Baba au Rhum

This is a very simple recipe of the baba au rhum (rum baba), my husband’s preferred cake. I used basic ingredients I am sure you all have in your kitchen cupboards.

Ingredients
1/3 cup milk
2 teaspoons instant yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Rum Syrup
3 cup water
2.5 cup sugar
½ cup rum + few tablespoons
1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)

Whipped cream
2 cups heavy cream (35%)
2 teaspoons icing sugar

Strawberries to decorate (or any other fruits you like)

Bundt or Savarin ring mold

Directions

1. Put the eggs, sugar, salt and milk in the bowl of the food processor and mix on low speed for 10 seconds or so. 
2. Add the flour and yeast and beat until everything is blended. The dough is very soft and sticky.
3. Add the butter a little at a time and raise the speed to medium. Beat until the butter is fully incorporated around 4-5 minutes.
4. Butter a spatula and scrape down the bowl and beater to form a ball.
5. Cover the bowl and allow it to rise for about 1/2 hour.
6. Butter the baba mold. Deflate the dough, and place it in the mold. Let the baba rise to fill the mold. 
7. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake the baba for 30 minutes, or until it is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. 
8. Allow the baba to cool for 10 minutes, remove it out of the mold onto a wire rack and let it cool for at least another 10 minutes. 
9. Put the baba back into the mold and pierce it all over using a skewer to allow the syrup to get through. 
10. Pour 1/3 of the syrup (see below) at a time slowly onto the cake, to allow it to soak in. 
11. Once all the syrup has been absorbed, invert the baba onto a serving platter.
12. Baste the top with remaining tablespoons of rum.
13. Whip the cream and icing sugar. Fill the center of the baba with the cream and decorate with strawberries (or any other fruits you like)

Rum Syrup

Place the sugar and water in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the syrup has slightly thickened. Allow to cool. 

Add 1/2 cup rum and vanilla.