Piña Colada Cupcakes

If you like Piña Coladas and cupcakes then we have just the recipe for you! These easy-to-make cupcakes are packed full of sweet pineapple flavor in the cake and creamy coconut in the frosting to create an irresistible cocktail-themed treat.

Ingredients

PINEAPPLE CUPCAKES:

• 56 gm or ¼ cup unsalted butter
• 2 tbsps. or 25 ml flavorless oil (vegetable, canola, sunflower) 
• ½ cup or 110 gm granulated white sugar
• 1 large egg
• 100 gm or ¾ cup all-purpose flour or cake flour
• ½ tsp. baking powder
• ¼ tsp. baking soda
• 1 pinch sea salt
• ¼ cup or 60 ml lukewarm milk
• ½ - 1 tsp. Amoretti® Pineapple Extract Water Soluble

COCONUT CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

• 4 oz. cream cheese
• ½ stick or ¼ cup unsalted butter
• 2- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar or confectioner’s sugar
• 1 tbsp. Amoretti® Natural Coconut Cream Artisan

GARNISH:

• 9-10 maraschino cherries in syrup
• Toasted coconut flakes
• Fancy paper straw
• Colorful cocktail umbrellas

Directions

CUPCAKES:

• Preheat the oven to 350 F or 180 C.
• In a small bowl, measure and whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Keep aside.
• In a small bowl drop in the butter and oil and whip it till light and fluffy using a hand mixer. (Double the quantities if using a stand mixer.)
• Add the sugar and whip again until creamy and light.
• Drop in the egg and mix again.
• Alternate adding the flour mix and milk into the batter and gently mix on the lowest speed.
• Scrape down the sides and use a spatula to finish mixing the batter.
• Finally add the Pineapple extract and rum (optional), and  finish folding the batter.
• Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick or skewer inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
• Cool on the counter and prepare the frosting.

FROSTING:

• Whip the butter until it is light and fluffy.
• Drop in the cream cheese and whip again. 
• Add powdered sugar in batches and keep whipping until the desired texture is achieved. 
• Finally drop in the Toasted Coconut Cream Artisan and give a whip! 

ASSEMBLY:

• Using a round tip and pastry bag, pipe the frosting on to the completely cooled cupcakes.
• Have the toasted coconut bits in a small bowl and dip the cupcake, frosting side down into it.
• Top with a maraschino cherry.
• Snip the paper straw to fit the cupcake and insert it into the frosting for a Piña Colada look.
• Finish off by sticking a cocktail umbrella on the top! Enjoy!