Our Most Saved Holiday Dessert Last Year

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 last year, one dessert in particular had everyone eagerly awaiting December. It’s a golden cake so gorgeous, it’ll upstage even the turkey on your holiday table.

Last season, our Golden Rum Cake 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.”

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

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 user 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 1 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 5 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.

Get the Recipe: Golden Rum Cake