Gluten-free Piña Colada Cupcakes

Moist coconut cupcakes filled with smooth pineapple curd and frosted with delicious coconut rum buttercream— take a bite and you’ll be swept away to a lovely tropical island beach!

If you’re a fan of cupcakes, then be sure to check out my gluten-free lemon cupcakes with blackberry frosting.

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It’s September in Brno, and we’re having something of an Indian summer. I couldn’t be happier, since most of August in this city was cloudy, rainy, and gray. But this month, nearly every day has been warm and sunny, which means that it’s the perfect weather to sit outside, relax, and drink something fruity and refreshing. What could be better than a Piña Colada?

This lovely summer drink, with its bright tropical flavors, has always been a favorite of mine. So I decided to celebrate the unexpected beautiful weather by attemping to turn this cocktail into a cupcake. Inspired by a recipe from Cupcake Jemma, my version is entirely gluten-free and seriously delicious. It has all the classic Piña Colada elements: fruity pineapple, sweet and creamy coconut, and a delightful little kick of rum.

And what’s more, these cupcakes look simply sensational. They would make a fantastic addition to any party or picnic, and you’d be able to dazzle your friends with your impressive baking and decorating skills.

So, if you like Piña Coladas, and getting caught in the rain, then you absolutely must bake these gluten-free cupcakes!

What you will need

This cupcake recipe is easy to make and uses standard pantry ingredients, plus a few tropical extras. Here’s the full list:

• unsalted butter
• self-raising gluten-free flour (I used Doves Farm Freee)
• caster sugar
• baking soda
• eggs
• coconut cream
• desiccated coconut
• xanthan gum
• fresh lemon juice
• pineapple chunks
• powdered sugar
• rum extract
• salt
• maraschino cherries and cocktail umbrellas for decoration (optional)

A Note on Gluten-Free Self-Raising Flour

This recipe calls for gluten-free self-raising flour. Now, “self-raising” flour is a British flour blend, while the American version is called “self-rising” flour. To bake these cupcakes, I used Doves Farm Freee, a British “self-raising” flour blend. Although I am myself American, I live in the Czech Republic, and gluten-free flour from the USA is very hard to find here. And so I used the British self-raising flour (which is widely available here), and it worked perfectly.

So, are these two flour blends the same? Well, not exactly. British self-raising flour is just a mix of flour and baking powder, whereas American self-rising flour contains slightly less baking powder plus a little added salt.

Don’t have any self-raising flour at home? No problem. This handy guide explains how you can easily make your own. Always a useful thing to have stored in your pantry.

How to make Piña Colada cupcakes

First, I would recommend making the pineapple curd in advance, as it needs to chill in the fridge in order to set properly.

In a blender or food processor, add the pineapple and blend it into a puree. Combine the sugar, lemon juice, pureed pineapple, egg yolks, and whole egg into a large bowl that can be heated over the stove (double-boiler). Heat mixture on low heat for around 10-15 minutes, stirring constantly.

Once the curd has thickened (test it with the spoon), remove it from the heat and add the butter. Stir it in until fully melted.

While the mixture is still hot, pour it through a sieve into a bowl to remove any stringy bits of pineapple.

Pour the smooth curd into a jar to chill in the fridge for at least two hours. When it’s ready, the curd will taste like pineapple and look like sunshine.

And now for the coconut cupcakes! These cupcakes can be made in one bowl and take less than 5 minutes to whip up.

First, preheat the oven to 375⁰ F /190⁰ C / 170⁰ C fan. Then, fill a cupcake tin with 12 cupcake liners.

Before you start making the cupcake batter, I recommend lightly toasting the desiccated coconut in the oven. I toasted mine at 170⁰ C fan for about 3 minutes.

Into a large mixing bowl, add all your ingredients (except coconut cream). Beat everything on medium-high speed for 1-2 minutes using an electric mixer or stand mixer.

Add 1.5 tbsp of coconut cream. Beat the mixture on a low speed for another 1-2 minutes until all the ingredients are combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Spoon or scoop the batter into the cupcake liners about ⅔ full (I used 2 spoons to do this). Take a minute to level out the tops with a spoon or knife to get nice evenly baked cupcakes.

Bake your cupcakes for 20-22 minutes. To test for doneness, pull the tin out of the oven and press down gently on the cupcake tops. If they feel nice and springy, they are done! If they sink, they need to bake for another minute or two (I find this method works better for cupcakes than the toothpick test).

After baking, allow the cupcakes to cool for about 10 minutes in the tin, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Once cool, remove the centers of the cupcakes with a knife or an apple corer and fill them with that lovely pineapple curd (I used a piping bag with a round nozzle tip, but you could also use a small spoon).

And the cupcake base is complete! Store them in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge until ready to frost.

How to make coconut rum frosting

The buttercream is what makes each cupcake truly taste like a Piña Colada. Sweet and creamy, with a strong coconut flavor and a little kick of rum, this frosting is delicious.

In a large mixing bowl, whip the soft butter with a stand mixer or electric mixer for 4-5 minutes until pale and fluffy.

Add half the (sifted) powdered sugar into the butter, and beat on low for 1-2 minutes until combined. Turn up the speed to medium-high and whip for another 2-3 minutes.

Next, add the second half of the sifted powdered sugar and repeat the mixing process. At this point, the butter and sugar will be fully combined and the frosting should be quite stiff.

Now add the rum extract and a pinch of salt (to help cut through the sweetness). Then, add the coconut cream, starting with 2 tbsp. Beat everything on a low speed for 1-2 minutes until combined. Taste your buttercream to see if you want to add any more salt or rum extract.

If needed, add more coconut cream until the frosting has reached the right consistency. It should be spreadable, but firm enough to hold its shape.

That’s the frosting finished, and now it’s decorating time! Fill a piping bag with buttercream and frost as desired (I used a large round tip to make one large swirl). If you don’t have a piping bag you could also use a spatula or spoon to dollop some frosting on top of each cupcake.

If you wish, garnish the top with extra desiccated coconut (lightly toasted), and top with a marachino cherry and cocktail umbrella. Trust me, your cupcakes will look absolutely stunning if you do.

The hard (not really) work is done! So sit back, pull up a chair, enjoy the beautiful (hopefully) weather, and tuck into these delightful Piña Colada cupcakes.

Tips for success!

• I recommend weighing your ingredients for better accuracy. Since I bought a kitchen scale, I find it so much easier and faster than measuring by cups.
• You need soft, room temperature butter for both cupcakes and the frosting. If the butter is too hard or too melty, the recipe will not work.
• Be careful not to overfill your cupcake liners with batter; they should only be ⅔ or ¾ full.
• When making the frosting, I strongly suggest sifting the powdered sugar before adding it to the butter. This helps give the frosting a nice smooth texture and helps to reduce graininess.
• Taste your frosting as you go, and gradually add any liquid or flavorings like rum extract and coconut cream. Remember, you can always add more, but you can’t take away!

This nutritional information is based on the brands and ingredients I used for this recipe. They may not be 100% accurate for you. Please check your nutrition labels for more precise information.