Pineapple cupcakes are something I have always wanted to do! They are fruity, tasty and so summery. You can taste pineapple in every bite and is so good paired with the vanilla frosting. This dessert is awesome for patio season. However, cream cheese frosting of any kind is super temperature-sensitive so freeze this for a few minutes prior to serving.
You can use either fresh or canned pineapple for these cupcakes. I used the latter because I didn’t feel like buying a whole pineapple. The best type of pineapple to use here is a can of crushed pineapple, because you don’t have to do much prepping. If you decide to use fresh pineapple, you will have to purée it into a liquid form. that way it can easily be incorporated into the cupcake batter. Cupcakes are always best when they are fluffy and light. So you will need wither a hand or stand mixer for this recipe.
Tips for awesome vanilla buttercream
If you’re serving these pineapple cupcakes (or any frosted cupcakes) in the middle of summer, keep the cupcakes refrigerated for as long as possible. This will help prevent the buttercream from melting away or sliding off the cupcakes.
- Use softened butter for seamless whisking.
- Sift the icing sugar before hand to reduce the likelihood of clumps in your buttercream.
- Gradually add in the icing sugar (about 2 cups) at a time instead of all at once.
Ingredients
Pineapple cupcakes
(Makes 12 cupcakes)
1&1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup milk, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup crushed pineapple
Vanilla buttercream
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 cups confectioners' (icing) sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 tablespoons whipping cream
Yellow or green food coloring (optional)
Instructions
Pineapple cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C.
- Using a hand or stand mixer, whisk the flour, salt and baking powder together.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the softened butter, granulated sugar, vanilla extract and eggs together. Once it is smooth, fold in the crushed pineapples.
- Combine the pineapple mixture with the flour mixture until combined, adding the milk last.
- Line a 12-hole muffin tray with cupcake liners.
- Pour the cupcake batter 2/3 full in each hole.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes and gently tap the tray on the counter a few times after it is baked. It will help slightly flatten the top of the cupcakes.
- Let the cupcakes cool in the muffin tray before taking them out. Whiles the cupcakes cool, make your frosting.
Vanilla buttercream
- Using a hand or stand mixer, beat the room temperature butter until it is silky smooth.
- Add in a few cups of the confectioners' (icing) sugar into the same bowl as the butter, and whisk it together, scraping the sides as you go along to catch any stray sugar. DO this for about 2 minutes.
- Whisk in the vanilla extract and whipping cream last. Add the food coloring at this stage. This is your buttercream and it should be perfectly smooth-no visible lumps.
- Place this buttercream into piping bags and directly pipe this onto your cooled pineapple cupcakes.
- Refrigerate the frosted cupcakes for at least 1 hour to set the buttercream (see notes).
- Store any cupcake leftovers in airtight containers in the fridge for 4 days or in the freezer for about 2 months.
Notes
If you're serving these cupcakes in the middle of summer, keep the cupcakes refrigerated for as long as possible. This will help prevent the buttercream from melting away or sliding off the cupcakes.