Chocolate Rum Bundt Cake with Cocoa Liqueur
Modified: Published: by Nora Breyer Combine Good Flavors 2 Comments
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This chocolate rum Bundt cake is soft, fluffy, and gently flavored with creamy cocoa liqueur, a hint of rum, and finely shaved chocolate.
The idea came to me after visiting a local liqueur producer and bringing home a bottle of handcrafted Tartuffetto cocoa liqueur. It had a smooth cocoa flavor with just a touch of rum, and I immediately thought of the potato starch Bundt cakes I often bake.
I use a similar batter for my eggnog and Baileys cakes because potato starch gives them such a tender, airy crumb. It works beautifully here too. The cocoa liqueur adds warmth and a deeper chocolate flavor, but the cake still feels light rather than rich or heavy.
Just before baking, I fold finely shaved chocolate into the batter. The small pieces melt into the cake as it bakes, leaving little pockets of chocolate throughout each slice.
The result is a fragrant, fluffy Bundt cake with just enough indulgence. It is lovely with coffee in the afternoon, but it also feels special enough for Christmas, Easter, birthdays, or a family gathering.
What you’ll love about this recipe:
Recipe Snapshot
PREP TIME: 20 minutes
BAKING TIME: 80 to 90 minutes
YIELD: About 28 thin slices
PAN: Large Bundt pan
TEXTURE: Soft, moist, and light
FLAVOR: Cocoa, chocolate, vanilla, and a hint of rum
Just a few ingredients
See the recipe card for quantities.
🔪 How to Make Chocolate Rum Bundt Cake
Prepare the Oven and Pan
Preheat the oven to 160°C or 320°F using top and bottom heat. Grease a large Bundt pan thoroughly. Make sure you cover the center tube, the sides, and every decorative groove. For detailed pans, I prefer brushing the oil over the surface so I can see that every corner is coated. A baking spray containing flour also works well.
Mix the Dry Ingredients
Add the all-purpose flour, potato starch, and baking powder to a medium bowl. Whisk until evenly combined, breaking up any visible lumps. Set the bowl aside while you prepare the rest of the batter.
Beat the Eggs and Sugar
Place the eggs, powdered sugar, and vanilla sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer until the mixture is pale, thick, and noticeably fuller than when you started. This step gives the cake much of its lift, so do not rush it. The mixture should look light and airy before you move on.
Add the Oil and Cocoa Liqueur
Turn the mixer down to low speed. Slowly pour in the vegetable oil, followed by the cocoa rum liqueur. Mix only until everything is smooth and combined. Adding the liquids gradually helps the egg mixture hold on to as much air as possible.
Fold in the Dry Ingredients
Sift the dry ingredients over the egg mixture in two or three additions. Fold them in gently with a spatula, lifting the batter from the bottom of the bowl as you work. Stop as soon as no dry flour remains. Avoid stirring more than necessary. Overmixing can knock out the air and leave the cake heavier than intended.
Add the Chocolate Shavings
Fold in the finely shaved chocolate until it is spread evenly through the batter. Small shavings are light enough to remain throughout the cake instead of sinking to the bottom.
Bake the Cake
Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and smooth the surface. Sprinkle additional chocolate shavings on top. Looks gorgeous! Bake on the middle rack for 80 to 90 minutes. Start checking after about 75 minutes, as the exact baking time will depend on the size, shape, and material of your pan. Insert a wooden skewer into the thickest part of the cake. It should come out clean or with a few soft crumbs attached.
Cool and Remove from the Pan
Place the Bundt pan on a cooling rack and let the cake rest for about 15 minutes. Gently loosen the visible edges if needed, then carefully turn the cake out onto the rack. Let it cool completely before dusting it with powdered sugar.
Substitutions & Variations
Use a Different Chocolate Liqueur
You can use another smooth cocoa or chocolate liqueur instead of Tartuffetto. For the closest result, choose one with a similar creamy texture and a subtle rum flavor. A liqueur that is much thicker or sweeter may change the finished cake slightly.
Try a Different Chocolate
Dark, semisweet, and milk chocolate all work well. Dark chocolate gives the cake a deeper cocoa flavor. Milk chocolate makes it a little sweeter and creamier.
Replace the Vanilla Sugar
When you do not have vanilla sugar, use:
- 2 tablespoons additional powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Add the vanilla extract with the oil and cocoa liqueur.
Use Another Mild Oil
Grapeseed, canola, sunflower, and other neutral vegetable oils are all suitable. Avoid oils with a strong taste, as they can compete with the cocoa and rum flavors.
Can I Replace the Potato Starch?
Potato starch gives the cake much of its soft, light texture, so I recommend using it whenever possible. Cornstarch can be used in the same amount if necessary, although the crumb may not be quite as delicate.
Can I Make This Cake Alcohol-Free?
This recipe relies on the flavor, sweetness, and consistency of cocoa rum liqueur. Replacing a full cup of liqueur with another liquid would change the balance of the batter and would need to be tested separately. For that reason, I do not recommend a direct one-to-one substitution.
how to serve
This cake has plenty of flavor on its own, so it does not need much decoration. Most of the time, I simply dust it with powdered sugar.
You can also serve it with:
- Softly whipped cream
- A little chocolate sauce
- Fresh raspberries or strawberries
- French press coffee
- An iced honey latte
- An iced lavender latte
- A warm Nutella coffee
For a celebration, place the cake on a decorative stand and add the powdered sugar shortly before serving.
🌡️ Storing, Freezing, and Thawing
Storing at Room Temperature
Store the completely cooled cake in an airtight container or under a cake dome. It will stay soft at room temperature for up to 3 days. Since it is made with oil, there is usually no need to refrigerate it.
Refrigerating
Only refrigerate the cake if your kitchen is particularly warm. Wrap it well or keep it in an airtight container to prevent it from drying out. Let the slices return to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
Freezing
This cake freezes well for up to 2 months. You can freeze it whole, although individual slices are easier to store and thaw. Wrap each slice tightly, then place them in a freezer-safe container or bag.
Thawing
Leave the cake wrapped while it thaws at room temperature. This helps keep the moisture inside. Once thawed, dust it with fresh powdered sugar before serving.
Nora’s Tips
- Use room-temperature eggs so they whip more easily.
- Beat the eggs and sugar until the mixture is pale, thick, and fluffy.
- Pour in the oil and liqueur slowly.
- Fold the flour in gently to keep the batter light.
- Shave the chocolate finely so it does not sink.
- Grease every part of the Bundt pan, including the center tube.
- Start checking the cake before the full baking time has passed.
- Let the cake rest in the pan for about 15 minutes before turning it out.
FAQ’s
Why Did My Bundt Cake Turn Out Dense?
The eggs and sugar may not have been beaten long enough, or the batter may have been mixed too much after the flour was added.
Beat the eggs until the mixture is pale, thick, and fluffy. Once the dry ingredients go in, fold gently and stop as soon as the batter is combined.
Why Did My Cake Stick to the Pan?
Bundt pans need to be greased very thoroughly, especially when they have detailed designs.
Make sure the oil or baking spray reaches every groove, edge, and part of the center tube.
Let the cake sit in the pan for about 15 minutes after baking, but do not leave it there until it is completely cold.
Can I Bake the Cake Ahead of Time?
Yes. The cake stays soft for several days, so you can bake it one or two days before serving.
Let it cool completely before covering it. Add the powdered sugar shortly before serving.
Is Potato Starch the Same as Potato Flour?
No. Potato starch is a fine white starch extracted from potatoes. Potato flour is made from dried whole potatoes and behaves very differently in baking. Use potato starch for this recipe.
More Cake Recipes
Looking for more cakes to bake? Explore more soft Bundt cakes, rich chocolate favorites, and easy celebration cakes for every season.
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Chocolate Rum Bundt Cake with Cocoa Liqueur
Equipment
- Large Bundt pan
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup potato starch
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 5 large eggs
- 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons vanilla sugar
- 1 cup neutral vegetable oil such as grapeseed, canola, or sunflower oil
- 1 cup cocoa rum liqueur
- ½ cup finely shaved chocolate
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160°C or 320°F using top and bottom heat. Grease a large Bundt pan thoroughly, including the center tube and every decorative groove.
- Whisk 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup potato starch, and 1 tablespoon baking powder together in a medium bowl. Set aside.1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup potato starch, 1 tablespoon baking powder
- Place 5 large eggs, 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar, and 2 tablespoons vanilla sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat until the mixture is pale, thick, and noticeably increased in volume.5 large eggs, 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons vanilla sugar
- Reduce the mixer to low speed. Slowly pour in 1 cup neutral vegetable oil, followed by 1 cup cocoa rum liqueur. Mix just until combined.1 cup neutral vegetable oil, 1 cup cocoa rum liqueur
- Sift the flour mixture over the wet ingredients in two or three additions. Fold gently with a spatula until no dry flour remains.
- Fold in ½ cup finely shaved chocolate without overmixing.½ cup finely shaved chocolate
- Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle additional chocolate shavings on top. Looks gorgeous!
- Bake on the middle rack for 80 to 90 minutes. Begin checking after 75 minutes. The cake is ready when a skewer inserted into the thickest part comes out clean or with a few soft crumbs.
- Place the pan on a cooling rack and let the cake rest for about 15 minutes. Carefully turn it out onto the rack and leave it to cool completely.
- Dust the cooled Bundt cake with Powdered sugar before serving.Powdered sugar
Notes
Beat the eggs and sugar well to add enough air to the batter.
Fold in the dry ingredients gently so the batter stays light.
Finely shaved chocolate works better than large chunks in this delicate cake.
Grease detailed Bundt pans carefully so the cake releases cleanly.
This cake contains a generous amount of liqueur, so I treat it as an adult-style cake rather than assuming all the alcohol disappears during baking.
Nutrition
⛑️ Food Safety
- Wash your hands, mixing bowls, utensils, and work surfaces before you begin baking.
- Use fresh eggs and check that all dairy ingredients are within their use-by date.
- Keep raw eggs, raw flour, and unbaked batter away from ready-to-eat foods.
- Do not taste raw batter, as it contains raw eggs and uncooked flour.
- Bake the cake until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool completely before removing it from the Bundt pan to prevent it from breaking.
- Store the cooled cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for longer storage.
For more information, visit the FDA’s Safe Food Handling guidelines.
This was perfect for a neighborhood picnic! It was the first dessert to disappear. Delicious!!!!
Chocolate rum cake is delicious I am going to make it again my kids loved a lot.