Piña colada cupcakes for Mama

Tomorrow I’m going to see my mama for Mother’s Day. I’m still trying to earn her favor so I’m bringing her homemade piña colada cupcakes. I cobbled together several recipes and came up with this. I was avoiding rum but next time I might use a little rum for the glaze. I cheated and ate one just to make sure they are edible. Hopefully she won’t notice that I’m bringing one short of a dozen.





Piña Colada Cupcakes with Coconut Cream Frosting

For the cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup cream of coconut
½ cup finely crushed pineapple (fresh or canned, reserve juice)

For the glaze:

2 tablespoons pineapple juice

¼ cup brown sugar

For the icing:

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese at room temperature

½ stick unsalted butter at room temperature
¼ cup cream of coconut
½ teaspoon coconut extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (may need more) confectioner’s sugar
½ cup shredded coconut
Additional shredded coconut to top cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350°F. Put cupcake liners in pan.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and brown sugar with mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, then beat eggs, one at a time. Add cream of coconut and mix. Add dry ingredients, half at a time, mixing and scraping down bowl between additions. Mix only until flour is just incorporated. Using a rubber spatula, fold in bits of pineapple.

Spoon batter evenly into cupcake tin. Bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven. While the cupcakes are still hot, brush them with the pineapple juice/brown sugar glaze.

Cool completely at room temperature. Once completely cool, put cream cheese and butter in bowl and cream until smooth. Add cream of coconut, extract, and vanilla. Add confectioner’s sugar and blend until consistency is thick but spreadable. Fold in ½ cup coconut. Ice cupcakes and top with additional shredded coconut. Makes one dozen.