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Pina Colada Push Pops: Creamy Tropical Summer Treats

If you like Piña Coladas and getting caught in the rain — and you enjoy a homemade dessert more than a health-food trend — these Piña Colada cupcakes and push-pops are for you. Tropical, moist and playful, they combine coconut cake, crushed pineapple and a luscious Piña Colada–inspired buttercream for an easy summer treat.

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You like Piña Coladas and getting caught in the rain. You’re not much into health food; you’re into champagne. These desserts are meant to be an indulgent escape — and they always put a smile on my face. I found a silly video reference to the song online that made me laugh and inspired this post, and now that tune is stuck in my head — I don’t mind one bit.
Take a sip, a lick or a bite — however you prefer. These desserts bring together layers of tender coconut cake, crushed pineapple, shredded coconut and a Piña Colada–infused buttercream. If a stacked cake feels intimidating, make cupcakes instead — complete with paper straws for style. Whether you bite or sip, these sweet treats satisfy both a sugar craving and a tropical thirst.
Last week’s Summer Sweet was well received at home and online; these cupcakes are similar in spirit — flavorful and not overly sweet, like the Key Lime Mojito Mousse cake. They deliver tropical flavor without being cloying.
I began with a straightforward coconut cake inspired by family recipes. My grandmother made a memorable coconut cake when we were young. Oddly, I struggle with shredded coconut’s texture, so I used canned sweetened cream of coconut in the batter instead of fresh grated coconut — the result keeps the coconut flavor but with a smoother mouthfeel.
I adapted a cake recipe from my Epi App, using cream of coconut in the batter. For the frosting I modified a basic buttercream to include Piña Colada elements — cream of coconut, a touch of pineapple or Piña Colada mix, and a splash of rum — giving a true tropical profile.
Push-pops are small clear containers with a syringe-like mechanism that pushes the contents upward. I originally purchased mine from a specialty shop; they’re also commonly available from kitchen supply retailers. I finished the treats with decorative paper straws and little umbrellas for a playful presentation.
The recipes for the cupcakes and buttercream are included below. Try them at your next gathering and tell me if you, too, like Piña Coladas.
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I Sugar Coat It

Pina Colada Cupcakes

Layers of moist coconut cake, fresh pineapple and whipped coconut create an edible version of a tropical drink.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 12
Course: Dessert
IngredientsMethod

Ingredients

Cupcakes:
  • 2 ¾ cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ¾ cups sugar
  • 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, room temperature
  • 1 cup canned sweetened cream of coconut
  • 4 large eggs separated
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • Pinch of salt
Buttercream:
  • 1 package of cream cheese
  • 1 stick salted butter
  • 2 tablespoons p
  • ina colada mix or pineapple juice
  • 2 teaspoon of cream of coconut
  • 1 teaspoon rum
  • 2 lb of confectioner sugar
  • Pineapple chunks shredded coconut, sanding sugar for garnish

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Line the wells of a 12 cup cupcake pan.
  3. In medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and ½ teaspoon salt.
  4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat attachment, beat sugar, butter and sweetened cream of coconut until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla extract.
  5. Lower the speed and beat in the dry ingredients, alternating with buttermilk, mixing each until just blended. To prevent ingredients from blowing out, drape a damp towel over the mixer while mixing.
  6. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff but not dry. Fold the beaten egg whites into the batter gently.
  7. Use an ice-cream scoop to portion batter evenly into the cupcake liners.
  8. Bake cupcakes 25–30 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
  9. While the cupcakes cool, prepare the frosting.
To make the buttercream:
  1. Cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add Piña Colada mix or pineapple juice, cream of coconut and rum. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar and mix on low until creamy and spreadable.
To assemble Push Pops:
  1. Gather cooled cupcakes, frosting, crushed pineapple, pineapple chunks and shredded coconut.
  2. Remove cupcakes from liners. Use the lip of the push-pop cup as a guide to cut each cupcake to size, then slice horizontally.
  3. Place the bottom half of the cupcake into the push-pop cup. Add a layer of crushed pineapple with some of the juice and sprinkle shredded coconut if desired.
  4. Add the top half of the cupcake, then another layer of crushed pineapple and juice.
  5. Fit a piping tip to a bag, fill with frosting and pipe a swirl or rosette on top (a Wilton 1M works well).
  6. Garnish with pineapple chunks, coconut flakes and a sprinkle of sanding sugar for sparkle.
  7. Finish with a paper straw or tiny umbrella for a festive touch.