The Story:
School has started and with that comes taking notes. Being the senior in college that I am, I really don’t like to lug around a bunch of notebooks. I take my computer to school to work on the site and editing photos, so I try to take notes electronically. The problem is, now that I have written 80+ recipes this summer on my computer for my book, I keep finding things like “Tbsp.” and the words “preheat your oven” and I find periods after all my C’s because I had to abbreviate “cup” to “C.” in all my recipes this summer. So maybe trying to take notes on my computer is a bad idea… Maybe I should take no notes a all?
I hope you enjoy this strawberry cupcake with a little twist.

Strawberry Piña Colada Cupcakes
Ingredients
Coconut Cupcakes:
- 1 box white cake mix
- 4 egg whites
- 1/3 C. oil
- 1 C. coconut milk
- 1 1/2 tsp. coconut extract
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Pineapple Filling:
- 1/2 C. sugar
- 4 Tbsp. flour
- 1 egg
- 1 C. crushed pineapple drained
- 1/2 C. pineapple juice
- 2 Tbsp. butter
Strawberry Buttercream:
- 1 C. butter softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2-4 Tbsp. Strawberry puree fresh berries put through a blender
- 3-4 C. powdered sugar
Flaked Coconut for decoration
Instructions
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1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line your pans with cupcake liners.
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2. Sift cake mix into a small bowl and set aside.
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3. In a large bowl, combine eggs, oil, coconut milk, coconut extract and vanilla extract.
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4. Stir in cake mix until smooth.
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5. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for 17-22 minutes or until an inserted knife comes our clean.
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6. Filling: Over medium heat, combine all ingredients (except butter) and stir constantly until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in butter, let cool completely.
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7. Once cupcakes and filling has cooled, cut out a hole from the top of the cupcake and fill it generously with pineapple filling.
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8. Buttercream: Beat butter for 2 minutes. Add vanilla extract and 2 Tbsp. strawberry puree. Slowly add powdered sugar until you reach your desired consistency, add more strawberry puree if buttercream become stop thick. Add 2 tsp. strawberry flavored gelatin for added color and flavor.
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9. Pipe buttercream over filled cupcakes and top with flaked coconut.
where do you buy crushed coconut?….I am a bit confused as to pinapple filling, but there is no pinapple in it….just juice, correct? I love all of your recipes…..You are my idol!
wow, SO sorry crushed pineapple. Made that correction!
Thanks Lizzy….I love all of your recipes…you are so wonderful, thanks for sharing your talent with all of us.
OMG…I have no words now. Looks wonderful, and the pink color given by the strawberries is fantastic. What do you think if I add some rum to the cupcakes?
Great idea Lizzy, do NOT TAKE NOTES AT ALL …………. JUST BAKE BAKE BAKE BAKE!!!!!!! my last year on college I became a cupcakestinator thanks to your recipes!! hahahahaha I just bake your lemon puppy seed and blueberry frosting last week and again…IT WAS A HIT!!!!!!!! everybody likes your cupcakes I am your fan # 1!!!!
Lizzy, you come up with combinations so different for cupcakes! So glad I subscribed to your blog! Keep up the good work!
Absolutely fabulous cupcakes! This is the third kind of yours that we have tried and I’m told it is the favorite. Can’t wait to buy your cookbook!
Made your strawberry cupcakes last week… The were a hit.. Never made homemade buttercream frosting before was very surprised and excited that it came out EXCELLENT!!! I’m enjoying the cookbook thanks for sharing;)
Your cupcakes look amazing! So cute frosting color! I adore all cupcakes on your blog! I would really like to showcase some of these gorgeous recipes on my cupcake recipes and ideas blog if you agree.
Haha! that story is hilarious! These look delicious!
Hello, I just finished making a batch of these cupcakes and the coconut filling still came out a little runny. What should I use to thickin it up a bit? Thanks your recipes are delicious!
Ooops! I meant the pineapple. Sorry!
Hi! I just want to ask you, ” strawberry flavored gelatin” is gelatin in powder??? Greetings from Venezuela. I looooove your receipes and tutorials!
Yes, it’s basically jello thats just the powder
I just made this strawberry buttercream today to top a devil’s food cupcake I made…wow…it is insane good! I literally scraped the leftovers out of the bowl and ate it! Lizzy you are amazing, I love your blog!!! <3
Oh thanks! Watch for tomorrow’s post, you’ll love it 🙂
These look delicious. Do you use coconut milk in a can or the refrigerated kind? Thanks!
In a can 🙂 I like it to be as easy as possible
Yum! Made these for our Easter Brunch. They are wonderful!
This looks and sounds so good. Was wondering if you can use somthing besides pineapple for the filling? Can’t wait to try several of your recipes since i’m fairly new at this. Thanks for your help and advice. 🙂
Yes, you can use no filling or lately I have been obsessed with Mascarpone filling 🙂 See my “So what I’m single” cupcakes posted in february!
You said you used canned coconut milk, do you mean the thick sweetened kind or the milk substitute kind? I can not wait to try them.
I usually use the Chaokoh brand of conned coconut milk, you can google it and see what it’s like
I made these yesterday. Could not find Chaokoh coconut milk and they were still DELICIOUS!
Found your recipe on a Facebook page called Holidays. Made these delicious cupcakes this evening and they are absolutely divine. Posted up on my blog with a direct link back to your page so everyone knows who the credit goes to! Nice job on these, they truly are delicious!
Looks amazing! Going to try the icing on my daughters bday cake. Does it need to be refrigerated if I ice it a day before?
24 hours before you should be fine!
i LOVE your recipes. They are always a big hit with my family and friends. I’m making these this weekend. I have never used gelatin in frosting before…when is it added? Does it need to be dissolved in hot water first? Is it just Jello powder? Thanks!
yes, it’s just Jello powder and I always add it with my sugar and make sure to beat it. It will dissolve into the frosting just takes a little time. But it adds a punch of flavor and color!
Made these and they came out so good. Two people said they were the best cupcakes they had ever had! I loved the frosting so much I made it again to go on your chocolate cupcakes with cinnamon recipe…yummm…my husband loved them.
Sounds delicious!
Hi Lizzy. Where can I find the coconut extract? I ran out of places to check. I only found imitation.
Made these right now and they are delish! I like the flavor combination! Thank you for sharing : )
hi Lizzy! Love your recipes. I want to make this for my brothers graduation party as a cake rather than cupcakes. I need to feed 30-40 people. How many times do I need to multiple the ingredients to have enough of everything, and what size cake do you recommend? This is a HS grad party for a teenage boy. Thanks!!
Hi! I enjoy your blog very much and all your cupcake recipes. A question, is the coconut milk from a can or a carton? Thanks for your response.
If i wanted to make this cake batter into a layer cake – how many 8 inch rounds would this batter fill?