pina colada cupcakes


I do a lot of wondering
It’s just how my brain works. I’m always asking questions.
Maybe it’s because I’m young, maybe it’s because I’m restless.  I’m probably a little bit of both.


If you could peek into my brain at any given moment, it would look something like this:

What hair color do they put on the driver’s license of a bald man?  How many times will I fall in love? Why does extra sharp white cheddar cheese taste so good on stale Ritz crackers?  Do my socks match today? Why can I never find the tape? If tomatoes are a fruit, isn’t ketchup technically a tomato smoothie? Why do I ask so many questions?  Did I forget to log off of the library computer? Are cats and dogs are really smart and just acting dumb to freeload off humans?  Did the teacher notice I was on Pinterest all class? Can Pokemon only say their name, or are they named after the only thing they can say?


Why do my hands always smell like buttercream?

Ok, so I know the answer to the last question…


It’s because I’ve been going through a total cupcake craze. Borderline full-on obsessed.  I just can’t get enough of piping neat little swirls of buttercream.  I love the big cloud of confectioner’s sugar hovering around my stand mixer and all of the sticky, Ziploc bags of frosting (my mom on the other hand isn’t so enthusiastic…). The first thing I do when I step in the house is preheat the oven to 350 and fill a muffin pan with paper liners.  This has been going on for a while.  I need help.  But for now, just take a look at these Pina Colada cupcakes while I run to the store to buy more confectioner’s sugar.

With love,
Erica


Pineapple Cupcakes:

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups canned crushed pineapple (drained slightly)

Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the eggs and sugar until slightly thickened and a light cream color (about 2 minutes).
On low speed, mix in the oil and vanilla until blended.
Add in the pineapple and sour cream and mix until fully incorporated.
Add the flour mixture and blend until just combined and smooth.
Line a cupcake pan with 12 paper liners and fill about 2/3 full.
Bake cupcakes in a pre-heated 350*F oven for about 22 minutes.
Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.
Frost with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe below)
Recipe yields 24-28 cupcakes.

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients 

1 stick softened butter
1/2 cup crisco
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract
5-6 cups powdered sugar
1-3 tablespoons milk

Place butter, crisco and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until smooth.
Add vanilla extract, coconut extract and powdered sugar (1 cup at a time) and blend on low speed until combined. Increase to medium speed and beat until it begins to get fluffy.
Slowly add the milk until you reach desired consistency.
Beat until fluffy, about 1 minute.

To Assemble:

Additional Ingredients
sweetened coconut
maraschino cherries

Frost each cupcake with a swirl of coconut cream cheese frosting. Roll in sweetened coconut. Top with a maraschino cherry.  

© Cannella Vita. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without my permission/linking back to Cannella Vita. If you want to republish this recipe, please link back to this post.

14 thoughts on “pina colada cupcakes”

  3. Anonymous

    I've been admiring your blog for awile. Your photographs are great, and you really have a talent for cooking and writing! I'm also a teen baker, although I don't have a blog. So yeah, keep on blogging because many readers like me love looking at your fantastic recipies!

    1. Cannella Vita

      Thank you so much! I always love to meet other young people who share my interest in baking! Please visit again soon! 🙂

  7. Anonymous

    I have two things to say… First YUM. Second, ditch the crisco! You're a little young to worry about heart disease yet, but shortening kills women every day and coconut oil is not only a healthier alternative but will ADD greatness to your recipe! Seriously, hydrogenated oils are bad news. Avoid those like the plague and you'll live to bake and eat a lot longer!

  8. g ryan

    Is there any way I could substitute butter for the vegetable oil ? I made these and the cupcakes and there was a strong oil smell to them and there was an oil taste to them also. The icing and the coconut helped the taste but I was thinking if I used butter I could eliminate this problem. Thanks for any help.

  9. g ryan

    I made these cupcakes and I wanted to know if there is a way I can substitute butter for the oil. The cupcakes had a very strong oil smell and an oil taste to them. The icing and the coconut helped but I was wondering if I used butter instead I could eliminate the smell and taste of oil. Thanks for any help.

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