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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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. 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.
- 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.
- 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
- 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!).
- Please read blog post in its entirety for more tips + tricks.