiday season, try my Baileys Cake with Dulce de Leche Cream, Creamy Venezuelan Quesillo, or Dominican Arroz con Dulce.
Tips & Tricks
- Coat the walnuts with flour: A light dusting helps keep them from sinking to the bottom of the cake.
- Let the cake cool before unmolding: The cake is more delicate while hot and can break if turned out too soon.
- Add the syrup gradually: Give the cake a little time to absorb the syrup instead of pouring everything on at once.
Why Soak the Fruit in Rum?
Soaking the dried fruit makes it softer, juicier, and more flavorful before it goes into the cake.
It also spreads that warm rum flavor throughout the batter without making the cake taste overly strong.
Serve this Christmas rum cake with a warming cup of Bay Leaf Tea or a cozy hot chocolate made with my Mini Chocolate Bombs.
How to Store
Keep the cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days. Let refrigerated slices come closer to room temperature before enjoying for the softest texture.
FAQs about Christmas Rum Cake
Christmas Rum Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 240 g
- 1 cup brown sugar 200 g
- ½ cup vegetable oil 120 ml
- 4 large eggs
- ¼ cup raisins 40 g
- ¼ cup dried figs, chopped 40 g
- ¼ cup dried cherries 40 g
- ½ cup rum, for soaking the fruit 120 ml
- ¼ cup walnuts, chopped 30 g
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder 6 g
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5 ml
- Pinch of salt
- Ground cinnamon to taste
- Ground ginger to taste
- Ground cloves to taste
- Ground nutmeg to taste
For the Rum Syrup
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200 g
- ½ cup water 120 ml
- ¼ cup rum 60 ml
Instructions
How to Make Christmas Rum Cake
- Prep: Soak the raisins, dried figs, and dried cherries in the rum before starting the cake. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a Bundt or ring-shaped cake pan.
- Beat the Eggs: Add the eggs, brown sugar, and oil to a large bowl. Beat until the mixture becomes lighter and increases noticeably in volume.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg.
- Make the Batter: Add the dry ingredients gradually to the egg mixture, folding gently until just combined.
- Add the Walnuts: Lightly dust the chopped walnuts with a little flour, then fold them into the batter. This helps keep them distributed throughout the cake.
- Add the Fruit: Drain any excess rum if needed, then gently fold the soaked raisins, figs, and cherries into the batter.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Let the cake cool in the pan before carefully turning it out onto a serving plate.
- Make the Rum Syrup: Add the sugar and water to a small saucepan and heat until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the rum and let the syrup cool slightly.
- Finish the Cake: Spoon or brush the rum syrup over the cooled cake, letting it slowly soak into the top.
