Classic French Rum Baba

Make the Cake

1. Gather the ingredients.

   

2. Stir the yeast and the warm water together in a large bowl and allow the yeast to dissolve for 5 minutes.

   

3. Lightly beat the eggs into the yeast and water.

   

4. In a small bowl, mix the flour, sugar, citrus zests, and salt together.

   

5. Stir the mixture into the yeast and eggs.

   

6. Knead the dough with the softened butter for about 5 minutes, until it turns soft and elastic.

   

7. Cover the dough and allow it to rise for 1 hour until it doubles in size.

   

8. While the dough is rising, soak the raisins or currants in 3 tablespoons of rum.

   

9. Once the dough has doubled, beat the rum-soaked fruit into it.

   

10. Grease the baba molds and divide the dough among them.

    

11. Preheat an oven to 400 F. 

12. Cover the molds and allow the dough to rise for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the dough has just started to rise above the molds’ edges.

    

13. Uncover the babas and bake them for 20 to 25 minutes, until they turn golden brown and begin to pull away from the sides of the molds.

    

14. Immediately remove the babas from the molds and allow them to cool on a wire rack.

    

Make the Rum Syrup

1. Gather the ingredients.

   

2. While the babas are cooling, make the rum soaking syrup. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, bring the water and sugar to a boil for 5 to 10 minutes, until the syrup has thickened.

   

3. Remove the syrup from the heat and stir the rum and vanilla extract into the mixture.

   

Assemble the Rum Baba

1. Place the babas into the hot rum syrup and turn them several times, allowing them to soak up the syrup. They will swell and absorb most of the syrup.

   

2. Carefully transfer each baba onto a dessert plate and brush with a generous amount of heated apricot preserves.

   

3. Garnish the babas au rhum with vanilla Chantilly cream and serve immediately.

   

4. Enjoy!