Dole Whip Cupcakes (Printable)
Tropical pineapple cupcakes with light, creamy pineapple-whip frosting—easy, crowd-pleasing dessert in under an hour.
# What You Need:
→ Cupcakes
01 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained and juice reserved
08 - 1/4 cup pineapple juice
09 - 1/4 cup whole milk
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Pineapple Whip Frosting
11 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
12 - 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
13 - 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 1/4 cup pineapple juice
15 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
16 - Yellow gel food coloring, optional
→ Decoration
17 - Dried pineapple flowers or wedges
18 - Maraschino cherries
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper cupcake liners.
02 - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream unsalted butter and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs individually, beating thoroughly after each addition.
04 - Gently mix in crushed pineapple, pineapple juice, whole milk, and vanilla extract until fully combined.
05 - Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing just until incorporated. Avoid overmixing for a tender crumb.
06 - Divide the batter evenly among the lined muffin cups. Bake for 16–18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean.
07 - Allow baked cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to reach room temperature completely.
08 - In a clean bowl, beat softened butter and cream cheese until smooth. Gradually incorporate sifted powdered sugar at low speed. Blend in pineapple juice, vanilla extract, and food coloring if desired. Whip on high until light and airy.
09 - Once cupcakes are fully cooled, frost generously. Garnish with dried pineapple flowers or maraschino cherries as preferred.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- They capture that iconic, sunny Dole Whip flavor in a perfectly soft cupcake—no theme park ticket required.
- The pineapple frosting is so luscious and creamy, it had my friends licking the beaters and begging for the recipe.
02 -
- If your pineapple isn’t fully drained, the batter gets too wet and sinks in the middle—learned that after my first batch nearly collapsed.
- Letting the cupcakes cool completely before frosting keeps the dreamy swirl from melting into a mess.
03 -
- If your frosting seems too soft, pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes before piping.
- A splash of pineapple extract takes the tropical flavor over the top without overpowering the creaminess.