Easy Homemade Rum Baba | Traditional French Pastry Recipe

Moist, rich, and full of flavor — this rum baba with chocolate chips is a show-stopping dessert you’ll want to make again and again. The fluffy, buttery dough soaks up a boozy syrup and gets topped with a shiny sugar glaze that looks straight out of a French bakery. It’s the perfect treat if you’re searching for “how to make rum baba,” “classic rum-soaked cake,” “rum baba recipe step by step,” or “best rum cake with glaze.” Save this one — it’s a keeper!

Rum Baba

For the dough:
– ¾ cup chocolate chips (100 g)
– ¾ cup milk (200 ml)
– ½ cup sugar (100 g)
– 2 eggs
– 7 tbsp unsalted butter (100 g), softened
– 2 tsp active dry yeast (10 g)
– 4 cups all-purpose flour (500 g)

For the syrup:
– 1 ¼ cups water (300 ml)
– 1 cup sugar (200 g)
– ½ cup dark rum (100 ml)

For the glaze:
– 2 ½ cups sugar (500 g)
– ¾ cup water (200 ml)
– 1 tsp lemon juice

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Instructions:

1. Warm the milk until just lukewarm (not hot). Stir in 1 tsp sugar, then add the yeast.
2. Add ¾ cup of flour, mix well, cover with a towel, and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, beat the softened butter with the remaining sugar until smooth.
4. Stir the eggs into the risen starter mixture.
5. Add the butter-sugar mixture and mix until fully combined.
6. Fold in the chocolate chips.
7. Add the rest of the flour and knead the dough until smooth. Cover and let rise in a warm spot for another 30 minutes.
8. Grease your baking molds. Fill them halfway with the dough. Cover and let the dough rise again until it reaches the top of the molds.
9. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (180°C) for about 20–25 minutes.
10. Let the baked babas cool, then leave them to dry out for 12–24 hours (this helps them soak up the syrup better later — but if you prefer, you can soak them right away).

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Syrup:

1. Combine sugar and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook until the sugar is dissolved.
2. Remove from heat and stir in the rum.

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Glaze:

1. Pour hot water over the sugar and stir until dissolved.
2. Heat over medium without stirring until it reaches the “soft ball” stage (drop a bit into cold water — if it forms a soft ball, it’s ready). This takes about 35 minutes after boiling.
3. Add lemon juice, stir, bring to a boil again, then remove from heat.
4. Let it cool down to about 85–140°F (30–60°C).
5. Beat with a mixer using a dough hook or paddle attachment — the glaze should be thick.

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To serve:

1. Use a skewer to poke holes in the bottom of each baba.
2. Dip the bottom in the syrup.
3. Flip them right side up to let the syrup spread inside evenly.
4. Finish with a generous spoonful of glaze on top.