In September, I started a cupcake adventure. If you haven't read about it yet, you can do so here. ***
Today is my dear friend Megan's birthday!! It's been 9 years since we first met in a Survey of Western Arts history class in college. We hit it off immediately and it didn't take us long to become close pals, especially when we figured out our apartments were just one mile apart! So many of my fond college memories (and beyond!) include Megan. She has such a sweet disposition and is the kind of friend a friend would like to have. Despite the several states that separate us now, she has continued to put forth the effort to keep in touch and continue our friendship...including traveling to Oklahoma to be one of my bridesmaids!
After nearly a decade, Megan remains one of my favorite people to talk to and spend time with. She's an incredible artist and if she were here, I would make here these cupcakes! :)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEGAN! These are for you! ((After this baby is born, we should get together for REAL piña coladas...and maybe some turkey/spinach tacos! haha))
***
The first step was to cream together butter and sugar and then add eggs one by one.
Next, pineapple juice and rum combined to make the 'liquid' part of the batter.
Dry ingredients and the pineapple/rum mixture were alternately added to the butter/sugar/egg mix.
Pretty yummy looking batter, huh?
Next, a scoop of coconut was added to increase the Piña Colada effect. :)
Then, egg whites were beating within an inch of their lives...
...until they formed stiff peaks:
The beaten egg whites were gently folded into the batter.
And the little suckers were ready to be baked.
Mmmm.
Then, there was more beating of egg whites...
to which powdered sugar was added...
to create the icing.
And, yup, more coconut.
Then, these morsels of sunny goodness came into play. Oh man, do I LOVE dried pineapple!
Each cupcake was iced and topped with a wedge of dried pineapple.
Yes, ma'am. This round's on me!
And just to be sure they were tasty enough to share, I took one for a test drive.
All that's missing is a little paper umbrella!