After having been sick for the last week and a half, I decided to bake something fun, for myself, as a bit of “feel better” non-medicine. I decided on the following recipe which I altered from the original found in my 100 Best Cupcake Recipes book – Tropical Luau Cupcakes. Although the recipe calls for a “yellow cake mix” I opted for a homemade vanilla cake mix, not from a box – they are usually icky! As for the banana pudding mix – I used 3 (individual serving) containers of Hunt’s Banana Creme Pie pudding.
Tropical Luau Cupcakes
Ingredients
2 cans crushed pineapple in juice
1 package yellow cake mix
1 package banana cream instant pudding mix
4 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup *toasted, flaked coconut
4 sticks unsalted butter
1 package confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (can substitute any flavor – I chose a professional pineapple emulsion)
1 cup heavy whipping cream
* Toasting coconut – spread evenly on un-greased cookie sheet – toast in preheated 350ºF oven 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally until golden brown.
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line 30 standard muffin cups with paper baking cups. Drain pineapple, reserving juice. Set pineapple aside.
2. Beat cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, reserved pineapple juice, oil and cinnamon in large bowl with electric mixer at low speed 1 minute or until blended. Beat at medium speed 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth. Fold in 1/2 of leftover pineapple chunks. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling two-thirds full. (I prefer to use an ice cream scoop for perfect amounts)
3. Bake 20 minutes or unti ltoothpick inserted into centers comes out clean. Cool cupcakes prior to frosting.
4. Frost cupcakes with your choice of frosting. My frosting is a basic buttercream – mix butter, confectioners sugar, whipping cream and flavor extract)
5. Sprinkle toasted coconut onto frosting to finish off cupcakes.
(you can add pretzel sticks and sliced kiwi fruit to add palm trees for extra cuteness)
These mother suckers are Y-U-M-M-Y! (sung to the JELLO theme song) I feel better already.
Be Sweet,
Heather
