Summer may be over, but these Pina Colada Cupcakes, topped with whipped pineapple cream and decorated with popping candy, taste like mouthfuls of sunshine.
Pina Colada Cupcakes
For the cupcakes: Dr. Oetker Cupcake Cases x 12 150 g Margarine (5 oz) 150 g Caster Sugar (5 oz) Medium Eggs x 3 150 g Plain Flour (5 oz) Dr. Oetker Baking Powder Sachets x 2 (10g/2tsp) 40 g Desiccated Coconut (1 1/2 oz) 60 ml White Rum (4 tbsp, or malibu) 175 g Pineapples (Jam) To decorate: 300 ml Double Cream (1/2 pt) Dr. Oetker Sunshine Yellow Gel Food Colour 30 g Pineapples (3 rings canned in natural juice, drained) Flaked Coconut Dr. Oetker Rainbow Popping Candy Instructions: 1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C (160˚C fan assisted oven, 350˚F, gas mark 4). 2 Put the Cupcake Cases in 12 muffin tins. Put the margarine in a mixing bowl with the caster sugar. Whisk together until creamy and light in texture and colour. 3 Gradually beat in the eggs until well blended. Sift the flour and Baking Powder on top, add the coconut, and using a large metal spoon, carefully fold the flour into the whisked ingredients. 4 Divide the mixture equally between the cupcake cases and smooth over the tops. 5 Bake for about 20 minutes until risen and just firm to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Skewer each cake with a cocktail stick and drizzle each one with 5ml (1 tsp) Malibu or white rum. 6 To decorate, using a teaspoon, scoop out a pocket of cake and fill generously with pineapple jam and press the removed sponge pieces back on top. 7 Just before serving, pour the cream into a bowl and whisk gently until just starting to thicken. Add Yellow Food Colour Gel and continue whisking, adding more colour as desired, until the cream is softly peaking. 8 Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm (1/2inch) plain nozzle, then pipe a generous swirl on top of each. Arrange a piece of pineapple on top and sprinkle with Popping Candy and coconut flakes. Your cocktail cupcakes are now ready to serve and enjoy. Cheers! Tip from the Test Kitchen: As an alternative to pineapple jam, very finely chop fresh or canned pineapple and spoon into the centre of each cupcake instead.
