These Pina Colada Cupcakes are like a tropical vacation for your taste buds!
I’ve been playing with this recipe for over a year, and I’m very happy with the final results!
I’ll be doing a dessert display for a big luau party this weekend and wanted to perfect this recipe before the party.
I took this batch to a church pot luck tonight and got lots of great reviews!
The Pina Colada effect comes from matching a Pineapple Cupcake with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting.
Although if for some (crazy!) reason you don’t like coconut, these cupcakes would be delicious with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting (and maybe a small slice of fresh pineapple).
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2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 3/4 cups sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil/extra light olive oil/etc
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup (full fat) sour cream
1 1/2 cups canned crushed pineapple (drained slightly)Directions-
1. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the eggs and sugar until slightly thickened and a light cream color (about 2 minutes).
3. On low speed, mix in the oil and vanilla until blended.
4. Add in the pineapple and sour cream and mix until fully incorporated.
5. Add the flour mixture and blend until just combined and smooth.
6. Line a cupcake pan with 12 paper liners and fill about 2/3 full.
7. Bake cupcakes in a pre-heated 350*F oven for about 22 minutes.
8. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.
9. Frost with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe below)Note – If using light or non-fat sour cream, increase the vegetable oil to 3/4 cup.Recipe yields 24-28 cupcakes.Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
(this is just a slight variation on my Cream Cheese Frosting recipe, but I’ll add it to this page as well, so it’s easy to find)
½ cup (1 stick/8 Tablespoons) butter (cool)
8 oz. cream cheese (directly from fridge)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (always use pure vanilla extract if possible)
1 1/2 teaspoons coconut extract (you may want to start with just 1 teaspoon of coconut extract, you can always add more, but you can’t take it out!)
4 cups powdered confectioners sugar
1 Tablespoon Dark Rum
-OR-
1 Tablespoon heavy cream, heavy whipping cream or milk
Directions:
*Place butter in a large mixing bowl and blend until smooth. Add cream cheese and blend until well combined, about 30 seconds.
*Add vanilla extract, coconut extract and powdered sugar (1 cup at a time) and blend on low speed until combined. Increase to medium speed and beat until it begins to get fluffy.
*Slowly add the heavy cream or rum.
*Beat until fluffy, about 1 minute.
*Use at once or keep refrigerated. (This frosting will keep well in the refrigerator for several days, but you may need to re-beat it for the best texture.)
For added flavor and texture, top frosted cupcakes with toasted coconut.
(To toast coconut- lay about 1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut on a baking sheet and bake at 375*F about 4-5 minutes).
Decorate cupcakes with fresh pineapple, maraschino cherries or paper umbrellas.
How to Make Pina Colada Cupcakes
Pina Colada Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil extra light olive oil/etc
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup sour cream full fat
- 1 1/2 cups canned crushed pineapple drained slightly
Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 tablespoons butter set at room temperature for about 10 minutes
- 8 oz cream cheese directly from fridge
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract always use pure vanilla extract if possible
- 1 1/2 teaspoons coconut extract you may want to start with just 1 teaspoon of coconut extract, you can always add more, but you can’t take it out!
- 4 cups powdered confectioners sugar
- 1 tablespoon dark rum
- or
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream heavy whipping cream or milk
Instructions
- Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
- In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the eggs and sugar until slightly thickened and a light cream color (about 2 minutes).
- On low speed, mix in the oil and vanilla until blended.
- Add in the pineapple and sour cream and mix until fully incorporated.
- Add the flour mixture and blend until just combined and smooth.
- Line a cupcake pan with 12 paper liners and fill about 2/3 full.
- Bake cupcakes in a pre-heated 350*F oven for about 22 minutes.
- Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.
- Frost with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe below)
Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
- Place butter in a large mixing bowl and blend until smooth. Add cream cheese and blend until well combined, about 30 seconds.
- Add vanilla extract, coconut extract and powdered sugar (1 cup at a time) and blend on low speed until combined. Increase to medium speed and beat until it begins to get fluffy.
- Slowly add the heavy cream or rum.
- Beat until fluffy, about 1 minute.
- Use at once or keep refrigerated. (This frosting will keep well in the refrigerator for several days, but you may need to re-beat it for the best texture.)
Notes
(To toast coconut- lay about 1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut on a baking sheet and bake at 375*F about 4-5 minutes). Decorate cupcakes with fresh pineapple, maraschino cherries or paper umbrellas.
Nutrition
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Happy baking!
Can I freeze these cupcakes.?
I made these for my boyfriends birthday. He loves coconut and pineapple so this was PERFECT (especially since he doesn’t like chocolate).
They came out great; I am not an avid baker, but these were super easy to make and the instructions exact.
I used the dark rum instead of the heavy cream – I’m curious how it tastes with just the heavy cream.
I put them in for exactly 22 minutes, and the cakes came out perfect.
My only ‘complaint’ is that my ‘cake’ didn’t taste all that much like pineapple. You could taste some of the crushed pineapple, but it was only when you got a piece of pineapple. I think perhaps I drained too much of the juice, or maybe I should have added more of the pineapple?
Not really sure, but so far, they’re a big hit. So glad I found this page. <3
I did a booboo :and added a bit too much cream into the frosting mixture and now it’s a bit runny. Is there anyway to rectify this or would I have to start again?
Yes, beat in an additional 1/2 cup of powder sugar, and then put the whole batch of icing (covered) in the fridge for 30 minutes or more.
I made these and the batter was kind of watery and was wondering if that was normal I added some more little more flour and they came out more like a muffin Was wondering if the batter is always that way I probably should not have added more flour just wondering Thank You
Hi Pat,
Yes, the batter is on the thin side. No additional flour should is necessary, nor should be added.
Hi, I was wondering if in the icing I could use coconut cream instead of the heavy cream and coconut extract…would I get the coconut flavor,
I’ve never tried that, but I think it would likely work very well!
I have started pinning and now I can’t stop! I saw your site and then
your apple pie jars, which I thought were very clever. What a great idea
for a bake sale or to take and give it to someone. I think you do so much
and are very talented and I would like to follow you.
Thank you,
Sue
I made them last night, for my daughter ‘s office . All gone in 1 hour ! Full of flavor and the icing … Amazing 🙂 thank you for sharing .
Glory, just made the pineapple cupcakes. They are soooo yummyyyy!! Even without frosting! They are now officially my favourite cupcakes! Thank you for sharing such great recipes!
This recipe sounds delish!! Would a pineapple filling inside this cupcake be too much? I tried a coconut recipe the other day (to be filled with pineapple filling) but i didn’t care for the flavor or extra steps to make them. I’ll have to try these with the filling and see. 🙂
How many cupcakes can you make with this recipe?