This post is in collaboration with CK Mondavi & Family. All opinions are my own.
One of Brad’s favorite desserts is Pineapple Upside Down Cake. I try to make it; however, I generally have some sort of pineapple or sugar casualty when I go to flip it back over. This past weekend, I decided that I should try to make something that tasted similar, without the gravity-defying acrobatics to create. With that, I kicked off my holiday baking with these delicious cupcakes!
Pineapple Upside Down Inspired Cupcakes
- 1 Box White Cake Mix
- 1 Cup Pineapple Juice
- ⅓ Cup Vegetable Oil
- 3 Eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- Vanilla Frosting
- Pineapple Chunks
- Maraschino Cherry
- Preheat the oven to 350*
- Put a cupcake liner in each slot of the cupcake pan
- Drain can of Pineapple Chunks, reserving juice
- Combine the cake mix, pineapple juice, oil and eggs in a large mixing bowl
- Mix on medium until smooth
- Mix in the vanilla extract and brown sugar until smooth
- Put 3 Tablespoons of mixture into each cupcake liner
- Bake for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean
- Cool
- Frost & garnish with a pineapple chunk and cherry
Yes, I used a box cake mix. The holidays are here and so are the crazy holiday schedules. I might have a tendency to flip baking soda and baking powder when it comes to baking cakes in the past, so I went with something that I knew would work (also, lets be real, you want this to be as easy a recipe as possible).
Want to know something that goes great with cupcakes? Wine. Specifically CK Mondavi and Family Chardonnay.
The CK Mondavi and Family Chardonnay is a blend of 95% Chardonnay, 3% Muscat, and 2% Symphony grapes. I like to pair light white wines with desserts as a nice way to finish off the meal. The citrus aromas in this Chardonnay pair nicely with the pineapple flavors in the cupcake, and the crisp taste of the wine balance the sweetness of the cupcake.
If you download the Swizl App, you can save on all your CK Mondavi Wine purchases with a digital rebate. Plus, now through January 31st, look for special promotions on CK Mondavi bottles (Such as Egg-Land’s Best Eggs & Dole Pineapple that could be used in this recipe).
We’re having a holiday party in a couple weeks and I’m thinking that I might need to make another batch of these cupcakes for the party. Cupcakes are perfect for parties because I don’t need to be in the kitchen to serve them; all our guests can help themselves as they put together their dinner (and dessert) plate. Pineapple may generally be associated more with summer than winter; however, I’m sure your guests will appreciate the unexpected flavors of this cupcake, and to have options other than another rich chocolate dessert!
To see other awesome recipes to pair along with CK Mondavi & Family Wines, make sure to follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and Vimeo. Also, make sure to check out some other wine pairing choices featuring CK Mondavi wines.
What sort of treats are you baking up this holiday season?
Cris Stone says
Soooo much easier than a traditional upside down cake!
Michelle says
Wine and cupcakes count me in ! This is something my mom would love
Lani Derrick says
This are beautiful! I love the way they came out and I totally pinned them for later.
Betsy @ Desserts Required says
Sooooooo smart to avoid flipping and going with cupcakes instead! :-)
Elisha @UseHealthTips says
huge fan of pineapple, tried it instantly and they turned out to be so beautiful, everyone liked it and praised it, thank you Kendra for sharing it