This Upside-Down Caribbean Coconut Rum Cake pays homage to a traditional Island rum cake. It starts with a delicious coco-nutty topping, the buttery-dense spiced cake has a super moist crumb, and the finale is a rich rum sauce. The three different components come together and make one spectacular, flavorful, and dreamy dessert that’s perfect for any occasion or celebration! It’s beyond good!

slice of coconut rum cake with vanilla ice cream on top

Oh man, do I love a good cake recipe, y’all. And when I tell you that you’re in for a solid treat with this beauty right here, mmhmm. I first published this sweet thang on the site like six maybe seven years ago. Well, the recipe recently got a majorrr glow-up and I’m thrilled to put babygirl back up front and center where she belongs. I bake and test a ton of cakes for BBR and while I love them all (duh), this one has a special Caribbean touch. All the 😍’s for this cake from me!

Caribbean Coconut Rum Cake 🥥🌴

Okay so boom, there are many variations of Island-style cakes and treats. Caribbean desserts are often developed with serious attention to flavor and technique, too. We’ve got bakes that are coconut-forward, dried fruits steeped in alcohol, rum-soaked buttery confections, and so much more. Take my Caribbean Rum Cake, for example; now that’s a gem right there.

This coconut rum cake has *three different aspects* that meld into one cohesive, showstopper dessert! The first element is a decadent coconut-infused topping as the base, then there’s the tender spiced cake, and lastly, a dreamy rum sauce to make it complete. A trifecta of utter indulgence I tell ya! 👏🏾

upside down caribbean coconut rum cake on small plates

Ingredients Needed For This Recipe

(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card directly below.)

  • For the cake topping: sweetened coconut flakes, chopped walnuts, butter, brown sugar, and rum.
  • For the spiced cake: flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla essence, milk, and sour cream.
  • For the rum sauce: butter, brown sugar, rum, corn syrup, heavy cream, vanilla essence, and salt.
ingredients for caribbean coconut rum cake laid out on white surface

Best Rum For Rum Cake

I recommend using a good-quality, dark rum.

I’m a big fan of Myers’s Dark (a Jamaican-style rum) and Cruzan rum (Virgin Islands). While a white rum is okay to use, I highly recommend using a dark/aged rum. This type of rum will add more nuance to your coconut rum cake as it tends to give a richer taste. Dark rums usually have a touch of sweetness with other notes that make them more complex.

coconut topping in cake pan with small spatula
cake batter in glass bowl with spatula

How To Make This Caribbean Coconut Rum Cake Recipe:

(Note: please see the recipe card directly below for the complete written instructions.)

  • Preheat the oven & prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray the bottom and side of a 9-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray and line the pan with parchment paper.
  • For the cake topping: Evenly spread the coconut flakes + chopped walnuts onto the bottom of the baking pan, then set aside. In a small saucepan, cook the rest of the cake topping ingredients. Once done, pour the mixture over the coconut flakes/walnuts in the cake pan, then set aside while you prep the cake batter.
  • For the cake: Combine the ingredients and beat the cake batter until just combined, careful not to over-mix. The cake batter is somewhat thick. Pour the batter over the coconut flakes/walnut topping mixture- use an offset spatula to spread the cake batter as needed. 
  • Bake the cake for 45-50 minutes at 350°F or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Then let the cake cool. Afterward, invert the cake onto a wire rack to continue cooling.
rum sauce in small saucepan with spatula

For The Swoon-Worthy, Rich Rum Sauce:

  • For the rum sauce: In a medium saucepan, combine all of the ingredients and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Then reduce the heat to low and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring the sauce constantly. Then remove the sauce from heat and let it cool down a bit before serving.
  • Serve: Garnish the cooled cake with coconut chips if you’d like. Slice the cake into wedges, passing the rum sauce over the cake servings. This cake is absolutely divine with a scoop of vanilla ice cream in the mix, too! Grab a spoon and enjoy your life, yuh! 🥄😛
coconut rum cake with coconut shreds on plate

Storing Your Coconut Rum Cake

Wrap any leftover coconut rum cake tightly in plastic wrap/foil or keep it inside a covered cake dome/cake stand. Leftover cake can be stored at room temperature on the counter for 3-4 days. Otherwise, freeze the cake to last for up to 1 month, and thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

...& Storing Your Rum Sauce

Ensure the rum sauce has cooled to room temperature. Then transfer it into a small ramekin or mason jar and cover well with foil or airtight lid. The rum sauce will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week. Note: The rum sauce may thicken once chilled. To remedy this, reheat the sauce in a saucepan over low heat or use the microwave as needed to loosen.

slice of caribbean coconut rum cake on small plate with vanilla ice cream

I adore this Caribbean Coconut Rum Cake, y’all. It’s so rich and full of flavor, the perfect bake that folks will enjoy! Be sure to tag @butterbeready in your BBR recipe creations, I sure love to see it when you do. Until next time! 🤟🏾

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slice of coconut rum cake with vanilla ice cream on top

Upside Down Caribbean Coconut Rum Cake

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Quin Liburd
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
  • Yield: 8
  • Category: Desserts & Sweets
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Caribbean
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Description

This Upside-Down Caribbean Coconut Rum Cake pays homage to a traditional Island rum cake. It starts with a delicious coco-nutty topping, the buttery-dense spiced cake has a super moist crumb, and the finale is a rich rum sauce. The three different components come together and make one spectacular, flavorful, and dreamy dessert that’s perfect for any occasion or celebration! It’s beyond good!

Ingredients

For the cake topping:

  • ½ cup sweetened coconut flakes
  • ⅓ cup chopped walnuts
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter
  • ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons dark rum (preferably Caribbean)

For the cake:

  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla essence (I use vanilla bean paste)
  • ¾ cup full-fat coconut milk (or regular milk)
  • ¼ cup full-fat sour cream
  • Unsweetened coconut chips, for garnishing- optional

For the rum sauce:

  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup dark rum (preferably Caribbean)
  • 2 tablespoons dark corn syrup
  • 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence (I use vanilla bean paste)
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven & prep. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray the bottom and side of a 9-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Then line the pan with a parchment paper round and spray the parchment paper as well.
  2. For the cake topping: Evenly spread the coconut flakes and chopped walnuts onto the bottom of the baking pan, then set aside. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Then stir in the brown sugar, cooking until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the rum, you will see it sizzle- this is normal as the alcohol cooks out + evaporates. Cook the mixture, stirring often, for 1-2 minutes. Then remove from heat and evenly pour the mixture over the coconut flakes/walnuts in the cake pan, then set aside while you prep the cake batter.
  3. For the cake: In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cardamom and whisk the dry ingredients together until well combined- then set aside.
  4. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl using an electric beater; beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until just combined- be sure to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. On low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternating with the milk- beginning and ending with the flour mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat the cake batter until just combined, careful not to over-mix. Then fold in the sour cream by hand with a spatula until briefly combined. The cake batter is somewhat thick.
  5. Pour the batter over the coconut flakes/walnut topping mixture- use an offset spatula to spread the cake batter as needed. 
  6. Bake the cake for 45-50 minutes at 350°F or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then carefully invert the cake onto a wire rack to continue cooling. Afterward, transfer the cake to a large plate or cake stand/platter.
  7. For the rum sauce: In a medium saucepan, bring the butter, brown sugar, rum, corn syrup, heavy cream, vanilla essence, and salt to a boil over medium-high heat. Then reduce the heat to low and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring the sauce constantly. Then remove the sauce from heat and let it cool down a bit before serving.
  8. Serve: Garnish the cooled cake with coconut chips, if desired. Slice the cake into wedges, passing the rum sauce over the cake servings. This cake is also incredible with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top! Enjoy!

Notes

  1. Gluten-free needs? Swap the all-purpose flour for any gluten-free baking flour as a 1:1 ratio (we love Bob’s Red Mill gf flour!).
  2. Please read blog post in its entirety for more tips + tricks.

Recipe by: Quin Liburd- Butter Be Ready

Photography by: Ashley McLaughlin