Dole Whip Cupcakes

This past weekend Ali and I threw an engagement party for one of our favorite couples, Frank and Jess. In honor of how much we have taking impromptu week night trips to Disneyland with them, the theme was a "Vintage Disneyland" theme. One of the items I made for the party was an homage to the beloved Dole Whip, sold at the Tiki Room Dole Bar.

The cupcake is a yellow cake, brushed with pineapple syrup, filled with pineapple curd and topped with pineapple french buttercream. My FAVORITE part of the cupcake was the pineapple curd in the center- it tasted just like the Dole Whip soft serve.

For the Cupcakes (recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart Online:
1 1/2 cups AP Flour
1 1/2 cups cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
1 1/4 cups whole milk

For Pineapple Glaze:
One can pineapple

Sift all of the dry ingredients together. Set aside. Cream sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Add in eggs, one at a time. Add 2/3 flour mixture to wet ingredients and mix just until almost combined. Add in the milk. Add in the remaining flour mixture and mix until combined.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until cupcakes spring back to the touch.

For the Pineapple Puree:

Place 3-4 cups of fresh pineapple in blender with two tablespoons of water. Set blender to puree setting and puree until fully smooth. Pour through a sieve before using.

For the Pineapple Curd:
-1 cup fresh pineapple puree
-2 egg yolks
-1/3 cup granulated sugar
-2 tsp corn starch
-2 tbsp unsalted butter

Combine puree, yolks, sugar, and corn starch in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk continually until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and add butter. Whisk until combined. Pour mixture through a fine mesh sieve and place in fridge to cool.

For the French Buttercream
-1 cup sugar
-1/3 cup water
-2 eggs
-3 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-1/4 cup pineapple puree

Place eggs in mixer and mix with whisk attachment until foamy. Meanwhile, place water and sugar in a small sauce pan over medium heat, stirring. Continue boiling until mixture reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer. Pour hot syrup into eggs as mixer is running. Make sure to pour slowly and aim for the center of the bowl. Continue whipping until mixture is fully cooled. Add butter a piece at a time, mixing well after each addition. Once butter is all added, switch to a paddle attachment and beat for another 2 minutes or so.

To Assemble:
Once cupcakes are cooled, core out the center of each one.
Next, brush a light coating of pineapple juice from canned pineapple onto the top of each cupcake. Or, if you have more time, you can create a simple syrup from fresh juice and sugar. Using a pastry bag, fill the center of each cupcake with pineapple curd. Once all cupcakes are filled, frost each one with pineapple buttercream using a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Garnish with a maraschino cherry umbrella spear.