Recipe: Rum and Coke Cake (Cake de Cuba Libre, Bundt cake)

RUM AND COKE CAKE (CAKE DE CUBA LIBRE)



FOR THE CAKE:
3 cups cake flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups brown sugar, tightly packed
1 cup Classic Coca-Cola* (not diet)
1/4 cup dark rum
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole milk

FOR THE RUM AND COKE SAUCE:**
1 cup Classic Coca-Cola (not diet)
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
12 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup dark rum

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Liberally grease and lightly flour a standard Bundt pan.

Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Beat the eggs with an electric mixer in a large mixing bowl. Gradually add the softened butter and the sugar and beat until creamy. Beat in the Coca-Cola, rum, vanilla, and milk. Gradually add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl, beating constantly until you have a smooth batter. Pour the cake batter into the prepared Bundt pan.

Bake approximately 45 to 60 minutes, or until the cake tests done. Let the cake cool slightly, use a knife to work around the sides and center of the cake, and then invert the cake on a serving plate.

WHILE THE CAKE IS BAKING, MAKE THE SAUCE:
Bring the remaining 1 cup Coca-Cola, sugar, and corn syrup to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan. Continue cooking at medium-high heat, stirring frequently until the syrup thickens. Remove from heat and immediately stir in the butter and the rum.

Serve the cake warm, spooning plenty of sauce over each individual serving.

*Use only fresh, bubbly Coke, not "flat" Coke as called for in some recipes. The bubbles actually make a honeycomb effect in the finished cake.

**Yes, we sometimes double the syrup recipe when we are feeling especially decadent and our wives aren't looking!

Makes 1 Bundt cake, 12 servings
Source: Three Guys from Miami Celebrate Cuban by Glenn M. Lindgren, Jorge Castillo, and Raul Musibay