Our Most-Saved Holiday Dessert Will Leave You Speechless—and Craving More

There are so many foods to look forward to over the holidays, from cornbread dressing to garlic mashed potatoes to all those Christmas cookies. But one decadent and buttery dessert in particular has everyone eagerly awaiting December.

“I don't think I've ever made a more popular dessert than this. It is universally beloved, and it is SO easy,” says Allrecipes member SANJOSEBARBIE, about out most-saved holiday dessert. “I look forward to the holidays just so that I can bring this cake out multiple times.”

Our most-saved holiday dessert is a cake, but not just any cake. It’s a golden cake so gorgeous, it’ll upstage the roast beef on your holiday table.

Our Most-Saved Holiday Dessert

Our golden rum cake was saved by community members more than any other dessert on our site, and it’s easy to see why. It’s eye-catching, impressive, and absolutely delicious, but best of all, it has a very well-kept secret: It starts with a box of cake mix.

Yes, this favorite, five-star rum cake is made moist, fluffy, and extra flavorful with the help of two store-bought shortcuts: cake mix and pudding mix. But, between the buttery rum glaze and crisp crown of walnuts on top, it tastes positively homemade. Plus, it makes your whole house smell divine.

Tested and approved by the Allrecipes Test Kitchen, this cake stands out from the other holiday cakes on our site because it's simple, yet memorable, and it turns out perfectly every time. Just ask the 1,500+ reviewers who have called it “an absolute winner,” “perfectly moist”, and “the holy grail of rum cake.”

This is a go-to cake recipe when you want to impress without added stress, making it ideal for last-minute bake sales and hostess gifts. Just be warned—if you serve it to your family once, it’ll be required at every holiday meal from here on out. As reviewer Linda Schwettman said, even after 20 years of making it, it is "always the center of attention at the dessert table."

How to Make Our Most-Saved Golden Rum Cake

Because this cake is completely shaped and decorated by the baking pan, you’ll want to choose the prettiest Bundt pan in your collection.

Start by greasing and flouring the dish, then sprinkling an even layer of chopped walnuts on the bottom. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix and pudding mix, then mix in eggs, rum, water, and oil until fully blended. Pour the batter over the nuts, and then bake for one hour in a 325-degree F oven.

While the cake bakes, prepare the glaze by combining sugar, butter, and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, then continue to cook, stirring constantly until the glaze thickens and darkens slightly, about five minutes. Stir in the remaining rum until it's all combined.

Let the baked cake cool for 10 minutes inside the pan, then invert it onto your serving plate. You can brush the glaze onto the cake, or you can use this test kitchen tip: Pour half of the glaze into the Bundt pan, put the cake back into the mold, then pour the remainder of the glaze over the bottom of the cake. Let it soak for a few minutes, then invert it back to the serving plate.

Several users recommend poking holes in the cake before adding the glaze so that the glaze can penetrate into the cake crumb and add more flavor and moisture (just like a poke cake).

Once you’ve mastered the simple formula, you can make it your own by subbing in pecans for walnuts or transforming the flavor profile entirely with chocolate cake mix, chocolate pudding, and whiskey. This fool-proof favorite will serve you well this season and for holidays to come—so go ahead and give it a save.

Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise

Our golden rum cake recipe has over 1,600 5-star reviews and more stellar praise than we can keep track of. If you aren't quite sold yet, see what the Allrecipes community has to say:

• "Dynamite flavor, moist texture makes this irresistible! The rum can't be discerned in the cake, so it depends entirely on the glaze," says reviewer Baricat. "If you like the alcohol to shine through, just dump in the rum at the very end. If you like a more subtle alcoholic flavor, simmer for 2 minutes more after adding the rum."

• "Awesome recipe! My husband and sons (ages 16, 13 and 8) LOVED it! It was very moist and had just the right hint of rum flavor," says reviewer TORIANNE31. "I omitted the nuts due to personal preference. It came out PERFECT. Will DEFINITELY make this one again. Oh, and adding the glaze to the pan after turning out the cake and then poking holes in the bottom to pour the rest of the glaze over worked like a charm!"

• "This is my ALL TIME favorite cake recipe. If you want to WOW a crowd and have them say, 'OMG, this is AWESOME,' then this is the cake for you," says reviewer Cattledog Mom. "I've made this at least 6 times and each time, everyone says it is the BEST cake they've ever had, and they continue to tell me how good it was even weeks after they've had it."

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