DRUNKEN PIRATE CUPCAKES

Drunken Pirate Cupcakes image

The seeds of this recipe came to me while I was on my honeymoon in the Bahama's last year. The Bahama's have a very unique food culture with bold and aromatic jerking spices, and sweet and subtle vanillas and coffees. But the strongest and most powerful flavors I experienced while on island side was --RUM! So much so that along...

Provided by Maggie May Schill

Categories Cakes

Time 40m

Number Of Ingredients 20

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Ingredients

FOR CAKE BATTER:
1 1/2 c cake flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 c sugar
4 eggs (room temp please!!!!)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1.3 oz vanilla instant pudding mix
1/2 c heavy cream
1/3 c coconut flakes, sweetened
1/2 c rum (i used coconut flavored rum, experiment with different flavors, might be fun!))
FOR RUM BUTTER GLAZE
1/2 c unsalted butter
1 c sugar
1/2 c rum (again i used coconut flavored rum)
FOR CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
16 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 c salted butter, softened
2 c confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 tsp rum (again coconut)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Steps:

1. For cake batter: 1-Pre-heat oven to: 325`F 2-Sift dry ingredients (minus the coconut flakes) together in a big mixer bowl. 3-Add oil, cream, vanilla extract, then rum to the dry mixture in that order. (You shouldn't fully incorporate each ingredient individually before you add the next. Wait until you start adding eggs before you really start to stir things up!) 4-Add each egg, one at a time, fully incorporating each egg before you add the next. 5-Fold in the coconut flakes. (these are wonderful, they practically dissolve in the batter while cooking, adding just a slight bit of texture and a nice head of coconut to the flavor.) 6-Pour into cupcake cups. 7-bake for about 21 minutes.
2. For Butter Rum Glaze: 1-Heat a small sauce pan on medium low. 2-Once pan is warm melt butter until completely liquid. 3-Add sugar. (Do not stir, or your glaze will get grainy as the sugar melts.) 4-Add Rum when the sugar is almost completely melted. 5-Now stir until glaze thickens. Side note: Use glaze immediately. It does not store well, and isn't very good for more than 30 minutes after making. It dries up quick, just enough time for you to coat your cakes! So budget your time accordingly when baking these cakes.
3. For Cream Cheese Frosting: 1-Cream together the creamed cheese and butter until complete mixed together. 2-Mix in vanilla and then Rum. 3-Slowly add the confectioners' sugar until completely mixed in. Side note: This frosting refrigerates well for later use. You can make it several days in advanced and it retains its flavor and texture in my experience.
4. ASSEMBLY: 1- When the cupcakes have cooled, poke 5 holes into each cupcake with a tooth pick. 2- Dip the tops of each cupcake into the rum glaze and let dry. 3- Pipe on cream cheese frosting.I like to let some of the pretty glaze show, so I don't completely cover the cake, just the middle bits. 4-Garnish with toasted coconut and pecan pieces like I did if you like. Side note: I don't like to pipe on too much frosting, the rum glaze already serves to sweeten the desert some, so less frosting is needed for flavor--unless you are a frosting fiend, then have at it! I love the glaze so much actually I left some of my cakes completely un-frosted.