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Babà (Neapolitan Rum Cake)

Total Time3 hours

Ingredients

  • For the dough:
  • 300 g 10-1/2 oz flour
  • 2 Tbs dry active yeast
  • 100 ml 1/2 cup lukewarm water
  • 100 g 3-1/2 oz mealy potato, steamed, peeled and mashed
  • 75 g 3/4 stick of butter, softened
  • A pinch of salt
  • A pinch of sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • For the rum syrup:
  • 350 g 12 oz sugar
  • 500 ml 2 cups water
  • Rum 150m (1/2 cup) or more, to taste
  • For topping optional:
  • Crema pasticcera see this post for the recipe
  • Whipped cream
  • Mixed berries napped with a large spoonful of the rum syrup
  • Extra rum

Instructions

  • Proof the yeast by mixing it with 50g (2 oz) of the flour and the water in a small bowl. Cover the bowl and let it sit in a warm place (like inside of a turned off oven) for about 30 minutes. It'll be ready when it 'bubbles'.
  • In the bowl of a standing mixer, using the paddle on low speed, mix together the rest of the flour, mashed potato, butter salt and sugar until it has taken on a grainy consistency. Then start adding the eggs, one by one. Stop the mixer and add the proofed yeast, then continue until you've achieved a uniform, very stick dough.
  • Grease a ring mold very well. (NB: Do this even if you're ring mold is supposedly non-stick; trust me, it helps.) Gather up the dough into a ball with a spatula and place it in the mold, evening it out as much as you can. The sticky dough can be hard to handle, but persist; it is easiest to use your hands for the operation.
  • Cover the mold with a towel and let is sit for an hour or two, until it has at least doubled in volume, filling up the mold.
  • Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Place the mold (uncovered) in the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes, until the dough has turned golden brown on top and a paring knife or toothpick inserted into it comes out perfectly clean. Remove from the oven and let the cake cool in its mold for about 10-15 minutes.
  • While the cake is cooling, make the syrup: Add water and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for about a minute, then add a good splash (or two) of rum. Simmer for another minute or so. (NB: If it's more convenient to make the syrup ahead of time, make sure to reheat it before proceeding to the next step.)
  • After the cake has cooled off a bit but is still warm, prick the top of the babà all over with a paring knife or other sharp object to perforate the surface. Spoon the rum syrup, little by little, all over the top of the cake and around the edges, too, so it runs down the sides and reaches the bottom of the mold. Continue until you've used up all but a few spoonfuls of the syrup. (If garnishing the babà with mixed berries, save another spoonful for that, too.) Let the cake sit in its mold for another 10-15 minutes to allow the syrup to penetrate it completely.
  • Turn the cake over on to a serving platter and unmold it. Spoon the remaining syrup over the top, and fill the center, if you like, with crema pasticcera, whipped cream or mixed berries. And now for my little special chef's secret: if you want some extra oomph, drizzle more rum over the top of the cake, as much as you like...
  • When the cake has completely cooled, slice, serve and enjoy!