Best Tropical Cupcakes Recipes

TROPICAL COCONUT POKE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Prepare cake batter and bake as directed on package for 24 cupcakes. Cool 10 min. (Do not remove cupcakes from pans.) Pierce tops with fork or skewer.
• Add boiling water to gelatin mix in small bowl; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Spoon over cupcakes. Refrigerate 30 min.
• Meanwhile, combine dry pudding mix, oranges, pineapple and marshmallows in large bowl. Gently stir in COOL WHIP. Refrigerate 30 min.
• Spread pudding mixture onto cupcakes; sprinkle with coconut.

TROPICAL SPICE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Place 18 cupcake liners in muffin tins.
• In a medium bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Whisk the mixture lightly until there are no clumps, and the spices are mixed throughout. Set aside.
• Cream the butter with a mixer for a few minutes until soft and fluffy.
• Add the sugars and eggs to the butter, and beat until light in color and fluffy in texture (about 5 minutes).
• Next, add the Grand Marnier and beat until incorporated.
• Add 1/4 cup juice from the freshly squeezed orange and 1/3 of the flour mixture, and beat until incorporated, scraping the batter down into the bowl as necessary. Add the coconut milk and 1/2 the remaining flour mixture, and beat until blended. Add the buttermilk and the rest of the flour mixture and again beat until incorporated, scraping the bowl as necessary.
• Measure 2 - 3 tbsp orange zest from the freshly zested orange, and add to the mixture; also add the coconut and mix until blended.
• Using an ice cream scoop, fill the cupcake liners with one scoop of batter each (filling the liners about 3/4 full).
• Bake 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
• Remove from the oven and let rest in the muffin pan for 15 minutes.
• Remove the cupcakes from the muffin tin, and place on a rack to cool thoroughly before frosting.
• Make frosting: Beat the cream cheese in a medium bowl until creamy.
• Measure 2 tbsp juice from the freshly squeezed orange and add to the cream cheese.
• Measure 1 cup of confectioner's sugar and add to the cream cheese mixture. Beat until the ingredients are smooth.
• Add the coconut milk, the Grand Marnier, and another cup of confectioner's sugar. Beat until smooth.
• Add another cup of confectioner's sugar and beat until smooth.
• Add 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar and beat until smooth.
• At this point, check the consistency. If it is firm enough to spread on the cupcake, it's finished. Add a little more confectioner's sugar (a few tablespoons at a time) if it needs to be firmer.
• Spread the frosting on the cooled cupcakes.

TROPICAL HONEYMOON CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For the coconut cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
• Whisk 1/4 cup water, the cream of coconut, coconut extract, vanilla extract, egg whites and egg in a large bowl until combined.
• Mix the flour, shredded coconut, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until combined, about 15 seconds. Add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time, continuing to beat on low speed until the mixture forms a ball, about 2 minutes. Stop the mixer and add half the cream of coconut mixture. Beat on low speed until the flour mixture is moistened, about 15 seconds. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until the batter is light and fluffy, about 45 seconds. With the mixer still running, slowly add the remaining cream of coconut mixture. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Beat on medium speed for 30 seconds.
• Fill the muffin cups two-thirds full with batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted in centers of cupcakes comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 10 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before filling and frosting.
• For the mango filling: Whisk 1/4 cup juice, egg yolks and cornstarch until smooth in a small bowl. Boil the remaining 1 cup juice, granulated sugar and salt over medium-high heat in a saucepan. Slowly add half the hot liquid to the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Add the egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the filling thickens and boils, stirring constantly. Strain the filling through a fine mesh sieve. Cool the filling before assembling the cupcakes. Yield: about 1 1/4 cups.
• For the orange cream cheese icing: Beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Add the confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, to desired consistency. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl as necessary. Beat in the orange zest and vanilla extract until fully incorporated. Yield: 3 cups.
• For the garnish: Generously sprinkle the pineapple with sugar. Use a blow torch to caramelize the pineapple, or broil in the oven on low for 1 to 2 minutes, watching carefully so the sugar does not burn. Cool the pineapple before assembling the cupcakes.
• Cook the sweetened flaked coconut in a dry saute pan over low heat, stirring often, until the coconut browns slightly and smells fragrant. Cool the coconut before assembling the cupcakes.
• To assemble: Dig a small hole inside each of the cupcakes using a teaspoon. Fill each hole with the mango filing. Top with the orange cream cheese icing. Garnish with the caramelized pineapple and toasted coconut.

TROPICAL LUAU CUPCAKES

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350. Line standard muffin cups with paper baking cups. Drain pineapple, reserving juice. Set pineapple aside.
• 2. Beat reserved pineapple juice, cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, oil, and nutmeg in a large bowl with electric mixer at low speed 1 minute or until blended. Increase speed to medium; beat 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth. Fold in pineapple. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full.
• 3. Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from pans and cool completely on wire rack.
• 4. To toast coconut, spread evenly on ungreased baking sheet; bake at 350 for 4 to 6 minutes or until light golden brown, stirring around on baking sheet frequently.
• 5. Frosting. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer. With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar a cup at a time until smooth and creamy. Beat in the vanilla extract.
• 6. Once cupcakes have cooled, frost tops of cupcakes with frosting and then sprinkle with toasted coconut.

PINEAPPLE/CARROT TROPICAL CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Prepare 18- 2 3/4" diameter by 1 1/4" deep muffin cups by lightly greasing with a vegetable oil, or line with paper cup liners.
• CUPCAKES: In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well.
• In another large bowl, combine sugar, oil and vanilla; beat well.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Stir in pineapple including juice, carrots, nuts and orange zest.
• Stir in flour mixture, half at a time until just combined (DO NOT OVERBEAT.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spoon batter equally into 18 prepared muffin cups.
• Bake in preheated 350 degrees F oven about 20 minutes or until top springs back when lightly pressed with fingers.
• Remove cupcakes from pan and let cool completely on wire racks.
• These muffins can be made ahead and stored in a container with a tight fitting lid for up to 2 days.
• CREAM CHEESE FROSTING: In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth.
• Gradually add and beat in icing sugar and vanilla extract.
• Beat until it is of spreading consistency.
• Put coconut on a plate.
• Spread each cupcake with about 4 teaspoons of frosting mixture.
• Then gently dip top of muffin into coconut to coat.
• Sprinkle with extra coconut if desired.
• Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator in a container with a tight fitting lid for up to 4 hours.
• VARIATION: For mini cupcakes, spoon batter into 36 greased 1 3/4- inch diameter by 1- inch deep mini muffin pans.
• Bake in preheated 350 degrees F oven for 15 minutes.
• Apply frosting as noted above.

TROPICAL CUPCAKES WITH FLUFFY GINGERED FROSTING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 18 regular-size muffin cups.
• In large bowl, beat all cupcake ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed just until mango is incorporated, about 1 minute. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until tops are golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks to cool completely.
• In small bowl, mix frosting and ginger until blended. Frost cupcakes. Sprinkle with coconut.

TROPICAL CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Soften butter with short 10 second bursts in the microwave
• Cool and stir in the yogurt, coconut and sugar until smooth
• Stir in the pineapple and beaten egg, adding a tablespoon of flour after each addition
• Mix to dropping consistency with the cinnamon and orange extract then spoon into mini muffin cases
• Bake for 15-20 mins until golden. Once cooled they can be iced with a white chocolate buttercream (100g each butter and chocolate with 200g icing sugar).

TROPICAL BANANA CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper baking cups.
• Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well. Whisk eggs with butter and orange zest in a separate large bowl. Stir in pineapple and bananas. Add egg mixture to flour mixture, stirring until well blended.
• Pour batter evenly into prepared cups. Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cupcakes comes out clean. Cool in pans 5 minutes, and then place on wire rack to cool completely.
• Spread Cream Cheese Frosting over cupcakes. Sprinkle evenly with coconut flakes.