Ingredients
Butter Yellow Cake
2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter softened
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons butter vanilla emulsion
1/4 cup (50g) toasted walnuts
Rum Soak
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark rum, divided into 1/4 and 1/4 cup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla
More Details
Flavor: sweet, buttery, aromatic
Texture: fluffy, moist
Storage: can be left on the counter at room temperature up to 1 week. Or, store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
- In a stand mixer, cream softened butter with sugar with a paddle attachment until pale and fluffy (3-4 minutes on KitchenAid mixer on speed 6). It won’t be super fluffy because the amount of sugar will keep it somewhat dense, but you’ll notice the mixture becoming pale.
- Add egg one by one making sure the mixture is well combined in between additions. Whip until the mixture doubles in volume. Add oil, vanilla, and butter emulsion then continue whipping for another 2 minutes. The mixture will be thick, light in color, and very fluffy.
- Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk, until the mixture is evenly combined. Try not to over beat to preserve the air we incorporated.
- Add 50g of semi-toasted walnuts to the bottom of a butter and floured bundt pan.
- Add the batter, gently tapping the pan on the counter to remove air bubbles.
- Bake in a preheated 350ºF oven (or 325ºF convection oven) for 50-60 minutes. The cake is ready when you lightly press on the top and it springs back. Alternatively, you can poke with a cake tester (or a long thin stick) to make sure no batter or crumbs stick to the tester.
- While the cake is baking, bring to boil the butter, sugar, 1/4 cup rum, and salt. Once boiling for one minute, turn off the heat. Carefully add the rest of the rum and vanilla as the mixture will bubble vigorously.
- Once the cake comes out of the oven, let cool for 5 minutes, then poke holes with a toothpick or long stick all over (unmold the cake onto a plate to poke holes on the top and sides). Invert the cake back into the pan and pour half the syrup mixture on top slowly, ensuring the liquid seeps into the holes of the cake. Allow to rest for 5 minutes, then invert the cake again onto a serving platter. If you haven’t poked holes on the top of the cake, do it now before pouring the rest of the syrup on top, slowly. Take a pastry brush and dip in the syrup and generously coat the exterior of the cake.
- Allow to rest, covered, for a few hours, ideally overnight. The cake tastes best after letting it sit for 24 hours to allow the soak to thoroughly moisten the bundt, then cutting a slice and reheating in the microwave for 15-25 seconds.
Variations
Non-alcoholic: You can make this non-alcoholic by adding water into the syrup instead of rum.
