Food Culture

Favorite Cuban Desserts: Chocolate Cake with Rum Frosting

cuban desserts, cuban chocolate cake with rum frosting

Do you love Cuban desserts as much as I do? I seriously cannot pick a favorite… but this Cuban Chocolate Cake with RUM frosting is definitely a contender. It has some of the best traditional Cuban flavors that people love: espresso and rum! I turned to a friend to help me with this recipe because the truth is I’m not a great baker, but this recipe is easy enough that I would totally make again.

This Cuban dessert recipe, which combines world-famous rum with little shots of pure energy – Cuban coffee (cafecito Cubano). Both of these distinct flavors come together in this chocolate cake with a twist.

As a note: if you’re not comfortable with rum frosting, feel free to substitute with a rum extract or omit altogether.  I recommend using half the extract as it may be a bit stronger flavored than the rum.

cuban desserts, cuban chocolate cake with rum frosting cuban desserts, cuban chocolate cake with rum frosting

Cuban Chocolate Cake with Rum Frosting

Making this cake isn’t hard, but it will take some time. Bring the kids in the kitchen on a Sunday and take your time. Enjoy the process! I love cooking with kids to learn about food culture and family legacy.

  • 1 3/4 cups cake flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup cocoa
  • 2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup espresso (or strong black coffee), cooled
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Batter will be thin , mix all dry ingredients first and then add wet ingredients slowly with mixer on medium.  Mix until free of lumps. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9 inch layer pans. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool and layer the 2 cakes on top of each other with some of the frosting mix between and on top of the cake layers.

Rum Butter Frosting

  • 1 cup softened butter
  • 32 oz powdered sugar ( adjust for denseness)
  • 4 tbsp rum
  • 3 tbsp milk (Whole milk)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

cuban desserts, cuban chocolate cake with rum frosting

Cuban Desserts to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

Sit back and enjoy this twist on a classic – the Cuban Chocolate cake –  with a cafecito in hand. Or perhaps a Cuba Libre is in order?!

This chocolate cake recipe would go wonderful as a treat after this Picadillo recipe or maybe you’ll try other flavors of Hispanic origin like a Chile Relleno from Mexico or Colombian Arepas. One of the best and tastiest ways to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month is through food traditions of Latin America.

[alder_index title=”Cuban Recipe We Love” cat=”cuban-food” amount=”6″ cols=”6″]

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