Pictured: The Original Jetty Boys Rum Cake is a flavor sensation. Photo courtesy of Jetty Boys Run Cake.

“We had always gotten rum cakes from cruises or gift shops when we were traveling and I never really gave a lot of thought to it,” says Rebecca Jones. “You get these gift packs and you’re like, ‘Oh, there’s all these flavors, let’s try them,’ but that was the end of it.”

That all changed one Sunday when a family friend dropped by with a homemade rum cake.

“It was literally life changing,” she laughs.

From that very first bite, Jones began to envision a future where she and her husband and sons ran a family business making and selling rum cakes of their own creation. Six months later, they took a leap of faith and made that dream a reality.

“We spent another six months diving into recipes, really trying to figure out what our recipe was going to be,” Jones says. They cycled through at least a dozen recipes as well as a dozen different local rums, before ultimately developing the recipe for the Original Jetty Boys Rum Cake which uses Old St. Pete Righteous Rum & Spice Rum

“The first thing that you experience with our cakes is not the taste - it’s actually the aroma,” Jones says. “When you open up a box all of the different flavors waft out like cinnamon and vanilla. That’s the first sense that I really wanted to hit and make sure that people experience. Because smell has such a big association with memory.”

The sensory experience continues when you take a bite. The cake is spongy and incredibly moist, so it holds its shape beautifully but still melts in your mouth. That moisture comes from the rum glaze, which is delicate enough that you can taste the component flavor notes like cardamom, cinnamon, vanilla, and dried orange. Pecans that have been candied in cinnamon and brown sugar and cinnamon are also baked directly into the cake, adding a satisfying crunch and textural element that contrasts with the silky, buttery smoothness of the cake itself.

The Jones family started sampling and selling the Original Jetty Boys Rum Cake at the Venice Farmers Market and the Fresh Harvest Farmers Market in Wellen Park where it quickly became a local favorite. The family found there was an appetite for more flavors, and they have delivered by developing some new flavor variations using the original cake recipe as a base and branching out to other local rums. Their Toasted Coconut Rum Cake uses Siesta Key Coconut Rum and incorporates coconut flakes around the edges of the cake for a warm, tropical flavor. The Chocolate Rum Cake uses Wicked Dolphin Vanilla Bean Rum and incorporates cocoa powder and the taste and texture is almost like a rum-soaked brownie. Finally, the Key Lime Rum Cake uses Gasparilla Key Lime Pie Rum, lime zest, and graham cracker edging to create a dessert that’s uniquely delicious.

To try these delectable desserts infused with local flavor, visit Jetty Boys Rum Cakes at the Venice Farmers Market on Saturdays from 8am to 1pm or the Fresh Harvest Farmers Market in Wellen Park on Sundays from 9am to 1pm. You can also place orders online for local pickup.

Jetty Boys Rum Cakes, (941) 800-7626, jettyboysrumcakes.com, facebook.com/jettyboysrumcakes.

Pictured: The Original Jetty Boys Rum Cake is a flavor sensation. Photo courtesy of Jetty Boys Run Cake.