Eating healthier every day is something we should all be doing. It makes us feel happier and more energetic. And spring, when we’re starting to warm up and feel feisty, is the best time to start. But why is it so hard to do?
The problem with a lot of healthy food is that it’s kind of boring. Tired of the usual salads and avocado toast? There’s no reason not to have some treats to make eating more enjoyable, particularly if they’re made with healthy ingredients.
Try adding some Latin American twists to your table. This exciting recipe is sure to remind you of your last holiday — it’s a healthy bite combining the creaminess of avocados from Mexico with the energizing flavours of a piña colada. It’ll level up your snack time and brighten up even the greyest day.
Piña Colada Cupcakes
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves: 12
Ingredients:
Cupcakes
• 375 mL (1½ cups) all-purpose flour
• 10 mL (2 tsp.) baking powder
• A pinch of salt
• 2 eggs
• 160 mL (2/3 cup) sugar
• 180 mL (¾ cup) vegetable oil
• 1 avocado from Mexico, peeled, pitted and pureed
• Zest of 1 lime
• 180 mL (3/4 cup) milk
Frosting
• 225 g (½ lb.) cream cheese
• 60 mL (¼ cup) coconut cream (careful, not coconut milk!)
• 250 mL (1 cup) icing sugar
Optional garnish: Toasted coconut flakes, grilled pineapple wedges and maraschino cherries.
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Sift flour into bowl with baking powder and salt. Set aside.
2. Beat eggs and sugar together with a mixer. While stirring, drizzle in oil until mixture is smooth. Add avocado from Mexico puree and lime zest. Add flour and milk alternately.
3. Pour cupcake batter into 12 paper cupcake moulds and bake for about 20 minutes.
4. Combine cream cheese, coconut cream and icing sugar with a mixer.
5. Once cupcakes are baked and have completely cooled, pipe frosting with a pastry bag, sprinkle with toasted coconut and garnish with grilled pineapple wedges and maraschino cherries.
Tip: If you don’t have a pastry bag, cut parchment paper to create a triangle shape. Tightly roll into a cone shape. Pour in icing mixture and push towards the bottom. Bend the end to close cone properly. Cut the tip at an angle and you’re ready to frost your cupcakes like a pro!
These cupcakes are a snap to modify as well. With Easter just passed, you probably have lots of egg-shaped chocolates hanging around the house — unless you ate them all. If you didn’t, a really cute way to decorate these treats for springtime is with little bird’s nests.
To easily change the look of your piña colada cupcakes to reflect spring, without changing the recipe, instead of decorating the tops with pineapple and maraschino cherries, use sprinkles or chow mein noodles for the little nests, and milk chocolate-filled miniature egg candies like Eggies or Mini Eggs. Arrange three differently coloured egg candies in each nest. You can also use food dye to change the colour of the icing to pastel green, blue, yellow or pink. Or mix two or three different colours of icing in your piping bag for a fun swirl.
These cupcakes are really easy to make and fun to eat. You can decorate them any way you want with your choice of icing, sprinkles, and even jelly beans if you aren’t a chocolate fan.