This is a memorable holiday cake in our family. If you’re not big on rum, skip the alcohol, using other flavorings. Serves 12.
INGREDIENTS
8 eggs total (divided)
5 c. sugar, divided (two 1/2 c. + 4 c. sugar)
2 tsp. vanilla
2/3 c. butter
2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
8 egg whites
4 c. water
1 c. rum (or substitute 4 tsp. almond, lemon, or orange extract, plus scant 1 c. water)
PREPARATION
1. Beat until fluffy: > 8 egg yolks > 1/2 c. sugar > 2 tsp. vanilla
2. Microwave 40 seconds (until melted): > 2/3 c. butter
3. Set aside mixture of: > 2 c. flour > 1/2 tsp. salt > 2 tsp. baking powder
4. Whip until almost stiff: > 8 egg whites
5. Add slowly to beaten egg whites, while whipping: > 1/2 c. sugar
6. Fold the above ingredients together, incorporating the flour into the whipped egg yolk mix alternately with the melted butter, folding the egg whites in last of all. Bake in a buttered bundt pan at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.
7. Begin syrup right away, stirring occasionally, boiling the following in a saucepan until it reaches 235 degrees on a candy thermometer: > 4 c. sugar > 4 c. water
8. When syrup is to temperature, remove and add: > 1 c. rum (or substitute 4 tsp. almond, lemon, or orange extract, plus scant 1 c. water)
9. Leaving cake in pan, pour hot syrup over cake immediately. Let cake soak 2 hours, then turn out onto plate.
Thanks for the wonderful, Baba Cake recipe Jennifer. My teenage son chose to make this for his Italian class’s International Food Day. This was an easier version for him to make instead of the Baba recipes that require yeast. He used lemon extract and water instead of rum. The look on his face when he poured the lemon/water syrup onto the cake was pure amazement! Somehow it all soaked into the cake. He poked holes into the cake with a chopstick and poured the syrup slowly so it wouldn’t overflow the bundt pan. He glazed the cake with apricot marmalade. Fun and delicious. Thanks!
That is great news, Diane. Thanks for letting me know. We’ve had some fun family memories with that cake as well. It IS pretty cool how all that syrup soaks in, and… how yummy it is. Glad your son could take advantage of an easier recipe!