Pina Colada Cupcakes

I don't like pineapple. I don't like coconut. I DO like these cupcakes! They are super moist and the icing is really creamy. All I did was start with a yellow butter cake recipe and make a few changes to add pineapple and rum. The icing is a basic buttercream using coconut milk and rum. They are very easy and can be completely kid-friendly or slightly intoxicating for the adults. See notes below for the variations. Just a warning if you eat the raw batter you may get a little tipsy! I topped these with flaked coconut. You could also toast the coconut before adding it. I wanted to put drink umbrellas on top as well for a little bit of fun but I couldn't find any in time.

Variations: To make these completely kid-friendly just replace the rum in the buttercream with imitation rum flavoring. You don't need to change the cupcakes because all of the alcohol cooks off leaving the rum flavor. To make the extra yummy adult version, use the optional soaking method listed in the recipe.

Check out Cupcake Tuesday over at Hoosier Homemade.

Drunken Pineapple Cupcakes
(makes 24 regular cupcakes)

2/3 cup butter
1 ¾ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple in juice
½ cup rum, plus more for optional soaking

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with liners.

In a medium-sized bowl, sift together flour, salt and baking powder. Set aside. Drain crushed pineapple, reserving juice. Pour juice into liquid measuring cup. Add rum until the level reaches the 1 ¼ cup mark. Stir and set aside.

In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time and mix until well incorporated. Add vanilla. Add the flour mixture, a third at a time, alternating with the pineapple juice mixture until well blended. Beat on high for an additional two minutes before adding crushed pineapple. Mix until well incorporated.

Fill liners ¾ of the way and bake for 17-21 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for three minutes before removing to wire rack. Let cool completely before soaking or icing.

To soak the cupcakes: Using a toothpick poke a few holes into the top of each cupcake. Spoon one spoonful of rum over each one and let it soak. Follow with the buttercream icing.


Coconut-Rum Buttercream
(makes enough for 24 regular cupcakes)

½ cup vegetable shortening
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon rum
6 cups powdered sugar
2/3 cup coconut milk

Stir rum into the coconut milk and set aside. In a large bowl, cream together shortening, salt and 2 cups of the powdered sugar. Add remaining sugar alternating with the coconut milk mixture until desired texture is reached. You will probably not need all of the liquid. Beat on high for 10 minutes until creamy and fluffy.