Pina Colada Cupcakes are the perfect summer dessert! A moist and fluffy cupcake, made with a white cake mix and pineapple juice, is topped with a creamy rum frosting. These cupcakes are sure to be a hit at your next pool party or cookout!
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Why you'll love this recipe
- These cake mix cupcakes are made with rum frosting, giving them a delicious and tropical flavor.
- The cupcakes are moist and fluffy, and the frosting is creamy and rich.
- Pina Colada cupcakes are perfect for summer parties or any time you want a taste of the tropics!
- While the frosting has an addition of rum, we include variations for non-alcoholic cupcakes that everyone can enjoy.
Ingredients
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Cupcakes
- Pineapple cake mix
- whole milk
- large eggs
- canola oil
- maraschino cherries, chopped
Coconut Frosting
- unsalted butter, softened
- confectioners sugar
- heavy whipping cream
- Malibu Coconut Rum
- toasted coconut
Pineapple Rum Frosting
- unsalted butter, softened
- confectioners sugar
- heavy whipping cream
- Malibu Pineapple Rum
- lemon yellow gel food coloring
- maraschino cherries garnish
- tiki drink umbrella, optional garnish
- tequila, optional garnish
Equipment
- medium ice cream scoop
- Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls
- Disposable Piping Bags
- 12-cupcake pan
- cupcake liners
- Hand Mixer
- Stand Mixer
- angled spatula
- pipettes
- Star Piping Tip
Instructions
This is an overview of the recipe. The full instructions are below in the recipe card.
Make cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/ 177°C, line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners, and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or a handheld mixer with beaters attached and a large mixing bowl, beat together pineapple cake mix, whole milk, eggs, and oil until well combined, about 3 minutes.
- Once combined and smooth, fold in the maraschino cherries.
- Fill the cupcake liners, ¾ way full, and bake in the preheated oven for 21 minutes.
- Allow to cool completely before decorating.
Coconut Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or a handheld mixer with beaters attached, beat the butter, confectioners sugar, heavy cream, and coconut rum until combined, smooth, and holds a peak
- Use an ice cream scoop and scoop a mound of frosting on top of the cupcake Using an angled spatula to spread the frostings lightly to create a flat top
- Pour the toasted coconut into a bowl and coat the entire frosting in the toasted coconut.
Pineapple Rum Frosting
- Again, Use the bowl of the stand mixer or handheld mixer with beaters attached in another large bowl and beat the unsalted butter, confectioners sugar, heavy cream, and pineapple coconut rum until combined, smooth, and hold a peak.
- Scoop half the pineapple rum frosting into a small bowl and mix in a few drops of the yellow gel food coloring.
- Place the yellow frosting on 1 side of the piping bag and scoop the remaining white frosting into the other side.
- Pipe a dollop of frosting in the center of the cupcake.
- If using garnishes, Stick a pina colada candy stick into 1 side of the cupcake, and the tequila pipette into the other side. (optional)
- Top with a maraschino cherry and umbrella pick.
- Let all the over 21 crowd enjoy!
Storage
These cupcakes are best eaten the day they are made but will last covered in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Expert Tips
- To make these cupcakes kid-friendly, simply leave out the rum from both the frosting and the cake batter. You can also use clear rum extract in both the frostings and cake batter to get the flavor without the alcohol.
- Be careful not to overmix the batter of these cake mix cupcakes. Overmixing will result in a tough cupcake so mix until just combined.
- I like to spray the inside of my cupcake liners with nonstick cooking spray just to prevent the cupcakes from sticking.
- If you want to make sure that you get even-sized cupcakes, you can measure the amount of batter that you add to each liner with a measuring cup.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the secret to super moist cupcakes?
Using oil instead of butter helps to keep cupcakes extra moist.
Can I make cupcakes the day before?
Cupcakes are best eaten the day they are made but will last covered in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Do you refrigerate cupcakes after frosting?
You don't have to place these in the fridge, but you can if you prefer them cold. I've found that storing in the fridge can dry out the cupcakes.
Variations
- Instead of using rum, you can use rum extract to get the flavor without the alcohol.
- If you can't find a pineapple cake mix, you can use a white cake mix and add a splash of pineapple extract to the wet batter. Or you can add pineapple juice to a white or yellow cake mix to achieve the same flavor.
- You can skip the food coloring if you are sensitive to food coloring or prefer not to use it. It only colors the cupcakes and does not affect the taste.
Serving Suggestions
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Pina Colada Cupcakes
These easy cake mix based homemade Pina Colada Cupcakes will be a hit at parties and fun after dinner snacking with the family. There are two delicious frostings, Coconut Frosting and Pineapple Rum Frosting is decadently delicious, creamy, and tropical. For an extra kick, add tequila to a pipette and place it into the side of the cupcake.
Equipment
Ingredients
Instructions
Make cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F/ 177°C, line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners, set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or a handheld mixer with beaters attached and a large mixing bowl, beat together pineapple cake mix, whole milk, eggs, and oil until well combined, about 3 minutes.
- Once combined and smooth, fold in the maraschino cherries.
- Fill the cupcake liners, ¾ way full and bake in the preheated oven for 21 minutes.
- Allow to cool completely before decorating.
Coconut Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or a handheld mixer with beaters attached, beat the butter, confectioners sugar, heavy cream, and coconut rum until combined, smooth, and holds a peak
- Use an ice cream scoop and scoop a mound of frosting on top of the cupcake Using an angled spatula to spread the frostings lightly to create a flat top
- Pour the toasted coconut into a bowl and coat the entire frosting in the toasted coconut.
Pineapple Rum Frosting
- Again, Use the bowl of the stand mixer or handheld mixer with beaters attached in another large bowl and beat the unsalted butter, confectioners sugar, heavy cream, and pineapple coconut rum until combined, smooth, and hold a peak.
- Scoop half the pineapple rum frosting into a small bowl and mix in a few drops of the yellow gel food coloring.
- Place the yellow frosting into 1 side of the piping bag and scoop the remaining white frosting into the other side.
- Pipe a dollop of frosting in the center of the cupcake.
- If using garnishes, Stick a pina colada candy stick into 1 side of the cupcake, the tequila pipette into the other side. (optional)
- Top with a maraschino cherry and umbrella pick.
- Let all the over 21 crowd enjoy!
