But Why Is The Rum Gone?!

I have a problem... I have to make people cake for their birthdays and for my sisters birthday this year I went a bit mental. I ended up making four different types dessert and a bottle of 'Black and Blue' flavoured vodka. Well with a combo of rum, vodka and cake you can't really go wrong can you!
I also presented her with a painting of party rings, something I remember being a staple at our parties as kids, for her new flat.

For the muffins I adapted a Nigella recipe for Chocolate Banana Muffins, taking out the cocoa powder and replacing with lime zest and adding in a lime rum syrup and buttercream. These muffins added in a bit of sunshine into a pretty miserable summer weatherwise.

Rum Banana Muffins with Rum Lime Buttercream

adapted from Nigellas Chocolate Banana Muffin recipe

• 3 very ripe or overripe bananas
• 125ml vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 100g soft light brown sugar
• 230g plain flour
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• zest of 2 limes
• 1 x 12-bun muffin tin

Icing 

• 140g soft butter
• 280g icing sugar
• 1 tbsp rum
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• grated lime zest for decorating

Serves: Makes 12

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6 and line a muffin tin with papers.
2. Mash the bananas then beat in the oil followed by the eggs, lime zest and sugar.
3. Mix the flour and bicarb together and add this mixture, beating gently, to the banana mixture, then spoon it into the prepared papers.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 15–20 minutes.. Allow to cool slightly in their tin before removing to a wire rack.
5. Make a lime rum syrup by combining the juice of a lime, 2 tablespoons of rum and 3tbps of sugar in a pan. Boil until slightly syrupy and spoon over the muffins
6. For the icing beat all the ingredients together until light and fluffy. Spread or pipe onto the muffins and sprinkle with the lime zest.

Em.