Coconut Cupcakes

• 1½ cups cake flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1¼ cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp coconut rum
• 5 oz unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Piña Colada Frosting

• 1½ sticks unsalted butter
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1½ cups powdered sugar
• ⅔ cup crushed pineapple
• 1 tbsp coconut rum (optional)

Garnish

• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

 Make Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350º
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside
3. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, mix until combined
4. Add extract and alcohol, mix until just combined
5. Alternate adding the flour mixture and coconut milk to the creamed butter and sugar, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Stir in coconut
6. Line cupcake tins with paper liners and fill each line ¾ of the way full.
7. Bake for 22 minutes, rotating the pan once at 11 minutes. Allow to cool completely before frosting

Make Frosting

1. Cream butter and cream cheese in a stand mixer or with hand mixer
2. Beat in sugar until smooth
3. Stir in pineapple

Decorate

1. Mound frosting atop each cooled cupcake and spread with a butter knife (the frosting can also be spooned into a piping bag and piped onto cupcakes)
2. Top each cupcake with shredded coconut and enjoy