Sticky Orange and Rum Syrup Loaf
Photography by Josh Griggs.
This ranks high on my list of great loaf recipes that I’ve developed over the years. Even those that aren’t fond of rum to drink (which includes me) really love this one.
INGREDIENTS
3 large eggs, size 7
1¾ cups caster sugar
1 cup neutral oil (eg sunflower oil)
1 cup buttermilk
finely grated zest 2 large oranges
⅓ cup orange juice
⅓ cup dark rum
2½ cups plain flour
2½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Rum syrup
½ cup orange juice
½ cup caster sugar
½ cup rum
You will need...
a 6-cup capacity loaf tin, greased and fully lined with baking paper
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 150°C fan bake.
Beat the eggs, sugar, oil, buttermilk, orange zest and juice and the rum together in a large bowl.
Combine the flour, baking powder and cinnamon, add to the egg mixture and stir together, ensuring there are no lumps in the batter.
Pour the batter into the tin and bake for about 75 minutes, or until the loaf is golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. The top will crack as it bakes.
Rum syrup: Place the juice, sugar and half of the rum in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes then take off the heat and stir in the remaining rum. Leave to cool.
When the loaf is cooked, brush half the syrup over the hot loaf and leave to cool completely in the tin.
To serve: Slice the loaf and serve with the remaining syrup. The loaf will keep in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Makes 1 loaf

Keep up to date with
dish weekly recipes,
food news, and events.
latest issue:
Issue #119
Welcome to 2025 and a brand-new year of whipping up delicious recipe withdish! We start the year right with issue 119, jam-packed with easy, mouthwatering meals to make at home. From stunning salads to quick and tasty one-pan chicken dishes, to spectacular sweet treats. We have duos covered with our dinners for two, plenty of wonderful recipes for easy flavour-packed entertaining and make the most of the abundance of fresh seasonal produce. We finish off with a whistle-stop tour of South Australia’s wine country and a round-up of our top tipples from 2024. The latest issue of dish is on sale NOW at all good bookstores and supermarkets – don’t miss it!