Gluten-Free Pina Colada Cupcakes

ByWendy Stoltz

/ Last Modified On November 1, 2023

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Tender, dreamy, tropical Gluten-free Pina Colada Cupcakes that are also dairy-free and easy to make. You are going to love the fun flavors wrapped up into this tropical cupcake.

If you like fun, and creative gluten-free cupcake recipes you might also like my Gluten-Free Strawberry Cupcakes. My Gluten-Free Root Beer Cupcakes are also fun and festive.

For more cupcake recipes, check out my Gluten Free Desserts section or type cupcakes in the search bar on the right.

Table of Contents

My husband and I celebrated our fifteenth wedding anniversary at the time I developed this gluten free pina colada cupcake recipe. We had spent a week celebrating in one of our favorite tropical locations, Hawaii!

We went to Oahu and instantly fell in love with Hawaii. We even spent several hours the last day of our honeymoon looking for jobs - thinking that we might actually move to Hawaii some day.

We loved the sandy beaches, the warm weather, the relaxing atmosphere... and the food! I remember our first dinner out on Oahu. I enjoyed fresh Opa with tropical rice and steamed veggies. I washed mine down with a Pina Coloda, while my husband tried a local brew. It was amazing to say the least.

While we didn't end up moving to one of the Hawaiian Islands (bummer) we have gone back a few times to visit. We love Hawaiian food, and tropical beverages, and relaxing. I wanted to make something this year that reminded us of all of our fun times in Hawaii.

I wanted it to be something that my whole family could enjoy, which meant it had to be gluten-free, dairy-free, and peanut-free.

The week before our Anniversary I made Gluten-Free Pina Colada Cupcakes and my whole family raved about how delicious they were. Every bite reminded us of vacation. And it was something we could eat while celebrating together.

Working with Gluten-Free Flours

When working with or measuring gluten-free flour, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level. Do not scoop your measuring cup into the gluten-free flour. The best method really is to weigh the gluten-free flour but I don't have the ingredient weights for all my recipes yet.

Why did my cupcakes explode?

First off, you may have overfilled the cupcake wells. Never fill more then ¾ of the way full, and it’s best to stick to around ⅔’s of the way full. I use a ¼ measuring cup to fill mine. Another reason could be that you added too much leavening agent, or that you are at higher elevation. Baking powder tends to work twice as hard at higher elevations. Consider cutting your baking powder in half if you are at a higher elevation.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

6 tablespoons dairy-free butter, softened (or regular butter)
½ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
½ cup crushed pineapple in juice
¼ cup full fat coconut milk
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1 ½ cups all-purpose gluten-free flour blend
¾ teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
¾ teaspoons baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt

For the frosting:

½ cup dairy-free butter, room temperature (or regular butter)
16 oz. powdered sugar
2 tablespoons full fat coconut milk
1 teaspoon coconut extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 1-serving cupcake pan with papers; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Add in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each egg.
Add in the crushed pineapple, coconut milk, and coconut extract. Beat until combined.
Add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Beat for one minute on medium-high speed.
Fill each cupcake well ⅔rds full. Bake the cupcakes for 14-16 minutes, or until they spring back when lightly pressed.
Cool completely before frosting.
For the frosting: In a separate large mixing bowl, cream the butter with an electric mixer until smooth. Add in half the powdered sugar, coconut cream, and coconut extract, and beat until smooth. Add in the remaining powdered sugar and continue to beat until smooth or desired consistency is reached. If needed, add in more coconut milk, one tablespoon at a time until desired results are reached.

Notes

Dairy Option: You can use dairy butter in place of the butter, and half and milk in place of the coconut milk in this recipe.
When working with or measuring gluten-free flour, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level. Do not scoop your measuring cup into the gluten-free flour.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1 cupcake
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 380Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 242mgCarbohydrates: 59gFiber: 0gSugar: 49gProtein: 2g

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