Pina Colada Cupcakes {Recipe}

I’ve been playing with this recipe for over a year, and I’m very happy with the final results.  I’ll be doing a dessert display for a big luau party this weekend and wanted to perfect this recipe before the party.  I took this batch to a church pot luck tonight and got lots of great reviews.  The Pina Colada effect comes from matching a Pineapple Cupcake with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting.  Although if for some (crazy!) reason you don’t like coconut, these cupcakes would be delicious with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting (and maybe a small slice of fresh pineapple).

Pineapple Cupcakes
(recipe by Glory Albin)

2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups canned crushed pineapple (drained slightly)

Directions-
1.  Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
2.  In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the eggs and sugar until slightly thickened and a light cream color (about 2 minutes).
3.  On low speed, mix in the oil and vanilla until blended.
4.  Add in the pineapple and sour cream and mix until fully incorporated.
5.  Add the flour mixture and blend until just combined and smooth.
6.  Line a cupcake pan with 12 paper liners and fill about 2/3 full.
7.  Bake cupcakes in a pre-heated 350*F oven for about 22 minutes.
8.  Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.
9.  Frost with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe below)

Recipe yields 24-28 cupcakes.

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
(this is just a slight variation on my Cream Cheese Frosting recipe, but I’ll add it to this page as well, so it’s easy to find)

½ cup (1 stick/8 Tablespoons) butter (cool)
8 oz. cream cheese (directly from fridge)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (always use pure vanilla extract if possible)
1 1/2 teaspoons coconut extract (you may want to start with just 1 teaspoon of coconut extract, you can always add more, but you can’t take it out!)
4 cups powdered confectioners sugar
1 Tablespoon heavy cream, heavy whipping cream or milk
-or-
1 Tablespoon Dark Rum

Directions:
*Place butter in a large mixing bowl and blend until smooth. Add cream cheese and blend until well combined, about 30 seconds.
*Add vanilla extract, coconut extract and powdered sugar (1 cup at a time) and blend on low speed until combined. Increase to medium speed and beat until it begins to get fluffy.
*Slowly add the heavy cream or rum.
*Beat until fluffy, about 1 minute.
*Use at once or keep refrigerated. (This frosting will keep well in the refrigerator for several days, but you may need to re-beat it for the best texture.)

For added flavor and texture, top frosted cupcakes with toasted coconut.
(To toast coconut- lay about 1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut on a baking sheet and bake at 375*F about 4-5 minutes).

Decorate cupcakes with fresh pineapple, maraschino cherries or paper umbrellas.
Enjoy!

Chocolate Crinkles {Recipe}

I’m back today with another yummy cookie recipe.  Each of the recipes I used this week are tried and true recipes that have been around for quite some time.  I know that similar and identical recipes are widely available from a variety of sources.  But on the small chance that these recipes are not already a part of your “go-to” recipe collection, I would surely recommend you add them!

Yesterday I shared the recipe for Cowboy Cookies, a delicious, hearty cookie that will please a crowd.  Today’s cookie is equally delicious, and is especially popular among chocolate lovers.  Needless to say, it is one of my favorites!

Chocolate Crinkles                           

1/2 cup vegetable oil

4 oz.  (4 squares) unsweetened chocolate

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 powdered sugar (for rolling the dough in )

1.  Melt chocolate in a small bowl.

2.  In a large mixing bowl blend the oil and melted chocolate.

3.  Beat in the sugar and eggs (one at a time) and continue mixing until fully combined.

4.  Add vanilla.

5.  Stir in the flour, salt and baking powder.

6.  Cover dough (in bowl) and chill several hours or overnight.

7.  When the dough has fully chilled, make small balls of dough (about 1 tablespoon) and roll in a bowl of powdered sugar.  Place on lightly greased baking sheets (or line baking sheets with Silpat liners).

8.  Bake at 350* (in pre-heated oven) for 8-10 minutes.

Recipe source-  I got this recipe from my mother, but I believe the original source is Betty Crocker.

Cowboy Cookies {Recipe}

These cookies have just about every yummy thing possible in them, chocolate chips, oats, coconut, and pecans.  They may not win any beauty contests, but they are a delicious, homey treat.

Cowboy Cookies

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar (packed)

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups chocolate chips

2 cups old fashioned rolled oats

1 1/4 cups sweetened flake coconut

1 1/4 cups chopped pecans

Directions~

1.  Preheat oven to 350*F

2.  Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a bowl and set aside.

3.  In a mixing bowl, beat butter until smooth and creamy (about 1 minute)

4.  Gradually beat in the sugars until fully combined.

5.  Add the eggs, one at a time.  Add vanilla.

6.  Stir in flour mixture until just combined.

7.  Combine chocolate chips, oats, coconut and pecans in a large bowl, then add that mixture to your dough.

8.  Using a large cookie scoop, place large balls of dough on an ungreased cookie sheet.

9.  Bake 9-11 minutes.

10.  Transfer cookies to a rack to cool.

Recipe Source-  Final recipe by Glorious Treats, adapted from Laura Bush (as pubished in Presidential Cookies)

Got Milk?

This week I got a call from a friend at church asking if I could make 200 cookies to help feed the high school students spending this weekend at church camp.

So today I went through 14 cups of flour, 5 cups of butter, 11 cups of sugar and 18 eggs!

I’ll be back tomorrow with the recipes, but for now I’m just going to go sit down with a glass of milk and a few of the cookies that didn’t quite meet my quality standards.  =)

Updated with recipes…

Chocolate Crinkles

Cowboy Cookies

Snickerdoodles

Luau Dreaming…