What makes a really good rum cake—one that is so good it is worthy to be named a bakeshop’s signature rum cake?
Ask Chef Rhea Castro SyCip, owner and chief cake maker of Flour Pot Rum Cakes Manila, and she will tell you that it has to be balanced not just in flavor, but in every little detail. It has to have a sturdy cake that can stand on its own, not like a sponge that holds all the rum but seems ready to burst any time. For the other important ingredient of a rum cake, the rum used has to have body and balance and taste just right—not weak, but not too strong or overpowering, either. The alcohol must not be too strong, but the rum should not be too sweet, either. In short, the cake and the rum have to come together harmoniously to achieve an exquisite taste that is beyond the ordinary. View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Rhea (@chefrheasycip)
Chef Rhea Sycip
Chef Rhea spent a lot of time perfecting her Flour Pot’s Signature Butter Rum Cake, which she started developing in 2009.
“I used different kinds of rum, both local and imported. Local rum is not only very accessible; I also loved the color. But the local rums I tried either lacked flavor or the alcohol was too strong. Then I used imported rums. I wasn’t satisfied, because either the alcohol was too strong or the rum was too sweet. Before I hit the right formula, I had to park my rum cake because things got really busy at work,” Chef Rhea relates.
She continues: “ I revisited this recipe a few years later, when I saw Very Old Captain Rum in a liquor store. I took a look at it, learned that it was a local rum, and began working on my rum cake again. I was happy with the results. What I love about Very Old Captain Rum is its depth of flavor, which successfully translated to the cake when I used it, thus giving it the right amount of alcohol and sugars. The result was a fine soak that complemented the butter, which was added to complete our cake soak.”
Some 200 ml of Very Old Captain Rum was all she needed to achieve the perfect rum cake—and because she was using a premium rum, she also effectively extended the shelf life of her rum cake. “Because of the sugar and alcohol content, our cake’s shelf life can last for weeks, even a month, if stored properly. In fact, the longer the cake lasts, the better it gets, as the sugar and alcohol continue to develop. It’s very similar to a fruitcake,” explains Chef Rhea. View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Flour Pot (@flourpotmanila)
Flour Pot’s Signature Butter Rum Cake
Finding the missing piece of her rum cake puzzle, Chef Rhea got to finalize her recipe and, as a result, started selling her rum cake Christmas of 2017. Eventually, it became Flour Pot’s signature cake—and one of its bestsellers, as well. As a signature item on the menu, it is available on a regular basis, and it is so in demand that, during peak months, Flour Pot has to produce about 300 rum cakes per month.
What makes the rum cake so special, aside from the premium small-batch Very Old Captain Rum produced by Destileria Limtuaco, is that it makes use of organic ingredients—free-range eggs, organic butter, and premium milk. Only pure egg yolks are used, making a super rich and dense cake that can hold the rum without getting soggy. View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Flour Pot (@flourpotmanila)
Flour Pot proudly uses Very Old Captain Rum for their signature butter rum cakes.
Flour Pot’s Signature Butter Rum Cake now comes in four sizes or forms: the nine-inch Bundt Cake (P1,700); a box of three Mini Rum Cakes (P780); the Heart Bundt Cake with 1 lb. of organic local strawberries (P2,500); and, because the Christmas season is almost here, the limited-edition Christmas Butter Rum Cake with VOC Rum Buttercream and Strawberries in a Christmas gift box (P1,900).
Yes, Very Old Captain Rum also incorporates very well into the buttercream icing!
Orders may be placed via Facebook (Flourpotrumcakesmanila) or through the mobile no. 0917-7892352. While the lead time is usually two days, the rum cake is available daily this Christmas season. Direct delivery is available, and so are pick-up arrangements at the Flour Pot shop, 78B Estrella St., Brgy. Bel Air, Makati City.
Very Old Captain Rum is available for purchase at www.liquorexpress.ph
