Coconut Pineapple Cupcakes

Something sweet and delicious to take you away to the tropics, if only for a few amazing bites:


Coconut Pineapple Cupcakes
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple drained
1 cup coconut shredded or flaked

Preheat oven to 325°F. 

In medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda 

and salt. 

In separate bowl, whisk together oil, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla. Stir in sugar, pineapple and coconut. Add flour mixture; mix well. 

Pour into prepared pan. Bake 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. 

Cool 10 minutes in pan on rack; remove and cool completely before decorating.

Courtesy of Wilton.com

Whipped Cream Frosting courtesy of Tom Parker

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 cup white sugar (you can substitute powdered sugar, sifted)

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar salt and vanilla until smooth. 

In a small bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. 

FOLD into the cream cheese mixture.

Very tasty! And you can keep it on hand for when you need that little escape to Hawaii (especially when you have a mountain of work ahead of you).