Rum Baba: The Polish-French Dessert That Everyone Takes Credit For

The Rum Baba dessert is a multicultural delight and many countries will tell you it’s their own and they might all be right; everyone has contributed something to this European sweetie. Its origins lie in Eastern Europe but it was the French who put their stamp on it, thanks to a Polish King in exile whose daughter’s pastry chef married into the French royal family. The only thing they can agree on is that any version must contain rum.

The dessert’s base is an Eastern European cake called the “babka”

The Babka cake has been made in Eastern European countries like Poland and Ukraine for centuries. It’s a bit like a fortified French brioche, made with yeast, and cooked from a batter, which is baked into a cylindrical shape. Babka means “grandmother” or “old woman” and it’s a very sweet cake left to rise in the fridge overnight before being baked the next day. Lots of countries have a similar version to the Babka, like the Gugelhupf in the region of Alsace Lorraine, France.

The Rum Baba was created by Stanislaus I in Lorraine

His daughter’s pastry chef introduced the cake to the rest of France

The dessert might not have ended there if it wasn’t for Stanislaus’ daughter, who married King Louis XV. Her pastry chef, Stohrer, went with her to Versailles and brought the dessert too. It was here that legend says he added rum for the first time. A few years later, Stohrer opened his own pastry shop in Paris, although the date this is said to have happened ranges across a period of many years. The Rum Baba was a huge hit. You can visit the Patisserie Stohrer in Paris, established in 1730 and the oldest bakery in Paris. The French declare that the Rum Baba was later introduced to Italy by visiting French pastry chefs where it is known as the Rum Babà (just don’t tell the Italians that…).

In the 1800s, an offshoot of Rum Baba, the Savarin, was created

The Savarin is slightly different to the traditional Rum Baba. For a start, the mould is circular with a hole in the middle, lime is sometimes added to the batter and chantilly cream is always served as an accompaniment. Vanilla and orange are also sometimes added to the rum mixture. It was named after a French lawyer, Savarin, who loved food. The rule of thumb is that the dessert is a Savarin if it is shaped like a doughnut, and a Baba if it is shaped like a champagne cork.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.