Honey Rum Baba Recipe

Rum baba is a true icon of French pastry. Originally from Poland, this dessert has undergone a transformation over the centuries, becoming a must-have on tables. Rum baba has an airy texture and an intoxicating aroma. Here, we revisit it a little by offering you a honey rum baba!
The history of this dessert dates back to the 18th century, when the King of Poland, Stanislas Leszczynski, was exiled to Lorraine. It was here that the pastry chef Nicolas Stohrer, inspired by oriental flavors, created the "Gugelhupf", the ancestor of the rum baba. However, it was with the passage of this recipe to France that the rum baba acquired its letters of nobility.

The history of rum baba

Nicolas Stohrer, originally from Wissembourg in Alsace, learned his trade in pastry making in his hometown. He then became an apprentice pastry chef to the former King of Poland, who was then in exile. Stohrer continued to serve the exiled king until 1725.
The rum baba, a pure product of chance, was born in the 18th century when the king brought back from Poland a Babka piaskowa, a Polish brioche that had dried out during the long journey to France. To save the kouglof, Stohrer decided to flavor the dry brioche with saffron and sprinkle it with sweet Andalusian wine, Malaga. After refreshing it, he garnished the dessert with currants, without including pastry cream contrary to popular belief.
Some say that King Stanislaus, a great lover of this pastry, renamed it himself after the Tales of the Thousand and One Nights, calling it Ali-baba. Others claim that the name comes from the word "Baba", meaning "granny" in Polish.
In 1725, when Marie Leszcynska (the granddaughter of King Stanislas) married Louis XV, Stohrer followed Marie to Versailles. After five years of service at the court of Versailles, he opened his patisserie at 51 rue Montorgueil. Founded in 1730, Stohrer's shop was the oldest patisserie in Paris, embodying a wealth of expertise ranging from patisserie to confectionery, waffle making, gingerbread and gastronomy.
The evolution of the rum baba took a turn in the 1800s, when Malaga wine was replaced by rum by a descendant of Nicolas Stohrer. The pastry cream, absent in the original recipe, made its appearance in contemporary pastry, while the shape of the baba definitively adopted that of a hat.
Stohrer’s legacy has been preserved by the Dolfi family since 2017. Keen to maintain Nicolas Stohrer’s expertise, the family entrusted this mission to pastry master Jeff Cagnes, who skilfully revisited classic French pastries, including the rum baba. If you visited Stohrer, the original version with Malaga wine was still available.
As for the rum baba in Naples, in the 18th century, Marie Antoinette's sister asked the French chefs, the Monsù, to prepare rum babas. Today, the Neapolitan version called babbà has become a popular dessert among Neapolitans, thanks in part to artisans such as Fattoria Terranova in Sorrento, which offers exquisite variations with limoncello and lemon cream.

Rum baba, an iconic dessert

Over the centuries, the rum baba has evolved into a variety of versions and interpretations, each with its own unique twist. The dough, made with flour, eggs and butter, is shaped into a distinctive shape, often in a crown or individual portions. The dessert is now being revisited by pastry chefs who are exploring new flavors and textures.

Beyond its Lorraine roots, the rum baba has captured the hearts of sweet lovers around the world. Modern versions incorporate creative twists, from the addition of exotic fruits to infusions of unexpected flavors. This recipe, steeped in tradition and innovation, perfectly embodies the French culinary art, offering a taste experience rich in nuances and history.

In this culinary adventure, we will explore not one, but TWO revisited versions of the rum baba, while honoring its origins! It's up to you to tell us your favorite!

1. Rum baba with orange blossom honey and ginger

Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients for 6 people:

• 1 tablespoon of orange blossom honey
• 130 g flour
• 60 g sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 tablespoons of milk
• 1 sachet of baking powder
• Salt, butter
• 2 tablespoons of Lorraine honey ginger rum
• 150 g caster sugar
• 50 cl of water

Preparation steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until the mixture turns white.
3. To this mixture, add the hot milk, sifted flour and yeast.
4. Using a whisk or electric mixer, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff.
5. Gently mix the dough and gradually incorporate the egg whites.
6. Butter and flour the mold.
7. Pour the batter into the mold, which should be filled up to ¾ full.
8. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, then unmold immediately.
9. For the syrup, boil the water with the sugar for 2 minutes then remove from the heat. Add the rum and honey.
10. Sprinkle the syrup over the baba until completely absorbed.
11. Serve chilled.

2. Rum baba with lime blossom honey and lemon

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients for 4 people:

• 100 g of lime honey
• 3 eggs
• 1 tablespoon of milk
• 125 g flour
• 120 g sugar
• 1 sachet of yeast
• Lemon zest
• 1 knob of butter
• Syrup: 25 cl of water, the juice of 2 lemons

Preparation steps:

1. Separate your egg whites from the yolks.
2. Whisk the sugar and egg yolks until the mixture turns white and frothy.
3. Then add the lemon zest, the milk and then the flour-yeast mixture gradually. Preheat your oven to 170°c.
4. Beat your egg whites until stiff and gently add them to the mixture.
5. Butter your baba molds and fill them three-quarters full. Bake for 20 minutes.
6. Pour the lemon juice, lime blossom honey and water into a small saucepan and gently bring to the boil. Cover and keep warm.
7. When they come out of the oven, unmold your babas and drizzle them with syrup. Turn them over several times to soak them well.

Advice :
For those with a sweet tooth, we suggest you serve the Rum Baba with seasonal fruit and/or whipped cream.
For those who do not consume alcohol, you can replace it with a flavored syrup or with fresh fruit juice, it will be even better!


The rum baba is a classic of French pastry, carrying within it a rich history and taste evolutions. From the Polish origins of Babka piaskowa to the skilled hands of Nicolas Stohrer, who breathed new life into it at the court of Versailles, the rum baba has spanned the ages. The different versions, whether flavored with orange blossom honey and ginger or lime blossom honey and lemon, bear witness to the creativity of contemporary pastry.
Whether you prefer the traditional version or modern variations, rum baba remains an undeniable classic!

To learn more about another iconic recipe, find out how to make bitter orange marmalade !