Pina Colada Cupcakes have a soft, fluffy pineapple cupcake base, a creamy coconut buttercream frosting, and are inspired by our favorite tropical drink!
How to Make Pina Colada Cupcakes
These cupcakes will make you feel like you’re in the tropics, and making them is about as easy as siting on a beach sipping a frozen cocktail. First, start by sifting together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Set this aside.
Whisk the milk, sour cream, pineapple juice, and coconut extract in a small bowl. Set this aside.
Finally, whisk two eggs together in small bowl. And, you guessed it, set this aside.
Now, using your stand mixer or handheld mixer, cream the butter and sugar together for three minutes on medium high or until the mixture is light in color. This aerates the batter and helps your cupcakes rise! Science!
After this, add the eggs, and beat for one minute.
Add half the flour mixture, beat for 15 seconds, add the milk mixture, let it beat for 15 seconds, then add the rest of the flour mixture. Scrape down the sides to make sure you got everything, and beat for a final 15 seconds.
Fill each lined muffin cup 3/4 full of batter and bake at 350° F for 15-18 minutes or until the cupcakes bounce back when gently pressed.
While the cupcakes are baking, make the frosting by combining butter and half of the powdered sugar until the buttercream is a creamy consistency. Add the coconut milk and coconut extract until it tastes just right.
Frost the cooled cupcakes with the Coconut Buttercream, top with a maraschino cherry, a slice of pineapple, and a drink umbrella!
Baking Tips:
- Make sure to cream the butter and sugar together using your mixer for at least 3 minutes.
- Though I generally prefer fresh fruit, canned pineapple is best here because of the way the enzymes in fresh pineapple interact with the other ingredients.
- Add the coconut extract a 1/4 teaspoon at a time. A little goes a long way!
- Want the frosting to taste like rum? Add a 1/4 teaspoon of rum (like the one made by the Lost Distillery), or rum extract. Add more to taste.
Baking while drinking can lead to disastrous results. But, when you’re done, blend up one of Bon Appetit’s perfect pina coladas. In the video below Brad also throws in some tips on how to choose the best pineapple. Because he’s amazing. Are we showing our cards too much? Fine, yes, we have a king. Ugh.
What Country Invented the Piña Colada?
The cocktail was invented in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Its name translates into “strained pineapple” and I’ve been known to order one anytime I travel anywhere tropical (Tulum, Hawaii, Thailand, LA when it decides it would like to be warm). It’s my official I’m-on-vacation-now drink and it’s been Puerto Rico’s official cocktail since 1978.
It was either created in 1954 by Ramón “Monchito” Marrero Pérez at the Caribe Hilton Hotel’s Beachcomber Bar using Don Q rum and Coco Lopez’s cream of coconut. Or, it was created in 1963 by Ramón Portas Mingo at the Barrachina Restaurant in using Ron del Barrilito Two Star rum. If you want to make one at home, make sure to check out our list of must-have bar tools.
More Cupcake Recipes You Might Enjoy:
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
- Red Velvet Cupcakes
- Zombie Cocktail Cupcakes
- Strawberry Banana Cupcakes
Pina Colada Cupcakes
Print Recipe
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1¾ cup cake flour
- ½ tsp. baking powder
- ¼ tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- ½ tsp. vanilla extract
- ½ tsp. coconut extract
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1 cup sugar
Coconut Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 4 cups powdered sugar (divided)
- 2 Tbsp. coconut milk
- 1 tsp. coconut extract
- 18 maraschino cherries
- 18 pineapple slices
- 18 drink umbrellas
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Fill 18 muffin cups with cupcake liners.
- Combine cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
- Combine milk, sour cream, pineapple juice, vanilla extract, and coconut extract in small bowl. Set aside.
- Whisk eggs in small bowl. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar in bowl of mixer for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs. Let mix for 1 minute. Scrape down sides.
- With speed on low, add 1/2 of flour mixture. Combine for 15-30 seconds until blended.
- Add milk mixture. Combine for 15-30 seconds until blended.
- Add remaining flour mixture. Combine for 15-30 seconds until blended.
- Scrape down sides and fill cupcake liners 2/3 to 3/4 full. Bake for 15-18 minutes until center of cupcake bounces back.
Coconut Frosting
- Combine butter and 2 cups powdered sugar in mixer for about two minutes or until creamy.
- Add coconut milk and coconut extract.
- Add remaining powdered sugar. Add additional coconut milk or powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached.
- Add additional coconut extract - 1/4 tsp at a time - if desired.
- Frost cupcakes and top with one maraschino cherry, a pineapple slice, and a drink umbrella.
Rebecca Swanner
My background is in publishing (I've worked at Parade, Men's Journal, Us Weekly, Stuff, Blender, Beachbody, and more), mostly with a focus in health, fitness, and entertainment. I've also run my own baking company and competed on Cupcake Wars, so hit me up with your baking questions!
For more details, check out my full bio or follow me on Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
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These cupcakes are so cute and they sounds absolutely scrumptious!
The enzymes in fresh pineapple make baking adventures go awry – that’s why it worked when you used canned! These look fantastic – I’d definitely add booze to the frosting though!
Cupcakes and coladas is my kind of happy hour.
Ours too! Now we’re talking. Is it 5pm yet?
These look super fun both to make and eat! All the flavours of Pina Colada in a cupcake form, how can you beat that! Can’t wait to try them!
Tag us on Instagram if you do! We’re @letseatcakeblog
Yum! These cupcakes sound delicious! Can’t wait to try them.
Thank you!
Sign me up for one or two cupcakes these look delicious and I learned something new cheers!
Cheers! Thanks!
How cute! Such a fun summer dessert.
Thanks!