Alcohol in flavorings?

[ponygirlmom]

I need to make a cake for a party this Saturday. My mother-in-law makes a great pina colada cake. I can't eat it personally (gluten, dairy) but I know everyone else will love it.

The frosting normally contains rum. There will be people I don't know at the party, including kids, so I thought it might be better to use rum extract for flavoring instead of real rum. Then I remembered that extracts usually have alcohol. For example, the vanilla extract I have in my cupboard has 35% alcohol. You normally don't think about it because when you cook it, the alcohol evaporates. But in this case, the frosting is "raw."

Does anybody know if rum extract would make the frosting "alcoholic," or would the proportion be so tiny (less than a tsp of extract to 20oz of the other frosting ingredients) that it wouldn't matter?

 

[Bina]

My Mom used to use Rum extract......I'm sure it will be fine.....it's a tiny amount.

 

[Cooker]

I don?t think it is much of a concern ?. Also, would the alcohol possibly evaporate during the mixing? ? It defiantly would not get anyone loaded ? I am allergic to alcohol and that amount would not bother me ?..

 

[Lisa in Katy]

Personally I wouldn't worry about it. My best friend growing up was the child of a Baptist Deacon and a leader in the WMU (Women's Missionary Union). Her mother insisted on real vanilla extract (preferably the kind from Mexico), rum extract, and other pure flavorings in her recipes. If it didn't bother them, it won't bother anyone!

 

[Karlynn]

Try DaVinci Syrups. It's what many coffee shops use to flavor coffees and teas. You can buy them online, but I've also seen them in stores.

 

[Dina]

Wow..we used to eat bourbon balls...as kids(in the 70's that is)
We all came out ok..just a little demented

 

[ChouDoufu]

don't worry about it. extracts and such are very hard to find here. vanilla extract
does not exist as far as i can tell, although i can get bundles of vanilla grass.
for recipes requiring vanilla, i just use a shot of cheap brandy as a substitute.

the amount in the frosting is tiny - one teaspoon, divided amongst how many?
12 slices? that's about one or two drops per portion.

 

[abbanabba]

I believe the "essences" don't contain alcohol - for instance, vanilla extract contains alcohol, but vanilla essence only has the flavour.... and having just checked my cupboard, I have a bottle of Coconut Rum Essence, and it is totally alcohol free.

 

[Karlynn]

My Mother-In-Law has a rum cake recipe that would cause the eater to fail a breathalyzer test. It's really good - but it packs a wallup.

 

[netmiff]

Karlynn, sounds like my Aunt Caroline's sherry trifle ... I have been known to advise people not to "eat and drive!"

 

[CThrock]

I saw on TV news tonight that they are putting alcohol flavorings in popcorn at the movie theatre soon. Just pick the flavor you like and eat.
Whom ever came up with that idea is making the $$.