Cupcake Monday - Pina Colada Cupcakes

 

While wasting a lot of time on facebook one day, I ran across a cupcake shop featuring their pina colada cupcakes.  They looked soooo good, so I figured, I best try making some myself since I don't live anywhere close to this cupcake shop.  I asked on facebook for some recipe recommendations and got a few good ideas.  I still have one more recipe I want to try, which is from scratch, but I went with this one which is a box mix jazzed up a bit.  They turned out really good and moist!  I think next time I'll be adding a little more rum, since I went with the real stuff and not the extract.  I topped them with a coconut rum buttercream and it was de-lish!  These were definitely a hit and you should give them a try!!!

Pina Colada Cupcakes

Recipe via Betty Crocker - with some alterations

 Makes 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:

1

  box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® yellow cake mix - I used a Pillsbury white cake mix

1/3 

cup vegetable oil

1/4 

cup water - I used 2 C. coconut milk at room temperature

1

  teaspoon rum extract- I used 1 T. coconut rum

1 

can (8 oz) crushed pineapple in juice, undrained

3

  eggs - I used 3 room temperature egg whites

1 

teaspoon coconut extract 

Then I added a box of coconut instant pudding

Frosting:

1/2 C Butter - I used unsalted

4 C powdered sugar

3 T. coconut rum - I wish I had used more, but I ran out!

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all of the wet ingredients and then add the cake mix and pudding, beat just until combined.  Scrape down sides as needed.  Fill muffin cups and bake for 16 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool completely before frosting.

Frosting Directions:

Beat butter and rum until creamy, gradually add in powdered sugar 1/2 C at a time until you get the right consistency.  Top with shredded coconut and garnish with a cherry. 

Back to School Segment

 Yesterday I had the pleasure of going on the Morning Show on WCFN to share some cute back to school ideas and cupcakes.  In case you missed it, click HERE to watch the clip.

 I found the idea for the pencil vase over on Shindig Parties TO GO.

It was super EASY and turned out really cute.

To see a tutorial, you can get all the details over on Shindig's blog HERE.

 Can you really go wrong with oreos and melted chocolate?

I found this idea via Shindig's blog, too!  

To see a tutorial on how to make these you can find it HERE.

She also has some FREE back to school printables you can download, too!

 I found these cute cupcake liners and toppers at Williams-Sonoma.

 These "I'm So Lucky to Have You" tags are so cute! 

I found them via The Girls at Eighteen25.  

You can download your FREE set HERE.

 My grandma passed two chalkboards down to me when she was doing some cleaning awhile back, and as soon as I got them I KNEW what I was going to do with them.  I'd seen back on Living Locurto last year that you can put what grade your child is going into and the year, and have them pose with the chalkboard on the first day of school each year for a picture.  It would be a fun tradition each year and would make for some cute photos to display at the high school graduation party!  I've had a few people ask me where to find these chalkboards, and I actually saw some today at Hobby Lobby so look there!  :)
For the high lighters, I found this cute tag that says, You are the Hi-Lite of my day!  Super cute and what teacher can't use some new high lighters?  To get your FREE printable, head over to One Charming Party's blog HERE.

I love these cupcakes!

They turned out so cute.

I had seen the idea in my Martha Stewart cupcake cookbook and have also seen them on pinterest, where they linked back to Betty Crocker.  They are super easy to make and very kid friendly.  To get a demo on how to make them, go watch the clip!  :)