If you like pina coladas...

I went to a fish fry yesterday and decided to make pina colada cupcakes to bring. I have never made anything like them before, but I knew I had all of the ingredients at home and wouldn't need to run to the store. I used a yellow cake recipe and topped each cake with crushed pineapple before baking them. Then I poked holes in each cake and poured spoonful of a rum, butter and brown sugar mixture in each. Finally, I topped each with coconut flavored icing. I wound up not liking how much icing was on each cupcake. It took away from the other flavors. I scraped off about half of the icing, but did not take pictures.

Yellow Cake:
6 large egg yolks
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups sifted cake flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into pieces
1 can of crushed pineapple

In a medium bowl lightly combine the egg yolks, 1/4 cup milk, and vanilla extract.

In a large bowl sift together dry ingredients. Add the butter and remaining 3/4 cup milk. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for about 2 minutes. Gradually add the egg mixture, in 3 additions, beating about 30 seconds after each addition to incorporate the egg.

Fill each cupcake paper about half way. Then add a little bit of crushed pineapple. Try to keep the pineapple in the center of the cupcake. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes (if making mini cupcakes).



While the cupcakes were baking, I made the butter sugar mixture that I added to rum. The mix I made was WAY too much, but I am saving and will make a cake with it soon! I used one stick of butter and about 1/2 cup of brown sugar and 1 tsp of cinnamon. First I let the butter melt, then added the sugar and cinnamon. Once all of the ingredients were combined, I removed the pan fromt eh heat and let it cool a little. Then I added 1 cup of light rum and 1 cup of dark rum. Then mixed them well. I will definitely be making this again and when I do I will cut all of the rum mixture ingredients by at least half.

Coconut Icing:

3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup butter
2 tablespoons coconut extract
1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream

This has definitely become one of my favorite recipes. I may change a few things and use fresh pineapple or use toasted coconut in the icing next time, but for this occasion I was making what I had work. The two plates I brought over were gone in about an hour!