Rum in parts of the French West Indies. Rum may also be used as a base in the manufacture of liqueurs and syrups, such as falernum and most notably, Mamajuana. Rum is used in a number of cooked dishes as a flavoring agent in items such as rum balls or rum cakes. It is commonly used to macerate fruit used in fruitcakes and is also used in marinades for some Caribbean dishes. Rum is also used in the preparation of rumtopf, bananas Foster and some hard sauces. Rum is sometimes mixed into ice cream, often with raisins, and in baking it
Rum in oak casks, it becomes dark, whereas rum aged in stainless steel tanks remains virtually colourless. Due to the tropical climate, common to most rum-producing areas, rum matures at a much higher rate than is typical for whisky or brandy. An indication of this higher rate is the angels' share, or amount of product lost to evaporation. While products aged in France or Scotland see about 2% loss each year, tropical rum producers may see as much as 10%. After ageing, rum is normally blended to ensure a consistent flavour. Blending is the final step in the rum-making process. As