Our take on a classic French dessert. Baba Au Rhum is a yeasted rum-soaked cake with light citrus flavors and currants. It’s traditionally served with whipped cream, and leftovers make for a tasty French toast! Find a Kugelhopf mold.
Grease a kugelhopf mold, taking care to coat every crevice of the pan. Set aside. In a small bowl combine the currants and the rum. Set aside to soak for 30 minutes, or overnight.
Make the Dough: In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, add the warmed milk, melted butter, yeast and brown sugar. Whisk to combine. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes, or until it becomes foamy.
Add the eggs, flour, orange zest, lemon zest, cinnamon and salt. Turn the mixer to low until the dough starts to come together. Raise the speed to medium-high and beat for 5 minutes. Note: the dough will be soft.
Drain the currants (reserve the liquid for another use) and add the currants to the dough while mixer is on low speed. Mix until combined. Scrape the dough into a medium bowl that has been generously coated with cooking spray. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise until it has doubled, about 45 minutes-1 hour.
Shape the dough into a ball. Make a hole in the center and place the dough in the greased kugelhopf mold. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place to rise again until the dough almost reaches the top of the pan, (45 minutes-1 hour). While the cake is rising, preheat the oven to 375°F.
Bake the Cake: Bake the cake for 30-35 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in the center of the cake reads 205°F. Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool for 10 minutes before inverting the pan and removing the cake from the mold. Set the cake, bottom side up, on a cooling rack set over a baking pan.
Make the Rum Syrup: In a small saucepan combine the sugar and water. Place over a stove set to high heat and bring the mixture to a boil, whisking until the sugar dissolves, then continue to cook the syrup for 5 minutes more. Do not stir the syrup at this point. Remove the syrup from the heat and stir in the rum and vanilla.
Using a skewer, poke several holes in the bottom of the cake. Pour 2/3 of the rum syrup over the cake very slowly, allowing it all to soak in thoroughly. Flip the cake over and pour the remaining 1/3 of the syrup slowly oven the top. The syrup will be absorbed into the cake, so be sure to move slowly, and use all of it. Let cool completely before serving.