Pretty in Pink Coconut Cupcakes

Pink Coconut Cupcakes made with Pillsbury Cake Mix, then filled with surprise inside coconut frosting, and topped with pink coconut.

This is a sponsored post for The J.M. Smucker Company. Thanks to all the companies, and readers, who help support Cravings of a Lunatic. My family, and I, thank you.

If you’re a regular reader of my blog you know I’m a sucker for pink. I love all things pink, whether it’s clothes, jewelry, purses, baking props, or food. I cannot resist anything pink.

Recently I was cruising the ‘net and found a post that shocked me. Pretty in Pink, you know, that old John Hughes movie, turned 30. I fell off my chair. First of all I could not believe that movie was 30 years old. Secondly, I could not believe I was a teeny-bopper when it first hit the movie theatres. I did the math. Then fell off my chair again. I’m okay though. I promise!

So this news that my favourite movie turned 30 was playing on mind when I went shopping for baking supplies at Walmart for my Easter Baking Spree. I was invited to participate in Pillsbury’s Mix up a Moment campaign so I needed to hit the baking aisle, hard. I swung by the electronics section first to grab a copy of Pretty in Pink. Then wandered over to the baking section.

As I started loading up my cart with Pillsbury Cake Mixes and Frostings, and other baking supplies, it hit me that I MUST make Pretty in Pink Cupcakes for Easter. I HAD to. It was a MUST. To me Easter screams pastel colours, as well as bright colours too. So for this post I ran with the pastel pink in honour of my favourite flick. I knew these cupcakes would be a hit with everyone.

For me baking during holidays is a time honoured tradition. I’ve been making bunny cakes, cheesecakes and cupcakes every Easter since I was a teenager. Coconut always plays a big part of my baking sprees. I buy huge bags of it. Back in the day my Dad used to buy huge bags of it. I hope one day my own kids will buy huge bags of it.

Why do I need so much coconut? Well, because everything I seem to make around Easter has coconut in it. Bunny cakes require coconut, haystack cookies require coconut. So I knew I needed lots of coconut to mix in with my cake mixes and frostings. I knew I wanted to pile tons of pink coconut on my Pretty in Pink Coconut Cupcakes.

Not only is there coconut piled on top of these cupcakes, but it’s also hidden inside the cupcake. I scooped out a hole in each cupcake and filled it with coconut frosting. That way everyone who bites into these cupcakes gets a delicious fun surprise. So these cupcakes are a coconut explosion, there’s coconut everywhere.

Baking is something that we all do during holidays. Most of us are busy trying to juggle too many balls in the air. So make your life easier, pick up some Pillsbury Cake Mixes and Frostings and have some fun in the kitchen. Get creative and play around with different ideas. The possibilities are endless.

If anyone tells you that you have to make every single thing from scratch during the holidays, stop talking to them. You don’t need that kind of negativity in your life. Life is hectic and so are holidays. Take pleasure in the things that really matter, like spending time with the ones you love.

I say life is short, do what makes you happy. For me happiness comes in the form of Pretty in Pink Coconut Cupcakes. I hope you love them as much as I do.

How are you planning to “Mix up a Moment” with Pillsbury Cake Mix and Frosting this Easter season?

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Pretty in Pink Coconut Cupcakes

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

30 mins

 

Pink Coconut Cupcakes made with Pillsbury Cake Mix, then filled with surprise inside coconut frosting, and topped with pink coconut.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Cupcakes

Author: Kim Beaulieu

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

• 1 box 15.25 oz/432 g Pillsbury™ Moist Supreme® Classic White Premium Cake Mix
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract

For the surprise inside filling:

• 1 tub 15.6 oz/442 g Pillsbury™ Funfetti® Vanilla Flavored Frosting
• 1 cup coconut flakes
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract

For the topping:

• 1 tub 15.6 oz/442 g Pillsbury™ Funfetti® Vanilla Flavored Frosting
• 1 cup coconut flakes
• 1 to 2 drops pink gel food colouring

Instructions

For the cupcakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Spray cupcake tin with non-stick spray.
3. Line cupcake wells with cupcake liners. Set aside.
4. Mix all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl until well combined.
5. Scoop mixture into the cupcake wells, so it comes halfway up the well.
6. Place in oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until tops of cupcakes are golden brown.
7. Remove from oven and cool the cupcakes.
8. Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, use a melon baller to scoop a small amount of cake out of the middle of each cupcake. You basically want to remove about a 1 inch wide opening, only going about halfway down the cupcake so it won't fall apart. You can use the cake you scoop out for cake balls, or parfaits at a later time. Make a small opening in each cupcake. Set aside.

For the surprise inside filling:

1. Mix the frosting, coconut flakes and coconut extract together until well combined.
2. Scoop a teaspoon, or so, of coconut frosting into the opening of each cupcake so it fills it just to the top of the cupcake. Smooth out so you will still be able to frost them after. I smooth it with the back of the spoon.

For the topping:

1. Scoop the frosting into a piping bag with a flat tip, or you can use an offset spatula to frost the cupcakes. Frost to your own taste. If you like a little, use a little, if you like a lot, use a lot. Your choice.
2. In a medium bowl combine the coconut and food colouring. Mix with a spoon until the coconut starts to turn pink. Then transfer it to a sealable Ziploc bag. Seal it, shake it, then massage the mixture until the colour really starts to pop and become even. I find massaging the bag with my hands really brings the colour together better than any other technique I've tried. Once the colour is even, sprinkle the pink coconut over the cupcakes.
3. Serve with a big old Pretty in Pink loving smile!

Recipe Notes

Recipe developed by Cravings of a Lunatic for The J.M. Smucker Company

Recipe makes 24 cupcakes, more or less depending on how you fill your wells.

Serves 12 based on 2 cupcakes per person.

You can use the cake you scoop out of the cupcakes for cake balls, or parfaits. Or freeze the leftovers in ziploc bags to save for when you make either at a later date.

There are so many things you can do with cake mixes these days. Think outside the box! Pun intended. Dress them up any way you like, or use the cake batter inside other recipes. The possibilities really are endless.

Craving more Cake Batter Recipes? Check these out:

Slow Cooker Confetti Cake Batter and White Chocolate Hot Chocolate

 Cake Batter Fudge

Brownie Batter Smoothie

Feel free to browse my recipe index for more cake and cupcake recipes. There’s also tons of dessert recipes for anyone with a sweet tooth. There’s also savoury recipes, because one cannot live on sugar alone. Trust me, I’ve tried.

If you want to keep up on all the latest recipes you should follow me on Pinterest. I share all my new recipes to my Cravings of a Lunatic Recipes Board when they go up on the blog. It’s a great way to stay up to date on all the latest and greatest recipes.

You can also follow me on Instagram. I share recipes on there, as well as some slice of life photos. There’s lots of photos of our pets, particularly our new kitten, Dixon. He loves dressing up for Instagram photos.

Swing by tomorrow for a new slow cooker recipe. I’ve got a slow cooker rib recipe you are going to love!

Toodles! xx

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of The J.M. Smucker Company. The opinions and text are all mine.