Dump Cupcakes

Did your mom ever make dump cake when you were a kid?  My mom always did and I remember it's gooey, richness vividly.  The pineapple, cherry filling, toasted coconut and buttery cake mix baked on top is a memorable "melt in your mouth" kind of good.  I decided to try a cupcake version.  This is a pineapple cake stuffed with cherry pie filling and topped with a rich cream cheese frosting and sprinkled with toasted coconut.  Its not as rich as it's counterpart but it sure hits a home run on a wonderful variation of the dump cake. 

(photo courtesy of dumpcake.com)

This is the original dump cake.  You can find the recipe HERE

  While baking your cupcakes (recipe below) you'll want to prepare your cream cheese frosting and toast your coconut.  

 Don't be intimidated by this folks, it couldn't be easier. 

I do it stovetop. 

Add about two cups of sweetened coconut into a sauce pan.  Turn the stove up to medium high and stir constantly until the coconut starts to brown. 

Your coconut will have a nutty, crispy crunch to it with a bite of moistness if you leave some of it white.  Set aside to cool.

After your cupcakes are baked and cooled, you'll want to cut a center in them to fill with luscious cherry pie filling. 

If you google how to fill a cupcake,  you will find several methods.  I think there is a cupcake corer thingy but, I am not a gadgety kind of gal.  Any large decorators tip will do.

Ho Hum...you are left with a boring gaping hole.  What to do.  What to do.

That's more like it.  Stuff two cherries and as much cherry glaze as you can fit in there.

Frost with swirls of cream cheese frosting.  I used the same 1M tip that I used to core the cupcake. 

Killing two birds cupcakes with one stone here people.

Sprinkle with toasted coconut and top with a maraschino cherry. 

This still seems a bit Ho Hum.  When I think of pineapple I think tropical, I think Luau,

I think...

PARTAY!! 

This one is ready for a Pina Colada.

Dump cake Cupakes

makes 24 cupcakes

1 box yellow cake mix

3 eggs at room temperature

1 cup of flour

1 cup of sugar

1 cup of sour cream

8 oz can of crush pineapple with juice

2 teaspoons  pineapple extract  (if desired)

2 cups coconut

1 can of cherry pie filling

cream cheese frosting

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare cupcake pans with liners.  In mixing bowl, add the first seven cake ingredients and beat for 2 minutes.  Take a large cookie scoop or a 1/4 cup and fill cupcake liners with batter.  Bake for 18-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Let rest for 5 minutes in pans then remove cupcakes and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

To core cupcake:

Once cupcakes are cooled, take a 1M tip or a melon baller and scoop out the middle about midway using the large end of the tip.  Add two cherries and as much glaze as you can from a can of cherry pie filling.  Frost cupcake with cream cheese frosting and sprinkle with toasted coconut.  Serve immediatly or store in refridgerator for up to 3 days.

For Cream Cheese Frosting:

4 sticks of unsalted butter
1 package softened cream cheese
1 2 pound bag 10X powdered sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Beat butter and cream cheese for 5 minutes on medium high speed of a kitchenaid mixer.  Add sugar 1/2 cup at a time until combined.  Add vanilla and mix for one minute longer.  Use immediatly or store in refrigerator.