Thursday, February 14, 2013

Pineapple-rum cupcakes

One could say that these pineapple-rum cupcakes were born out of necessity. The necessity to use up a huge bottle of rum that has been "burning a hole in my pocket" so to speak. :))) You see, we are not really big drinkers in my family. So, ever since I asked my husband to buy me a bottle of rum at Christmas time, in order to make the rum balls everybody at work raves about, and he brought home the biggest bottle of Bacardi the liquor store carried, I have been somewhat unsettled. My search for a recipe that requires rum was on! I considered rum cake. I am still considering it. Seriously considering it. But in the mean time, I came across a recipe that grabbed my attention because the star ingredient there were pineapples. And I looove pineapples. As I was studying the recipe, I noticed something else that grabbed my attention. It said you could also add rum, optionally, but in my mind there was nothing optional about this suggestion. That is when I fully embraced the idea and I ran with it. I not only put rum in the batter, I also made a pineapple filling to which I added rum, and a whipped cream cheese frosting which I "spiked" with some rum extract. :) Rum was officially the common thread between all three components these cupcakes were made of: cake, filling and frosting! 

To comment on the actual cake part, it was the first time I made this recipe, also known as "Preacher's cake" and I was blown away by how light, soft, spongy, tender and fluffy it was. Like a cloud of pineapple bliss! I did not add the coconut to it, as my husband is not a fan, but I think it will actually be awesome here and will definitely be making it again, next time with the coconut (sorry, honey :)). Another great thing about the recipe: super easy!


Pineapple Cupcakes, aka Preacher’s Cake 

Ingredients:
2 eggs (3.6 oz)
1 1/4 cups sugar (8.3 oz) or more, I used 1 1/2 cup
2 teaspoons vanilla (or rum/rum extract)
2 tablespoons canola oil
20 oz crushed pineapple, undrained (about 2 ¾ cups)
½ cup walnuts (2 oz), medium ground
2 cups flour (10 oz)
2 tablespoons coconut  (optional)
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

Directions: 
In a medium sized bowl add the eggs, sugar, vanilla (or rum/rum extract), oil and crushed pineapple. Sift the flour, salt and baking soda and add that into the bowl and mix well. Lastly add the walnuts and the coconut and mix until well incorporated. Grease and line your pans or put cupcake liners in muffins tins, pour in the batter and bake at 350°F- for cupcakes 18-19 minutes (for 8 inch pan about 30 minutes) until the cake is golden brown on top and springs back when touched in the center. Using a tester will not work here, because the cake is very moist and may appear under cooked.  Allow the cake to cool completely, then invert onto your serving dish and either serve it plain dusted with a little powdered sugar or top it with cream cheese frosting. You can also bake this in an oven proof pyrex dish and serve it directly out of the dish without the need for a separate platter.

Makes 30 cupcakes or a two-layer 8 inch cake, or a single 9x13 inch pan.

Special thanks for this terrific recipe goes to: Good Food Gourmet


As you see from my pictures, I baked the cake in cupcake liners. The cupcakes turned out phenomenal. Baked to perfection in exactly 18-19 minutes! I decided to fill them with a pineapple-rum filling, to carry the idea one step further.


Pineapple Filling


Ingredients:
  • 2 (8-oz.) cans crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1-2 tsps rum 
Directions:
  1. 1. Stir together first 3 ingredients in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until a pudding-like thickness.
  2. 2. Remove from heat, and stir in butter, vanilla and rum; pour mixture into a bowl. Place heavy-duty plastic wrap directly on warm filling (to prevent a film from forming); chill 2 to 24 hours.
 Pineapple filling recipe was inspired from , APRIL 2012


After I filled my cupcakes with the chilled filling, I made a delectable, luscious whipped cream cheese frosting to top things off. It was the perfect finish to this pineapple-rum extravaganza. :) Finally, I sprinkled the piped swirls with some pink sugar sprinkles, for good measure.

Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:
8oz cream cheese, room temperature
2 sticks butter, room temperature
4-5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
6 tbsps heavy whipping cream
2 tsp vanilla extract (and in my case, I added 1/2 tsp rum extract too)

Directions:
Add the cream cheese to the bowl of your stand mixer and using the paddle attachment begin creaming it, then slowly add the softened butter until it has all been incorporated. Sift the powdered sugar and add a little at a time until it has all been incorporated. Next, add heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time, beating after each addition to incorporate. Lastly, add the vanilla (and/or rum extract). You may want to use less or more powdered sugar depending on your preference. I like to use as little as possible but still have a consistency stiff enough to pipe. The above ration worked for me. It wasn't sure stiff but it wasn't super sweet either. Feel free to play around to adjust to your personal taste and needs.

***

I have to say, these cupcakes were very well received at my work place where I took them today, as well as in my home. I personally love them too. And now that I have used 3-4 teaspoons of my huge bottle of rum, I will have to quickly whip up another several hundred batches of these cupcakes in order to finish it off and settle the issue that started this whole thing in the first place. :)

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