Favorite Cuban Desserts: 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 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 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.

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