Sweet yeast cake soaked in rum syrup

Prepare the Dough: In a large bowl, combine the warm milk and yeast, let sit for 5 minutes until frothy. Add the flour, sugar, salt, and eggs. Mix with a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook on medium speed for 5-7 minutes until a smooth, elastic dough forms.

Incorporate Butter: Gradually add the softened butter, piece by piece, continuing to mix until fully incorporated and the dough is very soft and shiny, about another 5 minutes.

First Rise: Cover the bowl with a clean cloth and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.

Bake the Cake: Gently deflate the dough and transfer it into a buttered and floured savarin or bundt mold (about 20-22 cm). Let it rise again for 30-45 minutes, until it nearly fills the mold. Preheat your oven to 180°C. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Let cool slightly in the mold, then invert onto a wire rack.

Make the Syrup: While the cake bakes, combine water and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and stir in the dark rum and vanilla extract.

Soak the Cake: Place the cooled baba on a deep plate or in a shallow dish. Slowly pour the warm rum syrup over the cake, allowing it to absorb completely. You may need to flip the baba gently to ensure even saturation.

Serve: Once fully soaked, transfer the baba to a serving platter. Serve immediately, perhaps with a dollop of whipped cream or fresh berries.