For those embracing the ketogenic lifestyle, the idea of enjoying a classic rum cake might seem like a distant dream. However, with a few clever ingredient swaps and a passion for flavor, a decadent keto rum cake can become a reality. This article explores the secrets to creating a moist, flavorful, and keto-friendly rum cake that will satisfy your sweet cravings without derailing your dietary goals.
Keto and Alcohol: Navigating the Nuances
Before diving into the recipe, it's essential to address the relationship between the keto diet and alcohol consumption. While alcohol is indeed permissible on keto, moderation is key. The body treats alcohol as a toxin, prioritizing its metabolism over other processes, including fat burning. Therefore, excessive alcohol intake can hinder weight loss efforts.
However, the good news is that not all alcoholic beverages are created equal. Unsweetened spirits like rum, vodka, and gin are generally considered keto-friendly, as long as they are not mixed with sugary mixers. This brings us back to the central question: Is rum keto-friendly? The answer is a resounding yes, provided it remains unsweetened.
Recreating Grandma's Classic: A Keto Transformation
Many cherish the nostalgic flavors of Grandma's spiced rum cake, a holiday centerpiece filled with warm spices and the distinctive aroma of dark rum. Traditional recipes rely on all-purpose flour, sugar, and butter, ingredients that are off-limits on a keto diet. The keto version aims to capture the essence of Grandma's cake while adhering to low-carb principles.
Key Ingredients and Their Keto-Friendly Roles
The success of a keto rum cake hinges on the careful selection of ingredients that mimic the texture and flavor of traditional counterparts without the carb overload.
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- Almond Flour and Coconut Flour: These low-carb flours form the base of the cake, providing structure and a tender crumb.
- Monk Fruit and Erythritol: These natural sweeteners replace sugar, offering a guilt-free sweetness without impacting blood sugar levels.
- Vanilla Collagen: This ingredient not only contributes to the vanilla flavor but also boasts potential anti-aging and joint pain-reducing benefits.
- Dark Rum: The star of the show, dark rum infuses the cake with its signature flavor.
- Butter and Cream Cheese: These provide richness and moisture, essential for a decadent cake.
The Keto Rum Cake Recipe: A Step-by-Step Guide
This recipe combines the best of traditional techniques with keto-friendly ingredients to create a truly exceptional rum cake.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 cup almond flour
- ¾ cup coconut flour
- ⅔ cup Lakanto Golden Monkfruit Sweetener or other granulated sugar substitute
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 8 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup dark rum
- ¼ cup + 2 Tbsp sour cream
- 7 Tbsp butter, salted
For the Rum Sauce:
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup monk fruit sweetener
- ¼ cup dark rum
Instructions
- Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease well with solid softened butter in a (9.5) 12-cup capacity bundt pan. Be sure that every crevice of the pan is coated well. Alternatively, you can use a 8-9" loaf pan and line with parchment or spray and prepare your bundt pan.
- Dry Ingredients:
- Measure and sift the almond flour and place it in a large bowl.
- Measure the coconut flour and add it to the large bowl with the sifted almond flour.
- To the large bowl, add the baking powder and salt.
- In a large bowl, mix almond flour, coconut flour, monk fruit, golden monk fruit, collagen powder, baking powder and salt together well.
- Wet Ingredients:
- Using an electric beater, mix the butter, cream cheese, and sugar substitute until light fluffy.
- In a separate bowl, cream butter and cream cheese together with a hand beater.
- Next, add the vanilla extract.
- Add the eggs one at a time, being sure to combine well after each addition.
- Add eggs, rum, vanilla, and almond extract and continue mixing with hand beater.
- Combining:
- Slowly add all the dry ingredients, one tablespoon at a time, while continuing to use the mixer.
- Pour butter mixture into dry mixture and continue beating with hand beater. The batter should be very thick.
- Fold in the rum along with the heavy cream.
- Add sour cream, browned butter, and vanilla and rum to the batter and mix again till combined.
- Baking:
- Add the cake batter to the prepared bundt pan. Be sure to spread evenly.
- Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pan and smooth out the top.
- Bake the cake on the center rack for 45-50 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Half way through baking and cover loosely with foil to prevent over browning! If you use a 9" loaf pan the baking time will be slightly shorter, so keep an eye on it starting at 30 minutes! Keep an eye on it…you don’t want to over bake!
- Bake for 60 minutes.
- Cooling:
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before gently inverting it to a baking rack. I remove the cake first to ensure it can get out easily. Then wipe clean the bundt pan with a paper towel and return the cake to the bundt pan. Just place the empty bundt pan over the cake and then quickly flip.
- Let cool for 10 minutes and then lightly jiggle the bundt pan up and down to start loosening it.
- Let cool for 30 more minutes and then begin making the sauce.
- Rum Sauce:
- While the cake bakes, make the rum sauce.
- In a small saucepan, combine all the ingredients except the rum. And bring to a simmer over medium heat. Once all the sugar has melted into the sauce, turn off the stove and add the rum gently. Be careful since the addition of the rum can cause the sauce to boil over. Combine well and then set aside.
- In the same skillet you used to brown the butter, combine all the ingredients for the glaze. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Mix monk fruit, butter and rum together. Stir well until sweetener is dissolved.
- Soaking:
- Using a toothpick or skewer, gently poke holes all over the cake. Then spread half the rum sauce over the cake using a pastry brush. Reserve the other half for the top of the cake.
- Poke holes into the bottom of the cake and pour 1/3 of the sauce onto the bottom of the cake. Let sit for about a minute. Not too long or the sauce will begin to thicken.
- Allow the cake to soak up the rum sauce for about 20 minutes, and then invert the cake to the cake stand or plate.
- Finishing Touches:
- Flip cake onto a serving plate and pour the rest of the sauce onto the top of the cake and let it run down the sides.
- Using a pastry brush, brush the remainder of the sauce over the surface of the cake.
- Pour the rest of the sauce onto the top of the cake and let it run down the sides.
- Serve immediately, or refrigerate until you’re ready to eat.
- Serve with a dollop of shipped cream and enjoy with a cup of coffee!
Tips for the Perfect Keto Rum Cake
- Browning the Butter: Don't skip the step of browning the butter. It adds a nutty depth of flavor that complements the rum perfectly.
- Flour Measurement: Be sure to measure out your almond flour and coconut flour correctly, to much and you will have a drier cake. Fluff the flours up and spoon loosely into the measuring cup and level off without packing it down.
- Pan Size: Note that I baked this in a 12 cup capacity bundt pan. You can, however, also bake the cake 9.5 inch 12-cup bundt pan to make this recipe because it allows the cake to bake evenly on all sides and produces a lovely golden crust. But you can of course also make it a 12x12 pan or two 9-inch pans with also great results. You will just need to reduce the baking time accordingly.
- Sweetener Choice: The cake uses a white granulated sugar substitute and the rum sauce a sugar-free brown sugar substitute. You can however just use granulated white for both if you cannot easily source the brown sugar substitute.
- Rum Substitute: You can substitute the ¼ cup of rum for 1 ½ tablespoons of rum extract both in the cake batter and rum sauce. Increase the butter to ¾ cup when substituting the rum for rum extract for the rum sauce.
- Pudding Mix (Optional): The pudding mix adds a bit of flavor and sweetness, plus enhances the cake's moisture. Use a different flavor pudding mix if desired: banana, caramel, butterscotch, coconut, etc. Want to omit the pudding mix? You can; your cake will be a bit less sweet, and somewhat drier.
- Soaking Time: Allow the cake to cool completely and soak in the syrup for at least a few hours, or preferably overnight, for maximum flavor and moisture.
- Storage: Serve immediately or store overnight on the kitchen counter well covered. Afterward, store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze them for up to 3 weeks.
Variations and Substitutions
- Nut-Free Option: You can also swap almond flour for sunflower seed flour if you don't want to consume nuts.
- Coconut Flour Cake: And if you are needing a coconut flour-based cake, I recommend you swap out this recipe for our keto coconut flour pound cake no need to double the recipe in this case.
- Blood Orange Rum Cake: For a vibrant twist, try a low carb blood orange rum cake with a blood orange glaze.
Read also: Keto-Friendly Coffee Cake Recipe
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