Piña Colada Cupcakes

My latest obsession has been the Piña Colada...not the syrupy slurpee-like monstrosity that you get at your local chain grill/bar/"restaurant," but the real thing made from pineapple juice, coconut milk, and of course, rum. It has been my drink of the summer and this obviously led to me to being determined to make it into a cupcake. Instead of making a pineapple and coconut cake with a pineapple and coconut icing, I decided to make a pineapple cupcake with a coconut frosting. The first batch of pineapple cupcakes that I made were good but was lacking in a strong pineapple flavour and could have been a little more moist. The icing also did not have as much coconut as I would have liked. So I proceeded to alter the recipe to add more flavour and more moisture. I boiled down pineapple juice until it became a thick syrup and added more crushed pineapple to the batter. For the frosting, I completely replaced the butter with concentrated coconut milk that had also been boiled down. The end result was a moist cupcake that really tastes of pineapple and is not too sweet. The coconut milk icing definitely tastes like coconut and its sweetness may be adjusted depending on how much the coconut milk is boiled down. Since the cupcake itself is not very sweet, a sweeter icing may add a nice balance, depending on your preference.

Here's my final recipe, hope you enjoy it!

Pineapple Cupcakes:
1/2 c unsalted butter
2/3 c sugar
2 tbsp crushed pineapple
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 c flour
1 3/4 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp half & half or milk
3 c pineapple juice (about 1 c can be drained from a can of crushed pineapple)
3/4 c crushed pineapple

Coconut Icing:
400mL can coconut milk
5+ c icing sugar

Cupcakes:
1. In a medium pot, boil pineapple juice until there is 1/3 c left. It should be thick and syrupy. Set aside to cool.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare muffin tins with cupcake liners.
3. In a large bowl, cream the butter then beat in the sugar until fluffy.
4. Beat in the first two tablespoons of pineapple until well incorporated.
5. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
6. Beat in the vanilla extract.
7. Add the flour and baking powder then mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
8. Add in the half & half or milk and 2 tbsp of the pineapple syrup. Mix well.
9. Stir in the remaining crushed pineapple.
10. Portion the batter into the prepared tins.
11. Bake for 13-15 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
12. Cool completely before frosting.

Icing:
1. In a saucepan, boil coconut milk until nice and thick. Set aside to cool.
2. Once cooled, mix in icing sugar 1 c at a time for the first four cups. After this, add 1/3 c at a time until the desired consistency is reached.

This icing may be a little sticky and hard to spread on a cupcake. If you are not icing the cupcakes with a pastry bag and tip, it is easiest to spoon a little into your hand, roll it into a ball, then flatten it directly onto the cupcake. This also has the added advantage of making the icing look smooth and shiny.

Enjoy!