Pina Colada Cupcakes

By Texaschef11

Ingredients

• 1/3 C coconut rum (or any rum you have on hand)
• 3/4 C coconut milk
• 1/4 C pineapple juice
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 C all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 C unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 C + 3 tbsp sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 C shredded baker's coconut
• 1 C crushed pineapple

Preparation

Step 1

1. In a small bowl, combine rum, coconut milk, pineapple juice, and vanilla. Set aside.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs to the sugar mixture one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Alternately add the flour mixture and the rum mixture, beating well after each addition.
6. Fold in the coconut and pineapple.
7. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full.
8. Bake at 350 F for 25 minutes or until cupcakes bounce back when lightly touched.

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

While I believe coconut cream cheese frosting to be the ideal frosting choice for Piña Colada cupcakes, I also made a batch of these cupcakes with the vanilla bean cream cheese frosting that I used on the chocolate coconut rum cupcakes. Tasters seemed to like both frostings equally.

Note: Double this recipe if you like lots of frosting.

* 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
* 1/4 C unsalted butter, room temperature
* 2 C powdered sugar
* 3 tbsp coconut cream

1. Mix cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.
2. Mix in powdered sugar a little bit at a time.
3. Mix in coconut cream.
4. Pipe or spread on cupcakes.

Topping

Bride 4.0 said that she wanted the wedding cupcakes to have red, so I topped the Piña Colada cupcakes with shredded baker's coconut mixed with a little red food coloring.