Blue Hawaiian Cupcakes for What's Baking?

Two years ago I had the best vacation of my life.  Frank and I were lucky enough to spend 10 days in Hawaii for our honeymoon.  We started out in Oahu on Waikiki Beach.  The view from our hotel was breath taking.  We really enjoyed walking around the town, laying out beach side, visiting Pearl Harbor, and eating in a few amazing restaurants.

Next we hopped on a plane and landed in Maui.  Maui was much slower paced and the scenery was gorgeous.  We stayed at a condo with a kitchen so we would walk to the farmer's market and buy fresh fruit almost everyday.  Our favorite was the fresh pineapple.  I don't care what anyone else says, the best pineapple in the world is in Hawaii. We went to the Pineapple Grill and had the best Pineapple Upside Down Cake I've ever had.  I even ended up finding the recipe and while it was good, it wasn't the same without Hawaiian pineapple.

So this month the What's Baking theme was "Bake Your Happy Place" I knew I had to make something that reminded me of Hawaii and our incredible honeymoon.  I wanted to make something with pineapple but had already made the pineapple upside down cake.  I thought of making a beverage but I really wanted a decadent dessert.

Then I remembered a popular drink in Hawaii-the Blue Hawaiian.  Instead of making the popular drink I wanted to turn it into a cupcake.  The cupcake base is a moist pineapple and  coconut rum cake.  The frosting has rum and blue curacao in it.  I then topped it off with a cherry, pineapple slice, and an umbrella.    These were delicious.  The cupcake was super moist and bursting with flavor.  The frosting was sweet and tasted of pineapple and rum.   It totally took me back to our time in Hawaii.

Blue Hawaiian Cupcakes (adapted from C is 4 Cupcake)
1 stick of butter, softened
¾ c. sugar
¼ c. brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
½ t. salt
3 T. rum
1 T. cream of coconut (or coconut milk)
1 T. Blue Curacao
¼ c. shredded sweetened coconut
1 c. crushed pineapple, drained

For the Frosting:
1 stick of butter, softened
3 c. powdered sugar
2 T. light rum
1 T. Blue Curacao
2 T. pineapple juice

For Decorating:
Cherries
Pineapple Wedges
Paper Umbrellas

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cupcake tin with 12 cupcake liners.

2.  In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.

3.  In a larger bowl cream the butter and sugars.  Add in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

4.  In a small bowl combine the rum, cream of coconut, and Blue Curacao.

5.  Add half of the flour mixture the sugar mixture and mix well.  Stir in half the rum mixture.  Add in half of the remaining flour mixture, then the remaining rum.  Finish by adding in the rest of the flour.  Mix well.

6.  Fold in the coconut and pineapple.  Spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake tin filling each cupcake liner ¾ of the way full.

7.  Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

8.  Meanwhile use a mixer to beat the butter for the frosting.  Add in half the powdered sugar.

9.  Add the rum, Blue Curacao, and pineapple juice and beat on low speed.  Add in the remaining powered sugar and beat on medium high until the icing is smooth and creamy.  Add blue food coloring if desired and stir.

10.  Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.  Using the pick end of the umbrella stab the pineapple slice and slide it into the cupcake.  Place the cherry in front of the pineapple slice and serve.