Baba au Rhum

There are cakes that sit politely on a plate. And then there’s the Baba au Rhum — flirtatious, soaked to the soul in syrup, and never without its crown of Chantilly.

 

Once the indulgence of kings, now the quiet show-off of Parisian pâtisseries, the baba tells a story in every bite. Light as a sponge, rich as velvet, and soaked with enough rum to make your knees gently buckle. This is not just dessert — this is dessert with an afterglow.

 

Whether you first tasted it at a café near Place des Vosges, or snuck one from a pâtisserie window wrapped in gold foil, today we bring it home.

 

Ingredients (makes 6 babas)

 

For the dough:

 

• 125g (1 cup) all-purpose flour

• 5g (1 tsp) sugar

• Pinch of salt

• 1 tsp dry active yeast

• 2 large eggs

• 45g (3 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened

• Zest of 1 orange (optional, but divine)

 

For the rum syrup:

 

• 250ml (1 cup) water

• 150g (3/4 cup) sugar

• 80ml (1/3 cup) dark rum

• 1 strip of orange peel (or a dash of vanilla)

 

For the Chantilly cream:

 

• 200ml (3/4 cup + 1 tbsp) heavy cream

• 2 tbsp powdered sugar

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or seeds from 1/4 vanilla pod

 

Preparation

 

Step 1: The dough

 

In a small bowl, activate the yeast in a splash of warm water. Let it sit for 5–10 minutes until it starts to bubble.

 

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add eggs and yeast mixture, then mix until smooth. Knead in the softened butter and orange zest until the dough becomes elastic and shiny. It will be sticky — that’s good.

 

Cover and let rise for 1 hour until doubled in size.

 

Step 2: Baking the babas

 

Grease small baba molds or muffin tins. Spoon the dough halfway into each. Let rise again until puffed — about 30–40 minutes.

 

Bake at 180°C / 350°F for 15–20 minutes, until golden and springy to the touch. Let cool slightly, then gently unmold.

 

Step 3: Soaking in syrup

 

While the babas bake, make the syrup: boil the water, sugar, and orange peel for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cool slightly, then add the rum.

 

Soak the warm babas in the syrup — turning them gently until saturated but not collapsing. Let them rest on a rack, or in the fridge if making ahead.

 

Step 4: Whip the Chantilly

 

Whip the cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Chill until ready to serve.

 

🍷 Or… Rhum

 

This is the rare dessert where wine steps aside and rhum agricole or aged dark rum takes the stage.

 

A small glass of Martinique Rhum Vieux or Saint James Hors d’Âge alongside your baba will awaken every syrup-soaked crumb. For a lighter twist, try a rhum-spiked espresso.

 

✨ The soul of it all

 

The Baba au Rhum is Paris at its most unashamedly indulgent — a dessert that doesn’t apologize for soaking itself in spirits, nor for the swirl of cream that must be spooned on like a final sigh.

 

It’s a nod to old royalty, yes — invented in the 18th century for a Polish king, adopted by the French, and perfected in Paris. But truly, it belongs to anyone who’s ever needed a dessert that both comforts and seduces.

 

Make it for a rainy afternoon. Or after a long dinner, when everyone’s a little flushed and ready to fall in love with food all over again.