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Piña Colada Cupcakes

Pinã Colada Cupcakes

Author — Jake
Serves — 24
Moist Pina Colada Cupcakes with coconut, pineapple, and a homemade frosting. A tropical treat for all ages, perfect for blissful indulgence!
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients
  

Cake:

  • 15.25 ounces white cake mix
  • 1 cup canned coconut milk well mixed
  • cup vegetable oil
  • 3 whole large eggs
  • 1 tsp coconut extract
  • 1 cup pineapple tidbits drained (keep juice for the frosting)

Frosting:

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter softened
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar
  • 4 cups powdered (confectioner’s) sugar
  • 3-4 tbsp pineapple juice
  • 1 tsp coconut extract
  • Optional garnishes: Sweetened shredded coconut, pineapple rings and maraschino cherries

Instructions
 

Cake:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 24 cupcake tins with liners or by well greasing them.
  • Prepare the cake mix by whisking together the dry cake mix, coconut milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and coconut extract until well combined. The batter should be slightly thicker than a normal cake batter when you finish mixing.
  • After the batter is prepared, stir in the pineapple tidbits (be sure it is well drained but reserve the juice for the frosting).
  • Fill the prepared cupcake tins with batter, until each liner is ⅔ full. Bake the cupcakes for 18-21 minutes or until a tester comes out clean and the top bounces back when you touch it. Let the cupcakes cool in the tins for 5 minutes and then remove to a rack to cool completely.

Frosting:

  • In a large stand mixer with the whisk attachment, blend the butter and brown sugar on high until creamy and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Colder, firmer butter will take longer. The end result should look like a light, whipped butter.
  • Blend in the powdered sugar alternately with the pineapple juice. I like to add about 1 and ⅓ cup of sugar and mix it in, starting on the lowest setting and gradually working up to the highest. Once it has been whipped together, add 1 Tablespoon of pineapple juice and mix it again. Do this back and forth, until I have added the last of the sugar. If the frosting is too thick you can add pineapple juice, 1 teaspoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
  • Pour in the coconut extract before beating the frosting on high for an additional 5 minutes. It should be very light and fluffy with very little grainy texture.
  • Fill a piping bag or ziploc bag with your frosting. I used a Wilton 1M piping tip for mine, but you can use any large piping tip for the frosting.
  • To decorate, top the cupcakes with a pineapple ring, frosting, shredded coconut and a maraschino cherry (all optional).

Notes

Storage:
Once frosted you can store your cupcakes at room temperature for up to 2 days and in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It is best to store them covered. The frosting alone can be stored in the fridge, covered, for up to a week, and in the freezer for up to 1 month. The cupcakes, unfrosted, freeze well for up to 3 months. Be sure, when freezing, to wrap them individually and place them in an airtight container to avoid them drying out.  

Nutrition Info

Calories: 286kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 203mg | Potassium: 66mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 271IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 1mg