I can't believe I ate the whole thing: Pina Colada Cupcakes

♥ Beginner

Who's ready for summertime? Me! Me! Me!

I had a friend send me a request for a Pina Colada or Key Lime Cupcake recipe, so I figured I would give them both a go. But first, drum roll please...

Pina Colada Cupcakes!!!!

Let me begin by saying that I don't drink alcohol - at all - so I don't come into a project like this one with a discerning pallet for what a pina colada actually tastes like. However, I did go out and purchase a pina colada mix which I made in the blender with a handful of ice cubes... and it sure was yummy! So, armed with the knowledge that I had, I began the process of making the perfect pina colada cupcake.

*Just as a reminder - I'm trying to make "baker friendly" recipes that will be easy for even the most amateur baker. If you would like to make your own cupcake batter and frosting without using the premade mixes, that's okay too!

What you'll need:

1 Box Yellow Cake Mix
1/3 C. Vegetable Oil
1/4 C. Water
1 Teaspoon Rum Extract
1 (8oz) Can of Crushed Pineapple (Leave it in the juice!)
3 Eggs
1 Teaspoon Coconut Extract
1 Teaspoon Rum Extract (Second Teaspoon, one is for the cake the other for the frosting!)
1 Container of Vanilla Frosting (I like Duncan Hines)
2 C. Shredded Coconut

How it's done:

1. Preheat your oven to the temperature stated on your box mix. My Pillsbury Mix called for 350*. Line your cupcake pan with liners.

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat cake mix, oil, water, rum extract, pineapple, and eggs on medium speed about 2 minutes. I added a smidgen more pineapple and rum extract - I like the more powerful flavor.

3. Once batter is mixed, fill cupcake liners 2/3 of the way full.

4. Bake for amount of time suggested on you cupcake mix box (mine was 16 minutes)

5. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes before removing from the cupcake pan.

6. Toast the coconut - evenly spread the coconut on a cookie sheet and stick in the oven for 15 minutes, turning the coconut with a spatula every few minutes. FYI, it burns REALLY QUICKLY! Once browned, remove from oven and let cool.

7. Put vanilla frosting in a large mixing bowl and combine with rum and coconut extracts. (I added a little more than I said on this recipe because I like the stronger flavors, but you don't need to.)

8. If you plan to pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes then you'll need to add a sifted 1/2 C. of Powdered Sugar to your frosting to make it nice and stiff. (This is when you'll need to add extra extract to your frosting.)