Authentic Italian Rum Cake Recipe with homemade Pastry Cream

Active ingredients for this cake

Eggs (5 big + 6 egg yolks)– your eggs need to be at space temperature level when you utilize them. You will require 5 entire eggs for the cake and after that 6 extra egg yolks for the pastry cream.
Sugar ( 3/4 cup + 3/4 cup 1/2 cup + 1 Tablespoon superfine sugar)– you will require routine granulated sugar for the cake, the pastry cream and the syrup along with superfine sugar for the whipped cream icing, which can be replaced with powdered sugar if you choose.
Vanilla extract (1 tsp + 2 tsp + 1 tsp)– you will require vanilla extract for the cake, the pastry cream and the whipped cream icing. The vanilla offers depth to the taste, however if you are not a fan you can definitely leave it out for a more neutral cream taste rather of a vanilla cream taste.
Flour (1 1/4 cups cake flour + 1/2 cup all-purpose flour)– this dish requires cake flour for the cake and all-purpose flour for the pastry cream, however in a pinch you can utilize them interchangeably.
Butter (as required)– we like butter, so we utilize it to grease our cake pan for this dish, however you can replace with a moderate grease if you choose.
Entire milk (3 cups)– the pastry cream works best with entire milk due to the fact that of the greater fat material, so we extremely suggest utilizing it for this dish, however if you utilize another kind of milk attempt including somewhat more flour so that you get the ideal thick consistency.
Lemon enthusiasm (1 long strip)– cut a long, thin strip of enthusiasm from a natural lemon. You need to not make smaller sized shavings, as the strip is eliminated in a later action.
Dark chocolate (2 ounces + design)– utilize excellent quality dark chocolate and slice it up extremely carefully to contribute to the pastry cream. We like dark chocolate shavings, so we utilize the very same dark chocolate to produce fanciful shavings for embellishing the top of the cake. Dark chocolate chips are not as theatrical however will work simply the very same.
Water (1 cup)– we choose to utilize bottled or filtered water for the syrup for a tidy, fresh taste.
Dark rum ( 1/4 cup)– you can include more dark rum or utilize a various kind of rum or rum extract. You can likewise leave this seasoning out totally or change with a kid-friendly taste like vanilla or caramel.
Heavy light whipping cream (1 cup)– this succulent icing requires a heavy light whipping cream to get the ideal tightness and spreadability.
Almond pieces (1 cup)– you will require to buy currently sliced almonds to get the ideal try to find this cake. Follow guidelines listed below for gently toasting them to draw out the greatest taste. If you do not like almonds, think about utilizing carefully sliced walnuts, peanuts or pistachios rather.
Maraschino cherries (optional)– the brilliant red of the cherries actually sticks out versus the crisp white of the icing for a significant discussion. You can replace with fresh blueberries or strawberries if preferred.

Making Italian rum cake step-by-step

Make the sponge cake: Butter an 8-inch spring type cake pan and after that line totally with parchment paper. Pre-heat the oven to 340ºF (170ºC). Utilizing either a hand mixer or stand mixer with whisk, beat the space temperature level eggs with the sugar for about 12 minutes at the greatest speed (picture 1). You will understand it is prepared when a frothy and firm cream kinds (picture 2). Include the vanilla extract throughout the eleventh hour of pounding.

Screen the flour and include it a little at a time (picture 3), integrating it into the sugar and egg mix with a spatula by folding it in thoroughly (picture 4) up until all has actually been included and the mix is consistent.

Thoroughly put the cake batter into the prepped cake pan (picture 5) and put it into the preheated oven.

Bake the cake for around 25 minutes making certain not to unlock to examine the cake for the very first 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, you can evaluate with a toothpick by placing it into the center to see if it comes out tidy.

When the toothpick comes out tidy, shut off the oven however leave the cake inside with the door open for about 5 minutes to prevent deflating the cake. Eliminate the sponge cake from the oven, then thoroughly eliminate from the springform pan and put on a cake rack to cool totally (picture 6).

Preparation the Italian pastry cream: In a medium pan put 2 1/2 cups of milk and the strip of lemon enthusiasm (picture 7) and heat over a medium flame up until you see steam increasing, however do not boil. Eliminate from heat as soon as steam increases. In a different bowl, beat egg yolks, sugar, and flour with a whisk (picture 8).

When smooth, include the staying 1/2 cup of cold milk and blend up until smooth. Eliminate the lemon enthusiasm from the heated milk and toss (picture 10).

Gradually put the hot milk into the egg yolk mix while whisking (picture 11) and after that include the vanilla extract (picture 12).

Put the mix through a strainer back into the pan (picture 13) and switch on medium heat. Let the mix concerned a boil, blending continuously as it thickens, and let simmer for one minute (picture 14).

When thick, divide the hot pastry cream into 2 bowls or heat-safe containers.

To make the chocolate pastry cream, stir the sliced chocolate into among the bowls of cream up until it melts and ends up being a consistent color. Cover both the routine and chocolate custard with cling wrap pushed straight onto the surface area (picture 16), so a skin does not form, and put in the fridge to chill.

Produce a tasty rum syrup: In a tidy pan, integrate the water and sugar (picture 17) over medium heat up until the sugar liquifies, then shut off the heat and reserved up until cool. Include the rum or rum extract and stir up until integrated and reserved up until required (picture 18).

Whipped cream icing: Put a metal blending bowl and blend into the freezer up until they are extremely cold. When completely cooled, eliminate and include the heavy light whipping cream and utilize an electrical mixer to blend up until the cream begins to thicken (picture 19). Include the superfine sugar slowly, while blending and after that the vanilla extract. Whip up until stiff peaks form in the whipped cream (picture 20). Cool up until required.

Put together and embellish your Italian rum cake: Utilizing a sharp serrated knife, cut the cake into 3 even layers horizontally that can then be reassembled. On a cake plate, put the bottom layer of cake and gently put 1/3 of the ready rum syrup over it (picture 21) and after that spread out all the vanilla pastry cream to make a great thick layer (picture 22).

Location the 2nd cake layer on the vanilla filling and press down carefully however securely so that it adheres. Put another 1/3 of the rum syrup into the 2nd cake layer (picture 23) and after that produce the chocolate layer with all the chocolate cream (picture 24).

Include the last layer of cake, dampen with the staying 1/3 of the rum syrup (picture 25). Location in the fridge for about one hour or the freezer for thirty minutes to set.

To toast the almonds, pre-heat the oven to 350ºF. Location the chopped almonds equally on a flat pan and put them in the oven for 10 minutes or up until somewhat browned (photo 26). Eliminate and let cool.

Now to frost, eliminate the put together cake and the whipped cream icing from the refrigerator and utilize an icing knife or combination knife to carefully spread out most of the whipped cream in an even layer over the leading and sides of the cake (picture 27).

Carefully push the chopped almonds into the sides of the cake. Location the staying whipped cream icing in a piping bag with a suggestion you like and make piping or designs as preferred. Embellish the leading with chocolate flakes and maraschino cherries (picture 28) and you are prepared to flaunt your lovely Italian rum cake!

Professional ideas for making Italian rum cream cake

Support your whipped cream icing: If you desire your Italian rum cream cake to look ideal for the longest time possible, you need to make supported whipped cream icing. The most convenient method is by utilizing a cold metal bowl, cold whisk and cold cream as explained in this dish. Nevertheless, there are other methods to make it much more firm such as utilizing gelatin, cornstarch, Greek yogurt or mascarpone as a thickening representative.
Usage 3 cake pans rather of one: If you wish to prevent needing to cut one bigger cake into 3, you can utilize 3 springform cake pans and put one-third of the batter into each. Remember they will be thinner, so they will prepare much quicker, so you can start to examine after simply 8-10 minutes of cooking time if they are done.

Handy dishes:

Variations

Kid-friendly non-rum cake: You can make this cake kid-friendly by doing it alcohol-free. Rather of rum you can utilize a flavored extract when making the syrup or simply leave it plain.
Go nuts!: If you aren’t a fan of almonds, actually any other nut will do as a design. While chopped almonds are an extremely remarkable appearance, crushed nuts that are carefully pushed into the sides of the frosted cake can likewise look lovely and taste terrific. Our favorites are carefully sliced peanuts, pistachios or walnuts.