Dole Whip Cupcakes (Printable Version)
Fluffy pineapple-infused cupcakes topped with creamy pineapple whip frosting and tropical garnishes.
# What You Need:
→ Cupcakes
01 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 large eggs, at room temperature
07 - 1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained (reserve juice)
08 - 1/4 cup pineapple juice (from can or fresh)
09 - 1/4 cup milk
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Pineapple Whip Frosting
11 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
12 - 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
13 - 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 1/4 cup pineapple juice
15 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
16 - Yellow gel food coloring (optional)
→ Decoration (Optional)
17 - Dried pineapple flowers or pineapple wedges
18 - Maraschino cherries
# How To Make:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
02 - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until thoroughly combined.
03 - In a large bowl, beat softened butter with granulated sugar using an electric mixer until light and fluffy in texture. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
04 - Stir in crushed pineapple, pineapple juice, milk, and vanilla extract until evenly blended.
05 - Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, gently mixing until just incorporated. Avoid overmixing to maintain tender crumb.
06 - Evenly divide batter among prepared liners. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean.
07 - Allow cupcakes to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
08 - In a medium bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing on low until combined. Blend in pineapple juice, vanilla extract, and food coloring if desired. Beat on high until the frosting is light and fluffy.
09 - Generously frost cooled cupcakes. Decorate with dried pineapple flowers or maraschino cherries as desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- They taste like a tropical vacation disguised as a cupcake, and nobody has to know how easy they were.
- The pineapple whip frosting is so light and tangy that people will ask if you secretly trained as a pastry chef.
- You can pull these together in under 45 minutes, which leaves plenty of time for a second batch because the first one will vanish.
02 -
- Drain the crushed pineapple thoroughly by pressing it against a fine mesh strainer because excess liquid will make the cupcakes gummy and sunken in the middle.
- Let both the butter and cream cheese soften at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before making the frosting, otherwise you'll end up with lumps that no amount of beating can fix.
- If you want a bolder pineapple punch, a few drops of pineapple extract stirred into the frosting changes the game entirely.
03 -
- Use a cookie scoop to portion batter into liners evenly so every cupcake bakes at the same rate and rises to the same height.
- Whipping the frosting on high for a full 2 to 3 minutes after adding the pineapple juice is the secret to that impossibly airy, Dole Whip like texture that melts on your tongue.