Baked dessert soaked in rum

BABA

This sweet, yeast-based cake is often served with a light syrup and sometimes topped with whipped cream or fruit. It shares its name with a term of endearment in some languages.

This clue points to "baba," a light, rum-soaked sponge cake that originated in Eastern Europe but became popular in French cuisine. The word "baked" hints at the cake itself, while "soaked in rum" is a direct nod to its signature boozy syrup. It’s often called rum baba in full, but crosswords typically shorten it to just "baba." The answer plays on both the dessert’s name and its defining feature—the rum.