Baba Au Rhum
This classic French dessert features a light, airy yeast cake soaked in a rich rum syrup. The cake has a delicate texture that readily absorbs the sweet, boozy liquid, creating a wonderfully moist and flavorful treat. It's often served with whipped cream or fresh fruit.
An original recipe by Forkin
- Total time
- 2 hr 55 min
- Serves
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Per serving
- 654 kcal
Allergen information: may contain eggs, gluten, and milk. Always check ingredient packaging if you have an allergy.
Mise en place
Ingredients
cake
- 250 gall-purpose flour
- 7 gactive dry yeast
- 20 ggranulated sugar
- 3 gsalt
- 3 pcsegg, large, at room temperature
- 60 mlmilk, lukewarm
- 100 gunsalted butter, melted and cooled
syrup
- 500 mlwater
- 200 ggranulated sugar
- 120 mldark rum
- 1 tspvanilla extract
- 0.5 tsporange zest
garnish
- 240 mlheavy cream, cold(optional)
- 1 tbsppowdered sugar(optional)
Equipment
saucepan · deep dish · baba mold · plastic wrap · wire rack · mixing bowl · whisk · stand mixer
The method
Step by step
- 1
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, yeast, granulated sugar (for cake), and salt.
About 2 min
- 2
Add the eggs and milk to the dry ingredients and mix with a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, or by hand, until a shaggy dough forms.
About 3 min
- 3
Gradually add the melted butter, mixing until fully incorporated and the dough is smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes with a mixer.
About 10 min
Cook’s note: The dough will be quite soft and sticky, which is normal for baba.
- 4
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
About 1 hr 30 min
Cook’s note: A slightly warm oven (turned off) can be a good spot for rising.
- 5
Lightly grease a 6-cup baba mold or individual dariole molds.
About 2 min
- 6
Gently punch down the risen dough and spoon it into the prepared molds, filling them about halfway.
About 3 min
Cook’s note: Avoid overfilling as the dough will rise again.
- 7
Cover the molds and let the dough rise again for 30-45 minutes, or until it has almost reached the top of the molds.
About 45 min
- 8
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
About 15 min
- 9
Bake the baba for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.
About 25 min
Cook’s note: A wooden skewer inserted into the center should come out clean.
- 10
Remove the baba from the oven and let them cool in the molds for 5 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack.
About 5 min
- 11
While the baba are cooling, prepare the rum syrup. In a saucepan, combine the water and granulated sugar (for syrup).
About 2 min
- 12
Bring the syrup to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
About 5 min
- 13
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the dark rum, vanilla extract, and orange zest.
About 1 min
- 14
Place the cooled baba in a deep dish or bowl. Pour the warm rum syrup evenly over the baba, ensuring they are fully saturated.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: You may need to gently turn the baba a few times to ensure even soaking.
- 15
Let the baba soak for at least 30 minutes, or longer for more intense flavor.
About 30 min
Cook’s note: The longer they soak, the more moist and flavorful they'll be.
- 16
If desired, whip the heavy cream with the powdered sugar until soft peaks form.
About 3 min
- 17
Serve the baba au rhum with a dollop of whipped cream or fresh berries.
About 1 min
Per serving
Nutrition
- Calories
- 654kcal
- Protein
- 9.2g
- Carbs
- 73.4g
- Fat
- 31.7g
- Fibre
- 1.4g
- Sugar
- 41.3g
Estimated from the recipe’s ingredient quantities. Values can vary with brands and substitutions.
Keep it good
Store leftover baba au rhum covered in the refrigerator.
Baba au rhum is typically served chilled or at room temperature; reheating is not recommended as it may dry out the cake.