Birthday Cupcake Rose Vase

I made this cupcake vase for a birthday celebration. These are low-fat Chocolate cupcakes with not so low-fat butter cream icing! For the chocolate cupcakes, I used low-fat milk and unsweetened apple sauce. When you use apple sauce to replace the butter the cake comes out very moist and dense. So, keep that in mind. If you don't like a more dense moist cake, you might want to stick to the more conventional ingredients.

I got the metal vase at a local craft store. It looks very cute! Great presentation for the most delicious roses you will ever get!

View a similar post about a cupcake planter I made.

Happy Birthday Grandma - 90 years old!

Grandma turned 90 years old on April 9th, it´s a milestone! I made her a little rum cake; it was a little challenge not being in my own kitchen, but it turned out moist and yummy! Grandma still cooks and looks great for her age, I hope I can look that good and and be as healthy as her if I reach 90. But, I am not really sure I want to get up there.

Happy Birthday Grandma!

Delicious Rum Cake!

I made a chocolate rum cake a while ago which turned out so moist and delicious. Last weekend, due to a rum cake order, I made another rum cake for the family and, again, delish! I used a bottle of really good Haitian rum . My husband didn’t want me to use that rum b/c it was from a place that supposedly was shut down after a hurricane and will never produce that rum again; whatever I used anyways and I will make many more rum cakes with that rum; until it’s all gone!! It’s better than getting old inside my liquor cabinet, right?

So, here it’s how it’s done – no big top secrets like many bakers make it sound. Just use a good yellow cake recipe, and if you want to make it on the light side; replace the oil or butter with unsweetened apple sauce; double the amount. If you have ½ cup butter then use 1 cup of the apple sauce. Also, instead of using sour cream you can use low fat Greek yogurt (more protein and less fat). Now, I rather use milk instead of water like many recipes call for. But, I use low-fat milk. You can even use the fat-free organic milk from Organic Valley, it’s a little more expensive but delicious with a no fat.

For the glaze, I used Domino dark brown sugar, rum, and ½ stick of unsalted butter.

TIP: you can use this same glaze to make bananas foster; another delicious dessert!

You can even make a gluten free version of a Rum Cake with a gluten free cake mix or using the various gluten free flour options.

Rum cakes are great with coffee and just because, after all it has rum and it might even give you a little buzz!