French Rum Baba

Ingredients

• 1/2 tspactive dry yeast
• 45 ml, warmunsweetened almond milk
• 150 gplain flour
• 2 tbsp (about 25 g)sugar
• 1/8 tspbaking powder
• 180 mlunsweetened almond milk
• 1/4 tspvanilla extract
• 3 1/2 tbsp (about 50 g), at room temperature and cubedvegan butter
• 240 mlwater
• 1/3 cup (about 67 g)sugar
• 60 mlrum
• 1/2 tsp, or 1/2 vanilla beanvanilla extract
• Zest of 1/2orange
• To tastewhipped coconut cream or custard
• To tastesliced strawberries

Instructions

1. 1

   Activate the yeast

   For the cakes, stir the yeast into 45 ml of warm almond milk in a small bowl. Leave it for about 15 minutes, until foamy.

2. 2

   Mix dry ingredients

   Put the flour, sugar and baking powder in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a flat beater. Mix for 5–10 seconds.

3. 3

   Make the dough

   Add the yeast mixture, the remaining almond milk and 1/4 tsp vanilla extract. Beat at medium speed for about 30 seconds. Add the cubed vegan butter and beat for a further 2 minutes, or until smooth. The dough will be looser than brioche dough.

4. 4

   Let dough rise

   Move the dough to a glass bowl and cover with cling film. Leave in a warm place for about 1 hour, until doubled in size; the oven with its light on can be used as a warm spot.

5. 5

   Pipe into moulds

   Use a spatula to deflate the dough, then transfer it to a piping bag. Lightly oil a mini fluted tube pan and pipe the dough into each cavity until three-quarters full. Leave to rise for another 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 175°C.

6. 6

   Bake the cakes

   Bake for about 15 minutes, until slightly golden. The cakes will be very soft straight from the oven, so leave them in the pan for at least 30 minutes before turning them out.

7. 7

   Make the syrup

   While the cakes bake, put the water, sugar, rum, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract and orange zest in a medium saucepan. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for about 7–8 minutes. Set aside.

8. 8

   Soak the babas

   Dip the cakes one at a time in the warm rum syrup and leave each to soak for about 2 minutes. Lift them out with a spatula and set them on a rack to drain. Keep the remaining syrup.

9. 9

   Chill and serve

   Refrigerate the babas for at least 3 hours. Just before serving, drizzle over more syrup and top with whipped coconut cream or custard and fresh fruit.

What is a rum baba?

A rum baba is a small yeasted cake soaked in rum syrup, a dessert associated with French patisserie. Its open, airy crumb absorbs the syrup while keeping the cake tender.

This version uses almond milk and vegan butter in the dough, with orange zest and vanilla to perfume the syrup. Coconut cream keeps the topping plant-based; custard is an alternative.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 222 calories, 3g protein, 31g carbs, 8g fat.

The flour and sugars provide most of the carbohydrates, while vegan butter contributes much of the fat. The recipe contains only a small amount of protein, mainly from the flour and almond milk. Serve a baba with strawberries for a fresh contrast, or pair it with a more substantial savoury meal if you want a balanced plate.

A soft, enriched dough

Loose dough: this mixture is meant to be softer and runnier than brioche dough, so avoid adding extra flour to make it easier to handle. A piping bag makes it simpler to fill the moulds neatly.

Room-temperature butter: adding cubed butter after the first brief mix helps it beat smoothly into the dough. Continue mixing until no obvious pieces remain.

Give the dough time

First rise: leave the covered bowl somewhere warm until the dough has doubled, using the visual cue rather than relying only on the clock.

Second rise: fill each cavity only three-quarters full, then give the dough 30 minutes to rise again while the oven heats to 175°C.

Watch the bake and cool

Colour: bake for about 15 minutes and look for a lightly golden surface. The cakes are very delicate when hot, so wait at least 30 minutes before removing them from the pan.

Gentle handling: use a spatula to lift the cakes from the syrup and let excess liquid drain on a rack.

Soak for flavour

Warm syrup: simmer the water, sugar, rum, vanilla and orange zest, covered, for 7–8 minutes. Keep it warm for dipping while the cakes are ready.

One at a time: give each baba about 2 minutes in the syrup so it can soak it up. Save the leftover syrup to drizzle over the cakes when serving.

Serve with something creamy

Topping: whipped coconut cream makes a plant-based finish, while custard offers a classic creamy contrast. Add sliced strawberries just before serving.

Timing: chill the soaked cakes for at least 3 hours, then add the topping and extra syrup shortly before they go to the table.

Recipe notes & tips

• Warm the almond milk gently for the yeast; it should not be hot.
• Use a piping bag to portion the soft dough without overworking it.
• Oil the fluted moulds lightly so the cooled cakes release more easily.
• Let the cakes cool for at least 30 minutes before turning them out.
• Keep the remaining syrup to add extra moisture when serving.

Variations

• Citrus swap: use lemon zest in place of the orange zest for a sharper aroma.
• Vanilla bean: scrape the seeds from half a vanilla bean into the syrup instead of using extract.
• Fruit topping: use another sliced fresh fruit in place of the strawberries.
• Coconut finish: choose whipped coconut cream for a plant-based topping.
• Custard topping: serve with custard instead of coconut cream for a richer finish.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Adding flour to the loose dough: keep it soft as described and pipe it into the moulds.
• Skipping the first rise: wait until the dough has doubled before shaping.
• Overfilling the moulds: stop at three-quarters full to leave room for the second rise.
• Unmoulding while hot: let the delicate cakes rest in the pan for at least 30 minutes.
• Dipping too briefly: give each cake about 2 minutes in the warm syrup to soak it.

How to store

Keep the soaked babas covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; they taste best the day they are made. Serve chilled or bring them out briefly before serving, then add the reserved syrup and topping. The recipe does not specify reheating.

Frequently asked questions