Pineapple Flower Cupcakes

I consider myself to be a pretty good baker; I love baking cookies, cakes and cupcakes … you name it, I like to bake it! The problem is that although I can make some pretty tasty baked goods, I often have a hard time decorating them so they look as good as they taste. It is sort of a joke with my friends at this point—they all know my baked goods will taste amazing, but the frosting might be glopped on and running off the sides!

I know I need to take a cake decorating class, but with having a toddler, being eight months pregnant and trying to manage two jobs, that cake decorating class isn’t going to make it on my priority list anytime soon! So what’s my solution? I often cheat by putting fake or fresh flowers on my cupcakes or fruit on my not-so-attractive frosting. My latest fun discovery from Pinterest is baked pineapple toppers that look like flowers!

These pineapple flowers are super easy to make. If I can make them, trust me—anyone can! When the pineapple is baked, it curls up to look like a little hibiscus flower, which I thought would be perfect to make for mom on Mother’s Day!  They would also be cute for baby or bridal showers or even a girl’s luau-themed birthday party.

How to Make Pineapple Flowers for Cupcakes:

Step 1. Cut off top of pineapple stem.

Step 2. Slice pineapple into very thin strips.

Step 3. Cut outer edge of pineapple away leaving to make a pineapple circle.

Step 4. Place thin strips of pineapple on top of openings of cupcake tin.

Step 5. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until the edges start to brown and curl up.

Step 6. While baking, cut tiny little chunks out of the rest of the pineapple to create the centers for the flowers.

Step 7. Let pineapple slices completely cool (this is very important so your frosting doesn’t melt). When finished, place on top of frosted cupcakes and place the center in your flower.