Piña Colada Cupcakes!

Okay so I've been kind of obsessed with learning how to bake from scratch lately. Well today I made what has to be my favorite cupcake I have ever tasted (not to toot my own horn or anything ;))

Here's what you'll need:

Cupcake:

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups self rising flour
• 1 table spoon baking powder
• 2 sticks room temperature unsalted butter (it is very important that they are room temperature!)
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coconut extract
• 1 small pack of coconut cream pudding mix
• 1 1/4 cup milk
• 1 small travel bottle of coconut rum (optional)
• coconut shaving (optional)

Icing:

• 2 sticks room temperature unsalted butter (again, it is very important that they are room temperature!)
• 1 pound confectioner (powdered) sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 can crushed coconut
• 1 small box island pineapple jello mix (optional)
• pineapple slices (optional)
• maraschino cherries (optional)

if you are removing your butter straight from the refrigerator, pop it in the microwave for 10-12 seconds. you want the butter soft NOT melted.

To make the cupcakes:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake pan with cupcake holders
2. Sift both flours, baking powder, coconut cream pudding mix and coconut shavings in one bowl. 
3. In another bowl blend butter and sugar on a medium speed until pale and fluffy. Add both coconut and vanilla extract. Blend in one egg at a time.
4. Mix in 1/3 of the dry bowl, followed by 1/3 of the milk, then 1/3 flour, 1/3 milk, 1/3 flour, 1/3 milk. 
5. Add rum (and take a little swig for yourself!)
6. Fill cupcake holders to 2/3 the way full and bake in the oven for 17-20 minutes.

To make the icing:

1. Blend butter until pale and fluffy.
2. Add in confectioner sugar 1/2 cup at at time. After every 2 additions blend on high for 1-2 minutes to allow icing to get light and fluffy. (it is very important to go by 1/2 cup at a time otherwise the powder flies EVERYWHERE. Trust me. I'm talking from experience.)
3. Add vanilla extract.
4. Mix in 4-6 tablespoons of crushed pineapple, along with a little bit of the juice.
5. If you're going to add the island pineapple, do so a very little bit at a time, making sure to taste the frosting after every addition so it doesn't become to grainy.

After your cupcake have cooled, ice them! I used a gallon freezer bag with an icing tip attached to ice mine, but you don't have to get that fancy. I also added some shredded coconut to the top, a maraschino cherry (with stem because it look cuter that way ;)), and sliced the pineapple rings into sixths and placed a piece on top of each cupcake.

I hope you enjoy them as much as we have!