Cake Romanian Savarin / Baba au Rhum (Savarina) Rum Cake

By draingal

Ingredients

• Cake:
• 1.5 tsp yeast (active dry)
• 3.4 tbsp milk (warm)
• 1.5 cups flour (all-purpose)
• 4 large eggs (room temperature)
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 13.4 tbsp butter (unsalted, room temperature)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Optional: 1/2 tablespoon zest (lemon)
• Rum Syrup:
• 1.3 cups sugar
• 2.5 cups water
• 3.5 tbsp rum
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Garnish:
• 15.22 ounces450 ml cream (heavy whipping )
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• Optional: apricot preserves
• Garnish: Maraschino cherries or other fruits

Details

Servings 12
Preparation time 30mins
Cooking time 60mins

Preparation

Step 1

Make the Cake
Dissolve yeast in warm milk. In a large bowl or stand mixer using the paddle attachment, combine flour, yeast-milk mixture, eggs, sugar, and salt. The dough will be soft and sticky, and that is perfect.
Add the softened butter, vanilla and lemon zest, if using, and mix again. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume.
Heat oven to 300 F (150 C). Butter a mini Bundt pan or cupcake pan. If the pan isn't nonstick, sprinkle the buttered pan with bread or cake crumbs.
Divide the dough equally into the wells of the pan. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes or until the dough reaches the top of the pan.
Bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick tests clean. While the cakes are baking, make the rum syrup.

Make the Rum Syrup
In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt 3.53 ounces (100 g) sugar without stirring but occasionally swirling until it reaches a very light caramel color.
Turn off the heat but leave the saucepan on the hot burner. Add the water and remaining 7.05 ounces (200 g) sugar. Mix and let sit until everything is melted.
Let cool completely before adding rum and lemon juice. Mix thoroughly and set aside.

Soak the Savarinas
Remove baked cakes from pan and pour some of the syrup into the bottom of each well. Dip the bottoms of the cakes in the syrup in the saucepan and replace the cakes into the baking tin.
Pour remaining syrup over the cakes until it is completely gone. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight.
Serve the Savarinas

Whip the cream and 4 tablespoons sugar until the cream holds a peak.
Either slice cakes in half horizontally and spread the bottom half with apricot preserves and then whipped cream, replacing the top. Or, leave the cakes whole, dollop with whipped cream and garnish with maraschino cherries or other fruits.