Try making this easy cupcake recipe and enjoy the delicious taste of Piña Colada in a cupcake form! These sweet, light, and fluffy pineapple cupcakes with coconut frosting are perfect for party desserts, picnics, or snacks!
Looking for more cupcake recipes? Try my Addicting Red Velvet Cupcakes, Lemon Cupcakes or my Ferrero Rocher Cupcakes!
What is Pina Colada Cupcakes with Coconut Frosting?
These Pina Colada Cupcakes with Coconut Frosting are light, fluffy, and delicious pineapple cupcakes topped with coconut frosting and maraschino cherries. This easy cupcake recipe is inspired by a tropical cocktail, Piña Colada, that originates from San Juan, Puerto Rico where it was created by a bartender named Ramón “Monchito” Marrero at the Caribe Hilton in 1954.
It was said that he mixed up a fruity blend of pineapple juice, rum, and coconut cream which makes a sweet and creamy tropical cocktail that has been celebrated as the national drink of Puerto Rico since 1978.
These cupcakes are the non-alcoholic version of the said Piña Colada in a cupcake form. You will love the perfect combination of pineapple and coconut flavors, all mixed into a delicious dessert. They are great to serve for parties, picnics, or snacks any day of the year! Try and enjoy a delightful treat in a cupcake wrapper!
Tips and Procedures:
- Prepare cupcakes 1-day advance and keep cupcakes covered tightly at room temperature until ready to be frosted.
- Use 100% pineapple juice (not syrup).
- Use full-fat canned coconut milk.
- Toasted coconut is optional, if you aren’t a fan of toasted coconut regular sweetened coconut flakes can be used.
- Storage: Store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 4.
- Freezing: Unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before frosting and serving.
How to Make Pina Colada Cupcakes with Coconut Frosting:
Listed below are all the ingredients you will need:
Cupcake
- all-purpose flour
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
- butter
- granulated sugar
- cream cheese
- eggs
- pineapple juice
- pineapple
Coconut Frosting
- butter
- powdered sugar
- milk
- coconut flavoring
Optional Garnish:
- ½ cup toasted coconut flakes
- maraschino cherries
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and place cupcake liners into the cupcake pans.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, add the butter, sugar, and using a handheld mixer, mix until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes:
Add room temperature cream cheese and mix until well combined. Slowly add the egg one at a time until well incorporated:
Slowly add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until just combined. Add the pineapple juice and mix. Add the remaining dry ingredients until fully incorporated. Fold in the finely chopped pineapples and scrape down the sides to make sure all ingredients are well combined:
Pour the batter on the prepared cupcake liners. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 19 minutes. Allow it to cool before adding frosting and decorations:
Coconut Frosting
In a large bowl, beat softened butter soft and fluffy. Slowly add 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time, then add milk, and coconut flavoring and beat until creamy:
Use your favorite frosting tip to pipe the frosting and garnish. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Feel free to serve them any time of the day, as desired.
You may use coconut buttercream frosting, shredded coconut, maraschino cherry, fresh pineapple wedge, drink umbrella, dried pineapple flowers, or any toppings of your choice.
Yes, of course. Just make use of a mini cupcake liner.
Piña Colada Cupcakes with Coconut Frosting
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons butter room temperature
- ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons cream cheese room temperature
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup pineapple juice
- ⅓ cup pineapples finely chopped
Coconut Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 4 cups sifted powdered sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons milk
- 2-3 drops coconut flavoring
- ½ cup toasted coconut flakes optional
- maraschino cherries optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and place cupcake liners into the cupcake pans.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl add the butter, sugar, and using a handheld mixer, mix until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add room temperature cream cheese and mix until well combined.
- Slowly add the egg one at a time until well incorporated.
- Slowly add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until just combined.
- Add the pineapple juice and mix.
- Add the remaining dry ingredients until fully incorporated.
- Fold in the finely chopped pineapples and scrape down the sides to make sure all ingredients are well combined.
- Pour the batter on the prepared cupcake liners.
Coconut Frosting
- In a large bowl, beat softened butter soft and fluffy, about 5 minutes
- Slowly add 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time, then add milk, coconut flavoring and beat until creamy.
- Use your favorite frosting tip to pipe the frosting and garnish.
I haven’t frosted them yet but the cake crumb is delicious and light and fluffy as promised. A couple of things that would be helpful or noting on the recipe within the instructions list, how full to fill the cupcake liners and how long to bake them. I doubled the recipe and should’ve done more than 24 because they were oozing over. I think I probably could’ve gotten three more cupcakes out of the double batch.
In the notes section it mentions coconut milk but doesn’t in the rest of the recipe, have you tried it both ways?
I was skeptical with the recipe calling for so many eggs-6 for 24 cupcakes but the texture was perfect! Since mine oozed over and are not very pretty, I’m going to unwrap them today and put them in short beverage cups and decorate them as you did but I will just add a short straw and so they look like drinks to cover up my messiness ha ha. Thank you for the great recipe, love it! 🍹