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A refreshing treat and so simple to make, these easy Pineapple Cupcakes with Cherry Buttercream Frosting are a delicious dessert that will make any occasion all the more festive. Pineapple cupcakes with maraschino cherries hidden right inside and a cherry on top–can’t beat this goodness!
If you are a pineapple upside down cake fan, this simple pineapple cupcake recipe topped with cherry frosting is a fun variation of the classic cake’s flavors.
Tropical pineapple takes your traditional cupcake to the next level. While we all opt for the boxed cupcake mix from time to time, whipping up made from scratch cupcakes really can be simple and quick!
If you are looking for cupcakes that start with a boxed cake mix, these mocha and salted caramel cupcakes or strawberry crunch cupcakes are what you will want for sre!
Why We Love These Pineapple Cupcakes
- Super simple to make. Don’t be intimidated by homemade, made from scratch cupcakes, this pineapple cupcake is actually super simple to whip up with just a couple extra steps versus the boxed cake mix.
- They are the perfect summer treat. Who doesn’t crave pineapple during the summer months? So delicious and refreshing. Incorporating it into a simple, moist cupcake is a tropical flavor you will love.
- The Maraschino Cherry Buttercream Frosting! I don’t know about you, but Maraschino cherries are EVERYTHING to me. And cherry frosting is another way to enjoy these classic sweet cherries. A touch of cherry juice adds an element to classic buttercream that no one can resist.
Ingredients Notes
See full list of ingredients below in recipe card with exact measurements.
- butter: I use unsalted butter. Make sure the butter is softened to room temperature before creaming. Butter will also be used in the cherry buttercream!
- eggs: large eggs, at room temperature for best results.
- flour: all-purpose flour is what I have used. I have not tested with gluten free flours to date. Make sure when measuring to stir the flour to aerate, spoon flour into the measuring cup and then level with a knife.
- pineapple: use crushed pineapple with juices included. This makes the pineapple flavor and adds moisture as well.
- maraschino cherry juice: just the juice from the jar of cherries!
Recipe Variations
- Change up the frosting–you can use a classic vanilla buttercream by simply omitting the cherry juice and upping the vanilla a touch. You could also make a cream cheese frosting instead.
- Make these more of a piña colada cupcake by skipping the cherry juice and adding about 1/2 teaspoon of coconut extract to the buttercream to make a coconut frosting. Sprinkle toasted coconut over top of the frosted cupcakes. Keep the cherry garnish for sure!
- Add a touch of pineapple juice to the buttercream and go extra on the pineapple!
- Use a gluten-free 1:1 baking all purpose flour to make this a gluten free treat.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Cream the butter and sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
Step 2: Add in the eggs, one at a time, and beat just until incorporated. After the eggs and sugar are creamed, you don’t want to over beat or mix anything!
Step 3: Stir in the vanilla and pineapple. Don’t drain the juices from the pineapple. Add it all in!
Step 4: Whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder.
Step 5: Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients slowly, about 1/3 at a time.
Step 6: Beat the mixture just until incorporated into the batter.
Step 7: You have two options: hidden cherries or no hidden cherries. Totally up to you! I like the surprise of the maraschino cherry inside the pineapple cupcake.
Step 8: If you are adding the cherries, spoon cupcake batter into the nonstick muffin liners to fill 1/3 of the way. Add the cherries in the middle and then add another spoonful to cover and fill the liner 2/3 of the way.
Step 9: If you are not adding cherries: spoon cupcake batter into lined muffin tin about 2/3 of the way.
Step 10: Bake the cupcakes for about 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes up clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool on a wire cooling rack.
Frost the cupcakes:
Step 11: Cream the softened butter until nice and smooth. Add in the powdered sugar one cup at a time and beat until incorporated.
Step 12: Once all of the powdered sugar is mixed in, add the cherry juice one tablespoon at a time along with the vanilla. Continue to add the cherry juice until desired consistency. You can add the food coloring at this time as well. Make sure your cupcakes are completely cooled before icing them.
Pipe or spread frosting onto your cupcakes and enjoy!
Note: To make the cherry buttercream frosting, it is good to note that the frosting itself will be a VERY light pink. Adding too much cherry juice for more red will result in buttercream that is too thin. You can add a drop or two of red food coloring to get a stronger pink hue. You can certainly use a natural food coloring to avoid food dyes and additives.
Recipe Tips
- This recipe makes enough cherry frosting to pipe a lot of icing on your pineapple cupcakes. If you are not planning on piping, and will be spreading the frosting with a knife or spatula, you may end up with a decent amount of leftover icing.
- Make sure your baking powder is fresh. Old or close to expired baking powder can cause the cupcakes not to rise. To check if your baking powder is still fresh, add a teaspoon to about a cup of hot water. If the baking powder fizzes, you are good to go. If you don’t see any immediate fizzing, replace it with fresh baking powder!
- You can add maraschino cherries to the frosting. In testing these cupcakes, I added chopped cherries to the frosting. While I loved the extra flavor, piping was hard and some of the cherries would get stuck. If you are just spreading the frosting, add some very small chopped cherries. If piping, either skip or make sure they are chopped SUPER small.
- Prep these cupcakes a day in advanced if desired. If you have a party or celebration you are prepping for, these pineapple cupcakes will work well if you make them in advance. They can be stored in an air tight container in a cool, dry area away from sunlight. You can also store them in the refrigerator–just make sure they sit out for about 2 hours before serving.
Other cake and cupcake recipes:
- Mocha Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream
- Easy Vanilla Cupcakes
- Strawberry Peach Shortcakes
- Champagne Lemon Bundt Cake
- One Dish Apple Dump Cake
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Pineapple Cupcakes with Cherry Frosting
Ingredients
For the Pineapple Cupcakes:
- ½ c butter, softened to room temperature, one stick
- 1/2 c granulated sugar
- 1/4 c brown sugar
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 8 oz crushed pineapple, do not drain!
- 1½ c flour
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 12 maraschino cherries, optional
For the Cherry Buttercream Frosting:
- 1 c unsalted butter, softened, 2 sticks
- 4- 4½ c powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 – 4 T maraschino cherry juice
Instructions
For the Cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, cream the butter and sugars for about 2 minutes with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
- Add in one egg at a time, beating only until incorporated. Stir in the vanilla and crushed pineapple (along with the juices!) until fully combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder. Slowly add the flour mixture into the pineapple mixture and beat until incorporated. Do not over stir at this point. Spoon mixture into a muffin pan lined with cupcake liners about 1/3 of the way. Add a maraschino cherry in the center and then spoon the rest of the batter over top to fill the cupcake liners to about 2/3 of the way. If you don't want to add cherries, just fill about 2/3 of the way.
- Bake the cupcakes 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes up clean. Remove from the oven. Allow to cool for several minutes in the muffin tin and then remove and cool on a cooling rack the rest of the way.
- Make the Frosting: Cream butter in a medium mixing bowl using an electric mixer for about 2-3 minutes or until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time. You can reserve the last 1/2 cup for the end if you feel it needs to be added.
- Once the powdered sugar is mixed in, add the vanilla and then the cherry juice, starting 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency. For a darker pink frosting, add a drop or two of red food coloring.
- When cupcakes are completely cooled, spread the frosting or pipe it on top, whatever you desire! Store the cupcakes for about 3 days at room temperature, tightly sealed or about a week in the refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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