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Small Pastries

Neapolitan Rum Babà

How to make rum babà: soft yeasted cakes soaked in rum syrup, a classic of the Neapolitan pastry tradition.
Recipe Neapolitan Rum Babà
  • Difficulty Medium
  • Preparation 45 minutes
  • Cooking 45 minutes
  • Servings for 12-14 babà

Have you ever dreamed of a dessert that delivers a burst of aroma and softness in every bite? This rum babà recipe is just what you need: a timeless yeasted rum cake, made with patience and care from a soft yeast dough that turns into a soft homemade babà, light and wonderfully fragrant. The secret is all in the dough, made with baker’s yeast and left to rise slowly until it is as soft as a cloud. The long wait pays off when the pastry soaks up the rum syrup, creating a soft rum dessert with a unique flavor, perfect for special occasions or for making your dessert buffet unforgettable.

Although the rising times take a little care, the result is a simple syrup-soaked babà that is truly elegant, ideal as a baked dessert for special occasions. Serve it in the traditional mushroom shape or as single-serving finger food: every bite balances sweetness and intense aromas. You can dress up the babà to suit your taste: a cloud of whipped cream, a few amarena cherries, or a touch of pastry cream will make your traditional babà recipe even more special, and a rich babà with whipped cream is a great option too. It is ideal for impressing friends or as an elegant buffet dessert at your most important events.

If you love desserts with similar soft, aromatic textures, don’t miss the recipes for the famous Canelés, the indulgent Buchteln, the Original Recipe, the wonderful Cream-Filled Italian Doughnuts, or the surprising Melonpan, the Original Recipe. Make this iconic rum babà with us and let yourself be won over by its heady aroma and incredible softness.

Ingredients for 12-14 babà

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Method

  1. To make the Rum Babà, start with the starter: in a bowl, mix the flour with the yeast and the water until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest in the oven, turned off, for 1 hour.
    Making Neapolitan rum babà, step 1
    Making Neapolitan rum babà, step 2
  2. After this time, you will see that the mixture has formed small bubbles. Add the eggs, the flour, and the sugar and knead everything in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed until the dough is fully developed, smooth, and elastic, then check it with the windowpane test.
    Making Neapolitan rum babà, step 3
    Making Neapolitan rum babà, step 4
  3. Switch to the dough hook and, while kneading, add the cubed room-temperature butter a little at a time, followed by the salt. When the dough has absorbed all the butter, turn off the mixer and shape the dough into a ball. Place it in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise, again in the oven, until doubled (about 2 hours).
    Making Neapolitan rum babà, step 6
    Making Neapolitan rum babà, step 7
  4. Meanwhile, make the rum syrup: in a saucepan, combine the water, the sugar, and the citrus peels removed with a vegetable peeler. Put the pan over the heat and stir until it comes to a boil. After 2 minutes, turn off the heat and add the rum. Let it cool completely, then strain.
    Making Neapolitan rum babà, step 5
    Making Neapolitan rum babà, step 8
  5. Punch down the risen dough with a dough scraper and divide it into pieces of about 70 g each (for molds 8 cm (3 in) wide at the top, 7 cm (2¾ in) tall, and 6 cm (2⅜ in) wide at the bottom). Shape each piece into a ball by folding the edges in toward the center underneath several times, then place each ball, seam side down, in a very well-buttered mold. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in the same way until the dough reaches the rim of the mold (about 1 hour).
    Making Neapolitan rum babà, step 10
    Making Neapolitan rum babà, step 11
  6. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C (350 °F) for 25 minutes. Take them out of the oven and let them cool completely. Then dip the babà, one at a time, in the hot syrup and let them soak up the liquid. Drain them, squeeze them gently, and repeat. Place them upside down on a wire rack. Finally, brush them with the apricot glaze.
    Making Neapolitan rum babà, step 12
    Making Neapolitan rum babà, step 13
  7. Once ready, serve your Rum Babà plain or with whipped cream and, if you like, a little fresh fruit. Finally, remember to download our App with exclusive content and fewer ads!
    Rum babà soaked in rum syrup

Variations and Alternatives

Rum Babà can also be filled with Chantilly Cream, Pastry Cream, or fresh fruit of your choice and whipped cream. If you don’t like the taste of rum, you can make Limoncello Babà simply by using limoncello instead of the rum in the recipe, or alcohol-free babà.

Tips

To make perfect Rum Babà, all the ingredients should be cold from the refrigerator.

Storage

Rum Babà can be stored either soaked or unsoaked:

  • Soaked: they keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days in an airtight container, or they can be frozen.
  • Unsoaked: they keep in the refrigerator for 6-7 days in an airtight container, or they can be frozen for a couple of months. You can also let them dry overnight on a wire rack and then store them in a cookie tin for a couple of months.

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