Vegan Blue Hawaiian Cupcakes 🗿🥥🌴🍒🍍 -

In celebration of an impending summer, I’m thinking about tropical fruits, sunshine, and reasons to use mini cocktail umbrellas. I am thinking about my 50th state, 🌺Hawaii🌺. Beginning a process of getting there with an appreciation of its elements and its culture within and outside of the culturally-appropriated components. But this is a longitudinal study for budgetary reasons…

I am a victim the the deep Pacific’s lore. This I was reminded of vividly last time I went to Flushing Meadows-Corona Park and gaped upon the tremendous Unisphere, replicated here on this light-up globe I rescued from the garbage but needs a plug adaptor.

An entire side of the world, water. Not a hemisphere proper–but just as large. The depth and breadth of life within this space boggles my mind as does the beauty of the islands within in it. So much that I needed to find an external means to express it, like making cupcakes. Or wearing my tiki shoes and Wahini dress.

I was surprised that there was not a recipe for vegan Blue Hawaiian Cupcakes on the W.W.W. The bright blue tropical drink’s flavors lend themselves easily to a cupcake form! Before the cupcake recipe, be aware! There are two very similarly-named drinks with very similar ingredients: The Blue Hawaii and the Blue Hawaiian. (Below is a Blue Hawaii I made it for my sister and father’s joint birthday celebration several years back–a Luau!) The difference between the two cocktails is coconut cream (and no sweet & sour mix), making the Blue Hawaiian a better choice for cupcakement.

My vegan Blue Hawaiian cupcake. The recipe below is a synthesis of many sources and tweaked all about. But I would still call it a work in progress. Let me know how it goes for you if you try it.

Coconut Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

1 cup full-fat coconut milk, fat and liquid

1/3 cup canola oil

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1.) Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare your cupcake pan with liners.

2.) Sift the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Whisk to blend all, then stir in coconut shreds.

3.) Using a hand mixer, mix all of the wet ingredients. Then combine the wet into the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined.

4.) Fill the the liners and bake for 20-22 minutes. After, let sit in pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack. Let cupcakes cool completely. Stone cold, as Mary Berry says.

5.) Once cool, extract the centers with a cupcake corer. Go ahead and eat those little bits or save for garnishing something else. Perhaps a little parfait for yourself.

Pineapple Filling

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 20 oz. can of crushed pineapple, drained

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons Earth Balance

1 teaspoon lemon zest

Pinch salt

1/2 cup lemon juice

1.) Combine all but lemon juice in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat. Stir constantly, until thickened and a bit glossy.

2.) Stir in the lemon juice and set aside to cool completely.

3.) Once cool, fill cooled cupcakes with filling, then put the cupcakes in the fridge while you prepare frosting below.

On top

2 cans full-fat coconut milk, fully chilled

2 tablespoon maple syrup

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2-5 capfuls of Blue Curaçao

Gel food coloring to your liking

To garnish:

Pineapple wedge

Fresh cherry or vegan Maraschino cherry

Mini-umbrella & straw

1.) Chill all ingredients, as well as the bowl and hand mixer beaters, in your fridge for at least 30 minutes. While you’re at it, put your piping bag and piping tip in the fridge too.

2.) Scoop out solid coconut fat from two chilled cans into chilled bowl.

3.) Using a hand mixer, whip the coconut cream with maple syrup, and vanilla extract.

4.) Add Blue Curaçao, tasting to your preference and mix well. Then add gel coloring to your preference, keeping in mind the vintage cocktail’s characteristic hue is part of the fun. (If mix is getting too loose, put it in the fridge for a spell and then continue.)

5.) Put in in the fridge for 10-20 minutes so it may firm up slightly then scoop into chilled pastry bag. Pipe on completely cooled cupcakes, then garnish.

6.) Let cupcakes chill out in the fridge, but take them out an hour before serving.