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An easy and irresistible Baba au Rhum Recipe
The Baba au Rhum is a French dessert consisting of a yeast cake soaked in rum syrup. Although today it is considered a classic of French pâtisserie, its origins trace back to Poland and Lorraine before being perfected in Paris.
| This cake was introduced into France in the 18th century through Lorraine, and its creation is traditionally associated with Stanisław Leszczyński, the exiled King of Poland and Duke of Lorraine. Stanisław reportedly found the traditional kouglof too dry and asked that it be moistened with sweet wine to make it more palatable.
Stanisław’s pastry chef, Nicolas Stohrer, played a decisive role in transforming the cake. Stohrer followed Stanisław’s daughter, Marie Leszczyńska, to Versailles when she married King Louis XV in 1725, and later founded his own pâtisserie in Paris in 1730. In the 19th century, Parisian pâtissiers continued refining the recipe. The Julien Brothers created the savarin, a ring‑shaped variation inspired by the baba but soaked in a different alcoholic syrup. |
I have a personal connection to Baba au Rhum. To me, it is a family delicacy, passed down in an unceremonious yet charming way: my cousin scribbled the recipe onto a worn piece of paper as she hurried to prepare the cake for lunch, and it was already nearing 11:30 a.m.
I must admit, I tweaked the recipe and reversed the water‑to‑rum ratio, from half-a-liter of water and a glass of rum to a single glass of water and half-a-liter of rum… You must be at least 21… I also prepare it two days in advance, so the rum has time to soak in. And the good news is: if there happens to be any left over, don’t worry, it keeps in the fridge for many days. There’s so much alcohol in it that bacteria don’t stand a chance.
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE CAKE
– 3 eggs at room temperature
– 2.15 oz. (60 gr.) granulated sugar
– 4.50 oz. (125 gr.) flour
– If you travel to France, buy “Levure Chimique.” You need one package (11 gr.),
otherwise, 0.7 oz. baking powder
– 1 tsp. milk (not pictured)
– 1 tsp. butter
FOR THE SYRUP
– 4.50 oz. (125 gr.) granulated sugar
– almost 15 oz. (half-a-liter) rum
– 1 glass of water.
NOTE: You will need a Baba au Rhum mold, as seen in the photo.
METHOD
Pre-heat the oven at 350° Fahrenheit (180° Celsius).
NOTE: Do not place a lid on the pot while heating. Only cover it once it has been removed from the heat source.
• Separate the eggs.
• Add the sugar to the yolks.
• Mix.
• Add the flour.
• Mix.
• Add the milk.
• Add the baking powder/levure chimique.
• Separately, beat the egg whites firmly. And, as always, add a pinch of salt before.
• Gently fold the egg whites, without breaking them, into the mixture. NOTE: It may seem impossible at first, but it will turn out fine in the end.
• Grease the mold with butter.
• Pour the batter into the mold.
• Bake for 25 minutes.
NOTE: You must place the cake in a deep dish so the rum stays in the dish and the cake can soak it in.
• Unmold the cake as soon as it comes out of the oven.
• Pour the rum immediately. It must be done while the cake is still warm.
• Wait until it cools off.
• Cover the cake with plastic film and place it in the fridge.
• Allow the Baba au Rhum to rest for a minimum of one day. For optimal flavor and texture, two days is even better.
To indulge, you must be 21…
