Cupcakes – makes 10-12

• 6 Tbsp (86g) butter, softened
• ⅔ cup (132g) sugar
• 3 large egg whites
• ½ cup (114g) sour cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup + 2 Tbsp (135g) all purpose flour
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• golden yellow food coloring (Wilton or similar gel food coloring recommended)

Buttercream

• 2 cups (452g) unsalted butter, 4 sticks, room temperature
• 1 cup (236ml) vegetable shortening
• 6-9 cups (678-1017g) powdered sugar
• 1 tsp powdered Pina Pineapple Kool-Aid mix
• golden yellow gel food coloring (Wilton brand recommended)
• leaf green gel food coloring (Wilton brand recommended)

Cupcakes

• Preheat your oven to 375º F (190º C). Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with yellow cupcake liners.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened butter and granulated sugar. Using an electric mixer, beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, usually 2-3 minutes. Incorporate the egg whites one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully combined.
• Gently fold in the sour cream and vanilla extract by hand using a spatula. Mix until just combined to maintain a tender crumb.
• In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
• Gradually add half of the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Do not simply dump it in; instead, take spoonfuls of the flour mixture and gently sprinkle it over the wet ingredients, as if you were sifting. Fold the mixture carefully until no streaks of flour remain. Repeat this process with the remaining half of the flour, folding it in and scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure all ingredients are thoroughly incorporated. Overmixing can lead to tough cupcakes, so mix until just combined.
• Add a few drops of golden yellow food coloring to the batter. Mix gently until the desired vibrant yellow color is achieved and the coloring is evenly incorporated throughout the batter.
• Divide the prepared batter evenly among the yellow cupcake liners in the muffin pan, filling each liner approximately 1/2 full. This allows room for the cupcakes to rise and for the generous frosting later.
• Bake the cupcakes at 375º F (190º C) for an initial 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350º F (175º C) while keeping the cupcakes in the oven, and continue to bake for an additional 8-10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
• Once baked, remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool in the muffin pan for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Ensure the cupcakes are entirely cool before applying any buttercream to prevent melting.

Buttercream

• In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the room temperature unsalted butter and vegetable shortening together until the mixture is smooth and creamy. This should take about 4 minutes, ensuring a light and airy base for your frosting.
• Gradually add 3 cups of powdered sugar to the butter and shortening mixture. Start by mixing by hand with a spatula to prevent a cloud of sugar, then switch to the electric mixer on low speed until just combined.
• Continue adding more powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition, until the buttercream reaches your desired consistency. You may need anywhere from 3 to 6 additional cups. The goal is a thick, pipeable consistency that holds its shape well.
• Stir in the powdered Pina Pineapple Kool-Aid mix. Mix thoroughly until the pineapple flavor is evenly distributed throughout the buttercream. Taste and adjust if you desire a stronger pineapple flavor.
• Divide the pineapple buttercream into two separate bowls. One bowl will be dyed yellow, and the other will be dyed green. Aim for roughly 2/3 yellow and 1/3 green.
• Add golden yellow gel food coloring to the larger portion of buttercream and leaf green gel food coloring to the smaller portion. Mix each bowl with an electric mixer until the colors are vibrant, consistent, and fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowls to ensure even coloring.

How to Assemble and Decorate Your Pineapple Cupcakes

• Take your large cookie scoop and scoop up the yellow buttercream. Ensure the scoop is completely full, then level off the frosting against the edge of the bowl to remove any excess, creating a smooth, rounded dome of frosting. The scoop should be roughly the same diameter as the top of your cupcake.
• Center the frosting-filled cookie scoop directly over a cooled cupcake. Use the release mechanism on the scoop to gently deposit the yellow buttercream onto the cupcake. This method creates a perfectly rounded, generous mound of frosting, forming the body of your pineapple.
• Using a small metal offset spatula, carefully smooth and shape the yellow buttercream on the cupcake. Work from the center outwards, ensuring the frosting extends to meet the very edge of the cupcake liner. The goal is to create a smooth, slightly domed top that resembles the rounded shape of a pineapple.
• Prepare your piping bag by fitting it with a Wilton #123 piping tip. Fill the piping bag with the leaf green buttercream. The #123 tip is specifically designed to create realistic, jagged leaves.
• To form the base of the pineapple crown, squeeze the piping bag to add a generous dollop of green buttercream directly to the center of the yellow-frosted cupcake. This mound will serve as the core from which all the individual green leaves will emerge.
• Begin piping the individual leaves. Position the piping tip against the base of the green dollop you just created. Apply firm pressure to the piping bag while simultaneously pulling it away, creating a spiky, elongated leaf shape. The angle and pressure will determine the length and sharpness of your leaves.
• Continue piping leaves around the central dollop, working outwards and upwards. Overlap the leaves slightly and vary their lengths and angles to create a natural, dense pineapple crown effect. Cover the entire green dollop until it resembles a realistic pineapple top.
• These pineapple buttercream cupcakes are best enjoyed the same day they are decorated, when the buttercream is freshest and the leaves are crispest.

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