This keto rum cake is rich and tender, with the sweet intensity of dark rum and spices. Delicious on its own or with a dollop of sugar-free whipped cream, it’s the perfect holiday dessert.
It wouldn’t be the holidays without some sort of rum-soaked treat, right? Somehow, rum has become closely associated with holiday sweet treats.
Keto rum balls come to mind. As does adding a shot of dark rum to your keto eggnog. And it’s pretty standard in sugar-free mincemeat too.
Now I am adding keto rum cake to the rum-laden collection. This sweetly spiced keto cake is heavenly. It’s easy to make, so rich and moist, and it’s the perfect addition to your holiday dessert table.
Is rum keto?
There is a lot of confusion surrounding hard alcohol and whether it’s keto friendly. So let’s clear it up once and for all, shall we?
Pure spirits have no sugars and zero grams of carbohydrate. That’s right, none. Zip, zilch, nada. That includes rum, tequila, vodka, gin, brandy, and cognac, and all forms of whiskey.
I think that much of the confusion stems from the fact that many spirits are distilled from sugar, grains, and other starches like potatoes. But all of that sugar is consumed by yeast during the fermentation process so none remains after distillation.
So technically, all of these pure spirits are keto-friendly, right?
But not all rums are truly pure spirits. Some lower quality rum brands add sugar back into the final product, to bring out the sweetness. And flavoured or spiced rums almost always contain a little added sugar.
It’s probably not enough to raise the carb count of a recipe like keto rum cake. But just be aware that not all rum is completely sugar-free. For this cake, I used plain dark rum and simply added some spices.
Ingredients
- Almond flour
- Coconut flour
- Whey protein powder (you can sub egg white protein powder)
- Baking powder
- Spices
- Salt
- Butter
- Sweetener (brown sugar substitute preferred)
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Dark rum
- Toasted pecans
How to make keto rum cake
This is a classic loaf cake recipe and it’s quite easy to make. Here are my best tips for getting it right:
- Line the pan with parchment. You still want to grease the pan but lining it with parchment that has overhanging edges makes it much easier to remove. I cut my parchment so that it goes across the bottom and up the long sides of the pan, leaving the shorter sides uncovered.
- Use a metal pan. Metal and glass conduct heat VERY differently and cakes baked in glass take much longer to bake through properly.
- Whisk the dry ingredients. Be sure to break up any clumps in the almond flour and coconut flour so that it mixes in well when added to the cake.
- Beat the butter with the sweetener. Really take the time to cream the butter and sweetener together properly, which takes about 2 minutes.
- Use room temperature eggs. I say this all the time because it’s important! Cold eggs make the nicely creamed butter clump up again and you get little holes in the cake where clumps of butter have melted away.
- Bake until golden and just firm. Baking times are only guidelines so make sure you check on your baked goods a few minutes before the low end of the range, and keep checking frequently after that.
- Make the glaze. I recommend using both Swerve and BochaSweet in the glaze, to keep it from re-crystallizing. But if all you have is powdered Swerve or another erythritol sweetener, it will still be great.
Frequently Asked Questions
I don’t recommend skipping it, as it really helps the cake rise properly. You can use whey, egg white, hemp, or other plant-based protein powders. Please watch my YouTube video, which shows you just how much protein helps the consistency of keto baked goods.
Regular granular sweetener is fine for the cake. If you want that darker, brown sugar flavor, try adding 2 teaspoons of molasses. For the glaze, you will need powdered sweeteners.
Try adding an additional ¾ cup almond flour.
These two sweeteners simply help the glaze stay softer and not re-crystallize as much. If you can’t access them, simply use more powdered Swerve. It will still be delicious!
Sure! Try using coconut oil or ghee in place of the butter in both the cake and the glaze. You can also use ghee.
Yes, you can use water and a bit of rum extract or even just plain water.
- Looking for a good metal loaf pan? I highly recommend USA pans. Super non-stick and non-toxic, and incredibly durable!
- I always look for grassfed whey protein powder for my recipes.
- I purchase pre-toasted, chopped pecans at Trader Joe’s to save time and effort!
Keto Rum Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Rum Cake
- 2 ¼ cups almond flour
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- ¼ cup unflavoured whey protein powder (or egg white protein powder)
- 2 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter softened
- ¾ cup Swerve Brown
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup dark rum
Rum Glaze
- 2 tablespoon butter melted
- ¼ cup powdered Swerve Sweetener
- ¼ cup powdered BochaSweet or allulose
- 2 to 3 tablespoon dark rum
- ¼ cup chopped toasted pecans
Instructions
Rum Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a 9×5 inch metal loaf pan well. Line with parchment paper, so that the parchment overhangs the pan (for easy removal).
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, coconut flour, protein powder, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter with the brown sweetener until creamy and well combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract.
- Add the almond flour mixture in two additions, alternating with the rum and beating until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beaters as needed.
- Spread in the prepared baking pan and bake 45 to 55 minutes, until the cake is golden brown and the top is just firm to the touch. Remove and let cool completely in the pan, then loosen with a knife and lift out by the parchment.
Rum Glaze
- Place the butter in a medium bowl and whisk in the sweeteners until combined. Drizzle in the rum, whisking until smooth, until a thick but pourable consistency is achieved.
- Drizzle over the cooled cake and sprinkle with chopped pecans.
Sharon a Webb says
This is the yummiest cake I’ve had in many a year. I have made it twice for Christmas and plan on it for Christmas this year. I would like to make it oftener, but this is a trigger for me, in that I can’t stay out of it!! My heritage is Austria-Hungary, and there are so many delectable cookies that my Grandma taught me to bake that I can no longer eat. This is the closest I can come to her rum cake and stay keto.
Diane Lewis says
Can the protein powder be left out? I don’t have any and I don’t use it. If it would change the consistency of the batter, what might you recommend to compensate for it? Thanks, I look forward to trying this!
Carolyn says
Please read the Frequently Asked Questions section.
Starleana says
Hi. What’s the difference between the two sweeteners? They both are confectioners/powder sugars aren’t they? Can I just use one?
Carolyn says
No, they are not both powdered sweeteners. Please read the blog post as I discuss the reasons why it’s best to use both.
Sara says
Hi Carolyn, a lot of people like me are allergic to phytic acid which is in almond and pistachio. Can you please say ratio for coconut flour if I want to use just coconut instead of almond?
Carolyn says
I understand that some people are allergic to almond flour. But almond flour and coconut flour work VERY differently. So if a recipe is tested with almond, I cannot say how to use coconut flour without testing it. It changes the recipe entirely and I would have to start from scratch. Any keto blogger who tries to offer you a “ratio” for this substitution is missing the nuances of texture and consistency, and you’re likely to end up with a big mess on your hands.
However, you can use something like sunflower seed flour in a 1:1 ratio with almond flour. Please read my post on how to make it and how to use it: https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/how-to-make-your-own-sunflower-seed-flour/
Libby Melton says
Can rum flavoring be used to replace the real rum? My husband and I don’t drink the hard stuff and I really want to try this recipe!
Carolyn says
Please read the frequently asked questions section. 🙂
Shirley B. says
Just a heads up, the metric measurements say 2.5 tbsp of baking powder. It should be 2.5 tsp.
Carolyn says
Oy! this metric conversion thing is frustrating. It’s automatic on the recipe card but it has so many errors!
Betsy says
Love this seasonal bread! So perfect for the holidays! And I love that I can maintain a keto diet and still have delicious things like this. Love it!
April says
This was delicious! Thank you so much for the recipe!
Andrea Thueson says
This was such a fabulous recipe. It was a huge hit with my family.
Mary Jo B. says
This looks so good I need to try it but I also need to second Sherry C.’s comment — will white rum work? Thanks so much for your hard work and delicious recipes!!
Carolyn says
Any rum is fine.
John Lee says
Really good, not as spicy as gingerbread but still a good bit of spice. It’s a bit dry, but I’ve found that true with most low carb/keto baked goods. Also, two tablespoons of rum seems to be right for the glaze. Tried it first with 3 and it was ran off the cake. Another winner.
Joyce A McGlaun says
I have a question about baking this. Will a good quality, small bundt pan be acceptable as an option to a loaf pan? Have you tried a bundt pan for any of your pound cakes? I love the chocolate peppermint recipe but baked it as recommended. Thanks.
Carolyn says
a bundt pan would be fine but the baking time will change so keep your eye on it!
Victoria says
Hello. This is baking in the oven as I type ???? One question, do you have a recipe for a rum frosting instead of just the glaze? Not sure it would work (possibly be too rich) but I do like a cream cheese frosting ????
Carolyn says
I guess I would just do one more like the glaze on this: https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/low-carb-gingerbread-loaf-cake/
And use rum instead of cream, adding it slowly to see the consistency before adding more.
Susan Woodbridge says
I made this Rum Cake exactly according to the recipe. It was easy and delicious. Nice to know that it can be frozen. I will be making it again for the Holidays in the future. I thought the glaze really added a lot to the look and taste of this cake. Thank you for this great recipe.
Silvia K says
Hi Carolyn, what good quality rum brands for this recipe?
Carolyn says
WEll, I lived in Barbados for 6 months and I am partial to Mount Gay. Unlike many countries, Barbados has laws against adding sugar to their rum!
Sherry C. says
I only have white rum. Will that still work?
Lisa Ann Schoenbrun says
Merry Holidays! This cake is fabulous! It’s moist and reminds me of the rum cake my mom baked every holiday season. I used a bundt pan for the first one and then made mini bundts in a pan and dusted with Swerve confectioners sugar. They were beautiful and perfect
Carolyn says
I am so glad you made it already!
Christine says
Lisa, how long did you bake the mini bundts?
Brenda Watt says
This is another fabulous recipe! It was easy to make and is delicious. Once again, the most difficult part is waiting for the cake to completely cool so that the glaze and pecans can be applied. You always make my day with your recipes.
Genevieve Waltrip says
Does the alcohol evaporate in this cake when it is baking?
Carolyn says
Most of it, probably.
Julie says
I would like to make this for Christmas but would love to make it ahead. Can I freeze it? Thanks! Can’t wait to try it
Carolyn says
Yes! But freeze before glazing and put that on only after you’ve thawed it completely.