Moist Dark Rum Bundt Cake with Brown Butter-Pineapple Glaze

Published: February 28, 2026
Justin BrooksJustin Brooks
Tags: Dessert, Rum, Cake, Entertaining, Holiday, Bundt

Rum Bundt

A tender, rum-scented bundt cake glazed with brown butter and pineapple for bright balance.

Prep Time:20 minCook Time:50 minTotal Time:70 minServings:12Difficulty:Medium

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories:380 kcal
Protein:5 g
Carbs:46 g
Fat:18 g

This is the kind of cake I love to bring to Sunday coffee or a small dinner party — moist, warmly spiced, and kissed with dark rum. Brown butter deepens the flavor while a bright pineapple-brown butter glaze keeps each slice lively instead of cloyingly sweet.

It’s easy to make and surprisingly balanced: a mix of pantry staples with a touch of sour cream for tenderness and a modest pour of dark rum for aroma. Slice it thin, pair with coffee or a small scoop of yogurt ice cream, and savor every sticky, buttery bite.

Ingredients

  • All-purpose flour:3 cups
  • Granulated sugar:1 1/2 cups
  • Baking powder:2 tsp
  • Baking soda:1/2 tsp
  • Salt:1 tsp
  • Unsalted butter:1 cup
  • Eggs:4 pieces
  • Sour cream:1/2 cup
  • Whole milk:1/2 cup
  • Vanilla extract:2 tsp
  • Dark rum:1/4 cup
  • Ground cinnamon:1 tsp
  • Crushed pineapple, drained:1 cup
  • Powdered sugar (for glaze):1 1/2 cups
  • Additional dark rum (for glaze):2 tbsp

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter and flour a 10-cup bundt pan and set aside.

    Bundt pan buttered and floured for dark rum pineapple cake.
  2. In a medium bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; set aside.

    Flour, sugar, leaveners, salt and cinnamon whisked for cake batter.
  3. In a saucepan over medium heat melt the butter, swirling occasionally, until it turns golden brown and smells nutty (about 5–7 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

    Butter browned in a saucepan until golden and nutty.
  4. In a large bowl whisk the eggs, sour cream, milk, vanilla, and 1/4 cup dark rum until smooth. Stir in the cooled brown butter until combined.

    Eggs, sour cream, milk, vanilla, rum and brown butter whisked smooth.
  5. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture in two additions, mixing just until combined. Gently fold in the drained crushed pineapple.

    Dry ingredients and drained crushed pineapple folded into the batter.
  6. Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan, smooth the top, and tap the pan on the counter to release air bubbles.

    Pineapple rum batter poured into the prepared bundt pan.
  7. Bake for 45–50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. If the top browns too quickly, tent with foil after 30 minutes.

    Baked bundt cake tested with a toothpick and moist crumbs.
  8. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then invert onto the rack to finish cooling completely.

    Unglazed dark rum bundt cake inverted on a wire rack to cool.
  9. While the cake cools, make the glaze: melt 4 tbsp of unsalted butter in a small skillet until brown and fragrant. Remove from heat and whisk in powdered sugar, 2 tbsp dark rum, and 2 tbsp pineapple juice (from the drained pineapple) until smooth. Thin with a little milk if needed.

    Brown butter pineapple rum glaze whisked until smooth.
  10. Drizzle the warm glaze over the cooled cake, allowing it to drip into the bundt ridges. Let set 20 minutes before slicing. Store leftovers covered at room temperature up to 2 days or refrigerate up to 5 days.

    Warm pineapple brown-butter glaze drizzled over the cooled bundt cake.

Tips & Notes

  • Brown the butter slowly and watch it closely — it can go from nutty to burnt in seconds.
  • Drain the pineapple well to avoid thinning the batter; reserve a little juice for the glaze to add brightness.
  • Warm the glaze slightly if it stiffens before pouring so it flows into the cake’s crevices.
  • Bring the eggs and sour cream to room temperature for a smoother batter and even bake.