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This skinny, lightened-up Puerto-Rican rum cake was my saving grace this past weekend. It was Father's Day weekend. Every holiday I feel like my friends and family look to me and wonder what I am going to cook up next. I LOVE to prepare a dish that tap dances along the edges of the danger zone. "Danger zone," because I am guilty of bringing lightened-up food to events without mentioning a word before-hand.
Usually, I bring a typical dish you would normally see at family functions. I almost never mention I "snatched" the recipe and made the dish more suitable for everyone's waistline. I like to gauge the reactions of others, first. As they are taking bites of what I prepared, I stare directly into their mouths. I watch their eyes, hoping for a smize. I then wait for someone to yell out the dish tastes funny....or that it is missing something. This has yet to happen! At some point, I tell everyone the dish is on the healthier side. I explain what I did to modify the dish, etc.
I am always greeted with the same response: "I do not believe you. This tastes too good." 🙂 This truly keeps motivated. This motivation continues to fuel my desire to deliver healthy recipes to this blog each and every week.
Cal: 216 Fat: 7G Net Carbs: 36G Protein: 4G
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Grease and flour a bundt cake pan. Sprinkle the pecans throughout. Don't worry! They will turn out pretty in the end.
Next, combine all of the cake ingredients and beat on high for 2 minutes. Bake for 60 minutes.
I used sugar-free yellow cake mix in this recipe. This was my first time going with sugar-free. Typically, when I create a recipe I brainstorm many different ways I can modify an ingredient, or remove it entirely. With cakes and dessert, sugar is usually the culprit of why the calories and overall grams of sugar are through the roof. After coming up with my first draft of ingredients and reviewing the macros, I noticed a large source of the sugar came from the cake mix.
I planned to add additional sugar to the mix while prepping. Why did the cake mix have so much of it already?! I immediately went on the hunt for reduced-sugar cake mix and stumbled upon a sugar-free yellow cake option. Definitely look into this! I used Pillsbury.
The wonderful folks at Don-Q were kind enough to provide me the rum used for this recipe. I have been able to sample 4 different types of Puerto-Rican rum from Don-Q. Each flavor was unique and absolutely delicious. I chose the Don Q Añejo to create this recipe. Fabulous idea! It pairs wonderfully.
The rum butter glaze is my favorite part of this recipe. Using a cooking brush for the glaze allows it to seep directly into its pores. You can taste the rum in every single bite. I recommend you make your cake well in advance of when you plan to eat it. The longer the cake sits after you glaze, the more your cake will taste of rum.
This cake was such a hit! I suggest this rum for use in your cake. The flavor is potent, but not at all overwhelming.
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Disclosure: I was supplied products in exchange for this post. All opinions are my own.
Table of Contents
Skinny, Lightened-Up Puerto Rican Rum Cake with Butter Glaze
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Ingredients
Cake
- 1 box sugar-free yellow cake mix
- ¼ cup pecans, chopped
- 4 eggs
- 1 box sugar-free instant vanilla pudding
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ½ cup cold water
- ½ cup Don Q rum
Glaze
- 3 tablespoon butter
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup Don Q rum
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Grease and flour a bundt pan.
- Sprinkle the chopped nuts throughout the bottom of the pan.
- Mix all of the cake ingredients in a mixing bowl. Beat the batter for 2 minutes.
- Pour the batter in the pan covering the nuts.
- Bake for 60 minutes.
- Cool the pan on a baking rack for 10-15 minutes.
- Turn the pan over on a serving plate and remove the cake.
Glaze
- Melt the butter on medium-high heat in a saucepan. Add the water and sugar.
- Boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add the rum.
- Using a cooking brush, spread the glaze over the top of the cake and along the sides.
- Serve!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Data
Macros are provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. This information is calculated using MyFitnessPal.com. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
Jay Colby says
Great recipe. I've never had a rum cake before, but it seems like a great desert idea.
Heather Johnson says
You had me at pecans and rum. I bet this would be totally delicious as a holiday treat around Thanksgiving and Christmas!
Brandi Kennedy says
This looks like a great recipe! I wonder how hard it would be to find a sugar-free cake mix that doesn't have aspartame ... I'm allergic, but many sugar-free things have aspartame as the sugar substitute. Ah, well. I suppose if I couldn't find a sugar-free variety, I could just go with the regular. You know, just this once. *wink*
Lindsay says
I didn't know that a rum cake could be lightened up! I'll need to try this sometime. Thanks for sharing your recipe 🙂
Ciel says
Looks so yummy. I love that it is waistline friendly. I'm going to try this one soon.
Claudia Krusch says
Skinny, Lightened-Up Puerto Rican Rum Cake looks so delicious and easy to make. I am always looking for healthier versions of recipes to try.
Pooja Mumsandbabies says
This looks so sinful and i feel like drooling over the rum cake. Thanks for the recipe will try out soon.
Dahn says
I like how you roll.... just sneak in the skinny! This looks incredible, sharing this for later
Brian Jones says
Yowsers that looks incredible and that glaze... I reckon I could just eat that straight from the spoon 😉
Sondra Barker says
AMAZING! This looks so delicious, I can not wait to try the recipe! Great post, thank you for the inspiration.
prettyfitfoodie.com
Patty says
Rum and pecans! Love this flavor combo, your cake looks so moist, love it!
Corina says
I'm intrigued by sugar free cakes at the moment and am planning some experimentation of my own soon . I love that the sweetness must come mainly from the glaze. It sounds really delicious!
sarah says
I have never tasted a rum cake before. looks delicious and easy to prepare.
Jagruti says
This cake looks incredibly tasty!
Monica | Nourish & Fete says
This looks great, and I love the idea of bringing a lightened-up favorite to a gathering - doing everyone a favor on multiple levels! 🙂
Shashi at Savory Spin says
Wow - what a stunner this is! Loving those pecans on the bottom/top - and so love that you don't tell your fam and friends that you "snatched"a recipe and made it healthier till after their first bites!
Lisa | Garlic & Zest says
I have always loved rum cake -- it's probably one of my favorite treats -- especially with the crunchy pecan crown!
Edyta at Innocent Delight says
This looks amazing. I love pecans in cakes. This rum cake is a keeper.
Annie @ Annie's Noms says
Yep, I feel just the same around holidays! Like it's expected that I'll make something. I mean, I usually do and I don't really mind, but I often have a few days where I'm like "Aghh what do I make?!?!" - this cake looks beautiful though and I just love that it's skinny! I have a wedding dress to fit into soon, but I still want to enjoy cake!
staysnatched says
Congrats on the upcoming wedding! I have a bridesmaids dress to fit in THIS Saturday. So I need skinny options, too!
Lyndsey says
Wowsa! This looks incredible and topped with pecans, how dreamy. I'm definitely going to make it!
steve walters says
Oh my god, this looks sooo incredible! I can't wait to make this.
Kristen from The Road to Domestication says
I'm gonna have to share this with my cousins! At Christmas we get together and make our grandma's rum balls. This should be added to our menu LOL
Bintu says
I can't believe you can get a skinny version of a rum cake. What a brilliant recipe
maria Isabel says
did anybody make this cake?, need to know how it taste ,
Laura says
Thanks for sharing! I entered the data into my Weight Watchers app. This recipe has 9 ww pts per serving...Other rum cakes listed on my WW app have anywhere from 12-18 pt per serving! I plan to give this a try at my next tiki party!