Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes

As I was lying in bed the other night, my mind started whirling on food as it so often does. I thought about a Pineapple Upside Down Cake and that it sounded like a fun post. Simple and yummy. But a little boring. Then I figured, why not take the recipe and make it a little different by making cupcakes instead? I modified a recipe I had to make them and they turned out so cute! Little mini upside down cakes! The fam LOVED them...don't you love a happy ending?

Pineapple Upside-Down Cupcakes with Pineapple Buttercream Frosting



1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple – drained, juice reserved
2 tablespoons butter – melted
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 ½ cups flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ cup shortening
¾ cup sugar
1 egg
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

Line muffin tin with cupcake wrappers. Spray each wrapper with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Put about 1 tablespoon of the drained pineapple into the bottom of each cupcake liner.

Combine melted butter, brown sugar and 1 tablespoon of the reserved pineapple juice. Pour some onto the top of the pineapple in each cupcake liner. Set aside.

Add enough water to the rest of the pineapple juice to equal 2/3 cup of liquid. Set aside.

Combine flour and baking powder. Set aside.

Cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat for 1 minute. Add flour mixture alternately with juice/water mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Scrape down sides of bowl.

Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full. (You may have about 1 cup of batter left over. I baked it off in a small cake pan for later use.)

Bake for about 25 minutes or until cupcake tops are light brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for about 15 minutes, then remove cupcakes from pan.

Pineapple Buttercream Frosting

1 stick butter, cold – cut into chunks
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon pineapple extract
2 – 3 cups powdered sugar
Cream or half & half

Cream butter and vanilla together until fluffy. Add pineapple extract. Add powdered sugar in increments. Add cream, a little at a time until desired consistency is reached.

Unwrap cupcakes and turn upside down. Frost cupcakes then add a cherry on top!

Here's what you need for the cupcakes.

 

Place a little drained, crushed pineapple 

in the bottom of your liners.

 

Stir together the melted butter, brown sugar 

and 1 tablespoon of the reserved pineapple juice.

 

Then put some of that into each cup.

 

Cream together the sugar and shortening.

 

Then add the egg and vanilla.

 

Add enough water to the rest of the pineapple 

juice to make 2/3 cup. Add that alternately with....

 

...the dry ingredients, beginning 

and ending with the dry.

 

Mix well...

 

...then divide batter into all the liners.

 

Bake then allow to cool for a few minutes 

then remove from pan and cool completely.

 

Make the frosting...yum!

 

Gently remove the liner and turn the cupcake over...

 

...and frost! Don't forget the cherry!