Piña Colada Cupcakes
Soft, fluffy, and full of flavor, these Piña Colada Cupcakes are like a vacation in cupcake form! Featuring Pineapple Flavor Paste and shredded coconut in the batter, these cupcakes are baked and soaked in a pineapple, coconut and rum simple syrup, finally iced with a light, luscious Piña Colada mousse frosting. Dress them up with cherries, toasted coconut and colorful umbrellas for a fun summer treat, or serve them any day of the year when you're daydreaming about a tropical escape!
Recipe by: Joan Repato
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Yield: 12 Cupcakes
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Bake Time: 20-22 Minutes
Decorating Time: 15 Minutes
Ingredients:
Pineapple Coconut Cupcake Batter
113g (1 stick) Unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
150g Granulated sugar
2 Large eggs, room temperature
156g All purpose flour
5g Baking powder
1g Salt
120g Buttermilk, room temperature
Piña Colada Simple Syrup
50g Granulated sugar
100g Water
5g Coconut Smooth Flavor Paste
Piña Colada Mousse Frosting
300g Whipping cream
75g Cold water
20g Coconut Smooth Flavor Paste
Special Equipment and Assembly
Sifter for dry ingredients
Pastry bags
Star tip
Scale for measuring ingredients
Toasted Sweetened Coconut Flakes, for decoration
Red Cherry Berries, for decoration
Instructions:
Pineapple Coconut Cupcake Batter
1.) Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
2.) In a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 5 minutes until thick and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl to remove any clumps. While sugar and butter is mixing, measure out dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and salt) and set aside.
3.) Once butter and sugar has a fluffy consistency, add eggs one at a time. Beat and scrape the bowl after adding each egg to ensure it has blended well before adding in the second egg.
4.) Add Pineapple Flavor Paste and beat in until well blended.
5.) Alternating between dry (all purpose flour, baking powder and salt) and wet (buttermilk) ingredients, add ingredients to your sugar and butter mixture. Start with a third of the dry ingredients, add half of the buttermilk, continue with dry, then wet, then end with dry once more and add in your coconut flakes. Scape your mixing bowl after each addition, being careful not to over-mix.
6.) Scoop your cupcake batter evenly into your prepared cupcake pan, and bake at 350°F for 20-22 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of your cupcakes comes out clean. Cool completely on a rack before applying Piña Colada simple syrup and frosting. *See recipe notes
Piña Colada Simple Syrup
1.) Put sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil until all sugar has dissolved. If preferred, you can also bring your mixture to a boil in a microwave.
2.) Add Pineapple, Coconut Smooth, and Jamaica Rum Flavor Pastes and mix until well combined. Allow simple syrup to cool before applying on cupcakes.
3.) Once cool, generously brush the tops of your cupcakes with the Piña Colada Simple Syrup to soak in the flavor.
Piña Colada Mousse Frosting
1.) Whip 300 grams of whipping cream to medium peaks and set aside.
2.) In a separate bowl, mix cold water, Pineapple, Coconut Smooth and Jamaica Rum Flavor Pastes with a hand whisk until well blended. Add the Neutral Fond Royal and whisk until combined.
3.) Whisk 100 grams of your medium peak whipped cream into the flavored fond royal mixture until combined. Add the remaining 200 grams of whipped cream and fold together until well combined.
4.) Fill a piping bag fitted with a star tip with your Piña Colada Mousse Frosting. Pipe your mousse frosting on top of cooled cupcakes. Chill to set for about 1 hour before serving. Garnish with toasted coconut flakes and cherries, if desired.
Pictured above: Light, fluffy cupcakes are soaked with a pineapple, coconut and rum simple syrup, and iced in a luscious Piña Colada mousse frosting. Cupcakes shown are finished with toasted coconut flakes and a Red Cherry Berry.
Recipe Notes:
*If making your cupcakes ahead of time, wrap cupcakes tightly with plastic wrap and freeze until ready to frost with your Piña Colada Mousse Frosting.
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