Pina Colada Cupcakes

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:

Cupcakes

• 1/3 cup (80 ml) unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup (120 ml) sugar
• ½ cup (120 ml) brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla
• 2 cups (470 ml) flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons (7.5 ml) baking powder
• ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) coconut flakes
• 1 cup (240 ml) coconut milk

Filling

• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) sugar
• 1 can (19 ounce/538 ml) crushed pineapple, drained (juice reserved)
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) white rum

Icing

• ½ cup (120 ml) butter
• 4 cups (1 L) icing sugar
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) pineapple juice (reserved from can)
• 2 drops red food colouring (plus more if needed)
• Toasted coconut flakes, to garnish

Method:

Let’s get baking!

Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C).

Cream butter with sugar and brown sugar in a bowl.

Add eggs and beat in.

Add vanilla and mix in.

In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and coconut flakes.

Pour flour mixture into butter mixture, beating.

Add coconut milk and incorporate.

Fill cupcake liners ¾ full of cupcake batter.

Bake 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.

To make the filling, melt sugar in a saucepan.

Add pineapple.

Simmer until reduced.

Take off heat and stir in rum.

To make icing, cream butter in a bowl.

Add icing sugar a bit at a time until fully incorporated.

Add coconut milk and pineapple juice and stir in.

To get a light pink icing colour, add red food colouring to buttercream and mix through.

To assemble, use a small knife or small round cookie cutter to cut out the centre of cupcakes – making sure not to cut all the way to the bottom.

Use a spoon to fill holes with pineapple filling.

Top with icing and toasted coconut flakes.

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