Sometimes the next best thing to actually being on vacation is enjoying foods that immediately transport you back, at least in your mind, to a getaway you’ve taken in the past. Especially on a Monday morning…am I right?
When we’re trying to escape reality, Shane and I are all about tropical destinations. Many of the trips we’ve taken together have involved sitting on a white sand beach staring out into an endless sea of crystal clear blue water – always with a drink in hand. For him, generally either a beer or the occasional margarita, and for me, something fruity and frozen. Pina coladas are very high on the list, but if you can believe it I’ve never made them at home. I fear once I start, it’s a habit I wouldn’t be able to quit ๐ Pina colada cupcakes though? Now that’s another story. They’re easy to transport, and I never have trouble finding someone to take a few cupcakes off my hands!
I bought a new-to-me ingredient to make these cupcakes: cream of coconut, which is not to be confused with coconut milk (Deb explains the difference in the intro note to her recipeย here). They don’t sell liquor in grocery stores here, but if they do by you, that’s where I’d look first. In my store, I found the cream of coconut in the small section with the premade drink mixes. And if all else fails and you can’t find any, Deb offers an alternative using coconut milk and extra sugar.
The cream of coconut is used in both the cupcakes and the frosting, and though the cupcake batter was intensely coconut flavored, I found the cupcakes less so. It was there, but definitely more subtle. Coconut extract would probably amp up the flavor a bit more if you really want the coconut to shine. The cupcakes are moist, but with a tight, dense crumb. Oh, and a word of warning – these cupcakes rise a ton, so beware overfilling the wells. I topped mine with a sweet coconut cream cheese frosting, but if that’s not your thing, I think this coconut Swiss meringue buttercream would be perfect too! Garnished with a cherry and a little umbrella, the cupcakes definitely reminded me of the drinks I’ve enjoyed on those Caribbean beaches, and for now that’ll just have to do ๐
Pina Colada Cupcakes with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
cupcakes adapted from Smitten Kitchen, frosting adapted from Bon Appetit, April 2003
{Note: if you don’t pile frosting a mile-high on your cupcakes like me, you could probably get away with making 1/2 – 3/4 of the frosting recipe. Also, you can substitute dark rum for the coconut rum in the cupcakes if you prefer.}
Cupcakes
2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup (55 g) light brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tablespoons coconut rum
1 cup cream of coconut
1/2 cup (72 g) finely chopped fresh pineapple
Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
2 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/2 cup cream of coconut
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the rum and then the cream of coconut – the batter will probably look curdled, but don’t worry, it’ll come together in the next step. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients in two additions, beating until just incorporated. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the pineapple.
Divide the batter evenly among the prepared liners, filling each only about 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the cupcakes spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the pan to a wire rack and let the cupcakes cool for a few minutes before removing them to the rack to cool completely.
To make the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium speed until smooth and fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, beating until well combined, then add the cream of coconut and vanilla extract. Transfer the frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a tip. Pipe frosting into a swirl on each cupcake. Garnish with a maraschino cherry, pineapple wedge or umbrella, if desired ๐
Makes about 15 cupcakes
Omg these look SO AMAZING! Rum and cake and frosting and coconut…can you say, YES please! I made pina colada cookies a couple weeks ago but should have used rum in them rather than vanilla extract ๐
A white sand beach sounds pretty nice right about now. Pina coladas are one of my favorite frosty beverages. I get the coconut flavor without the texture. Love the styling on your cupcakes! The umbrella and cherry are just perfect.
They look wonderful! Perfect for the Summer ๐
A pina colada is my go-to cocktail – I LOVE it! These cupcakes are fabulous too. Great creation!
I spent forever looking for cream of coconut in my grocery store awhile ago! Thank goodness for smart phones or else I would’ve left empty handed.
These look sooooo good. I’m not sure I’ve ever had a pina colada but I love all the flavors in these so I know I’d love them. They are beautiful!
Does “tight crumb” mean heavy and dense? I’m just wondering if that is code? lol It’s ok, I just want to know what to expect to I’m not like “OMG, I MADE ROCKS!” ๐
Would it be completely wrong to eat this buy the pool? Maybe I should have a drink with it!
These might be the most festive cupcakes ever. Love the little umbrellas!
@Angela – Haha, no not code. I wouldn’t use the word “heavy” to describe these, the texture is just more similar to a pound cake than say a light and fluffy cupcake. I like both types, but if you are only a fan of light and fluffy, these might not be for you.
these are so pretty and I LOVE how much they remind me of a vacation in the tropics!! i have a new found love with coconut and this is just right up my alley!
These are really cute ๐ I like the little umbrella in them. It reminds me of being on vacation ๐
These look delicious! I love the little umbrella!
Looks delicious!!
I’ll try it soon!!
http://www.unpas-sur-unautre.com
u can translate it in english, It’s my culinary blog
See u ๐
Mmmm… these look fantastic and I love the sounds of coconut frosting! I wish I were on a beach enjoying one of these cupcakes right now!
Yum. What a scrumptious recipe! Such a fun idea.
Yum!! These look pretty amazing Tracey! We also love white sand beach ๐ I love to pile my frosting too … after all, what’s a cupcake without the frosting, right???? ๐
Oh God I love pina coladas so I think I need to try these ๐ Love the little umbrellas in the picture!
Oh my, this is like vacation in a cupcake! I love the umbrella on top too, perfectly cute touch!
yum! I love the idea of translating a favorite tropical cocktail into a delicious dessert!
I love to drink pina coladas but I still prefer to eat my calories…this sounds like the perfect compromise ๐
These are so cute! I loooove creme of coconut. It’s fantastic in cheesecake!
I have to thank you for posting this! I tried making Pina Colada Cupcakes last year with a few loose ideas I had and it was a disaster, but the idea never left. These on the other hand look perfect.
Wow, infused cupcakes and liquor! Excellent idea and great for adult oriented parties. Thanks for the recipe.
I didn’t have coconut rum so I added coconut extract instead and they came out a little dry. Any suggestions on what to use to make the cake more moist?
Thanks! Wendye
Hi thanks for posting your recipe i just not to long tried but i altered it alittle by adding an egg white and it tastes soo amazing n heavenly. Thanks a mil
I made these for a church bake sale. They turned out sooo cute! Unfortunately, they all sold so I didn’t get to taste one. I’ll have to make them again. One question: I couldn’t get the frosting to get stiff enough to pipe. Is the 1/2 cup of coconut cream a typo?
@Wendye who posted:
Anonymous said…
I didn’t have coconut rum so I added coconut extract instead and they came out a little dry. Any suggestions on what to use to make the cake more moist?
Thanks! Wendye June 19, 2012 9:46 PM
If you add Applesauce to the recipe it will help to make them moist and not dry..