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Caribbean rum cake is a dessert that always reminds me of vacation. I first tried this yummy dessert while traveling the Caribbean on a cruise many moons ago, and I've been hooked ever since. This made from scratch rum cake recipe really makes you feel like you are somewhere in the tropics. The traditionally rich dessert features lots of butter and sugar, so it's not something you will want to eat on a regular basis. So in honor of September being is National Cholesterol Awareness month, I decided to make a better-for-you version of this traditionally decadent dessert, with some healthy swaps, including Mazola® Corn Oil! A clinical study showed Mazola Corn Oil reduces cholesterol 2x more than extra virgin olive oil. To learn more about this claim, see Mazola.com
If you'd never had Caribbean rum cake before, you have definitely been missing out! You can almost feel the island breeze when you make this recipe. The cake is quite dense, almost like a pound cake. After it's baked, it's soaked with a rum and sugar syrup that takes the cake to the next level. Can you say drool-worthy? OH. YES!
I'm always looking for ways to reduce the saturated fat and sugar content of Caribbean and Latin foods, because they can tend to be over the top on both fronts. To lighten up my recipe, I swapped out half of the sugar with unsweetened apple sauce, and used white whole wheat flour instead of regular all-purpose flour. I also halved the amount of butter in the recipe, and replace it with Mazola Corn Oil. The result was a perfectly sweet, moist cake, that is way better-for-you and just as delicious!
Mazola Corn Oil is an all-purpose, cholesterol free cooking oil that is a smart heart-healthy* choice for your family. *See Mazola.com for more information on the relationship between corn oil and heart health. It has a variety of uses include baking, grilling, sautéing, stir frying, or mixing up a marinade or dressing.
It's easy to reduce saturated fats and cholesterol in your meals easily with simple swaps, such as substituting butter with Mazola Corn Oil. I'm a big fan of swapping butter with corn oil, I think the result comes out even better. Butter tends to make cakes dryer and more crumbly, and I'm a fan of super tender and moist cakes, and corn oil helps me obtain that result in the final product. Bonus, this Caribbean rum cake has all the flavor and moisture you'd expect from the traditional recipe, but without a ton of saturated fat! I'd say that's a winning combination! So next time you're in the mood for a tropical escape (on a budget), definitely give this recipe a try!
For more better-for-you recipe inspo using Mazola Corn Oil, check out the Mazola website. I'd love to hear how you make healthy swaps in your recipes!
