Despite its global popularity Rum cake is an old-fashioned holiday treat in the Caribbean and is a descendant of traditional holiday desserts. In the first recipe dried fruit was covered in rum for several months. It was only after a while gone by could dry fruit go into the dough which was prepared using sugar and then caramelized. Of obviously, there are a variety of different methods to prepare it but the main ingredient is always the rum.
The best rum to bake with is, without doubt, dark rum. The dark rum is aged, and comes with a myriad of scents, flavors and subtleties to provide. Also, you don't want something that is too sweet. Try to find warm notes like oak, vanilla and caramel, complemented by spices such as cinnamon or cloves, as well as nutmeg. If it's a rum cake you're looking for, or something else, a warmand slightly spicy dark rum is the best choice.