Pina Colada Cupcakes

This recipe produces soft, moist, and flavorful cupcakes with a combination of both coconut and pineapple. The recipe is from 125 Best Cupcake Recipes, and the author, Julie Hasson, provided a tip to "use unsweetened canned crushed pineapple that is packed in juice."

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. This recipe also makes 12 cupcakes, so in order to prepare, you will need one muffin pan and line it with paper cupcake liners.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup loosely packed sweetened flaked coconut
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• A pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup crushed pineapple, undrained

Note: For the frosting, I will provide a couple of recipes below. For these cupcakes, I used a Vanilla Cream Frosting. Also, because the frostings are perishable (they contain ingredients such as butter, whipping cream, and cream cheese, the frosings have to be stored in the refrigerator. If you've frosted the cupcakes, any leftover cupcakes should also be stored in the refrigerator. If you want to eat the frosted cupcakes later, I suggest letting them stand at room temperature or warming them up in the microwave after taking them out of the fridge to soften the frosting before eating them.

1. In a small bowl, mix together flour, coconut, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

2. In a bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, and egg until smooth.

3. Alternately whisk in flour mixture and buttermilk, making three additions of flour mixture and two of buttermilk, beating until smooth. Stir in pineapple.

4. Scoop batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until tops of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched.

5. Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely on a cooling rack. Top cooled cupcakes with frosting.

Vanilla Cream Frosting

Note: Makes 1 1/2 cups, enough to frost 12-18 cupcakes. It is easy to make, it assembles quickly, and it is light and creamy. It is best made just before you're ready to use it. You can also tint the frosting whatever color you like using food coloring. (I used a yellow food coloring for these cupcakes.)

Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups confectioner's (icing) sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
A pinch of salt
1/3 cup whipping cream
1/2 tsp vanilla

1. In a small bowl, using an electric mixer (I find it easier to use a hand mixer) on low speed, beat together sugar, butter, and salt until creamy. Increase speed to high and beat unil light and fluffy. Add cream, vanilla, and food coloring if using. Beat until frosting is smooth.

2. Spread icing on cooled cupcakes with a knife or transfer to a pastry bag and pipe decoratively over cupcakes. (For cupcakes, I prefer to use a star shaped tip.)

Cream Cheese Icing

Ingredients:
4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
A pinch of salt
2 1/4 cups confectioner's (icing) sugar, sifted

1. In a bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat together cream cheese, butter, and salt until creamy. With mixer on low speed, beat in icing sugar, 1/2 cup at a time so that the sugar doesn't fly all over the place. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy.
2. Spread frosting over cooled cupcakes, and refrigerate until ready to serve or for up to 1 day.