Tropical Oasis Cupcakes with Citrus Buttercream

Ingredients

• 1 package of white cake mix
• 4 eggs
• 1 small package vanilla pudding mix
• 1/2 cup sour cream (I used low fat)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 package dried pineapple, mango and papaya
• 1 stick softened butter
• 2-3 cups powdered sugar
• 2-3 tbsp. orange, lemon or lime juice
• 1 tsp. lemon extract
• 2 cups coconut, toasted

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat cake mix, eggs, pudding mix, sour cream, water and oil until all ingredients are combined. Stir in dried fruit.
2. Pour batter into a cupcake pan lined with cupcake liners, about 3/4 full (you can use regular or mini cupcake pans-mini cupcakes only bake about 15 minutes).
3. Bake for 25-30 minutes, then allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
4. Beat butter in a medium bowl until smooth and fluffy. Slowly add in powdered sugar, juice and extract until frosting reaches desired consistency. You can omit the extract if you like, but it gives the frosting a stronger citrus flavor.
5. Top cupcakes with frosting and toasted coconut.

Pineapple White Chocolate Biscotti with Toasted Coconut

Ingredients

• 1 package (18.25 oz) Pineapple Upside Down cake mix
• 1 stick melted butter
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. pineapple extract
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 cup toasted coconut
• 1 bag white Wilton candy melts

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place cake mix, butter, eggs, extract and flour in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixture on low speed until well blended, about 3-4 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl if necessary. Fold in chips and coconut.
3. Transfer mixture to baking sheet and form into a rectangle (14 inches long by 4 inches wide by ½ inch high). Mound the dough so it is slightly higher in the center of log.
4. Bake biscotti until a toothpick comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes.
5. Cutting on the baking sheet, use a serrated knife to cut rectangle into 1-inch thick slices (you should get about 14 slices). Carefully turn slices on their sides and return to oven.
6. Bake biscotti for 10 minutes, then turn oven off. Keep biscotti in oven until they are crisp, about 30 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and cool completely (at this point I broke each biscotti in half, because they were so long-it’s your preference).
8. While biscotti cool, melt candy melts according to package directions. Drizzle over biscotti in desired designs.

Hummingbird Cake

Recipe from Art Smith

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 cups chopped ripe bananas
• 1 cup drained crushed pineapple
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup (4 ounces) finely chopped pecans
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 pound confectioners’ sugar (about 4 1/2 cups sifted)
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions

1. To make the cake, position racks in the center and bottom third of the oven and preheat to 350°. Lightly butter two 9″ round cake pans (I used 8” and it worked great), sprinkle evenly with flour and tap out the excess.
2. Sift the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt into a bowl. In another bowl, stir or whisk the bananas, pineapple, oil, eggs and vanilla until combined. Do not use an electric mixer. Pour into the dry mixture and fold together with a large spatula just until smooth. Do not beat. Fold in the pecans. Spread evenly into the pans.
3. Bake until the cake springs back when pressed in the center, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer the cakes to wire racks and cool for 10 minutes. Invert the cakes onto the racks (remove the parchment paper now if using). Turn right side up and cool completely.
4. For the icing, use an electric mixer on high speed, and beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until combined. On low speed, gradually beat in the sugar, then the vanilla, to make a smooth icing (I added a pinch of cinnamon and a pinch of salt to the icing).
5. Place 1 cake layer, upside down on a serving platter. Spread with about 2/3 cup of the icing. Top with the second layer, right side up. Spread the reaming icing over the top of the cake. The cake can be prepared up to 1 day ahead and stored, uncovered in the refrigerator. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.

Serves 12

Hawaiian Chicken Burgers

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground chicken
• ½ cup quick oats
• ½ cup minced red or green bell pepper
• ½ cup sliced green onion
• 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh ginger root
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 can pineapple rings, juices reserved
• Reduced sodium teriyaki sauce
• lettuce, tomato, whole wheat buns

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, gently combine chicken, oats, bell pepper, green onions, ginger, salt and pepper. Mix in ¼ cup pineapple juice.
2. Form into four large patties and chill until ready to cook.
3. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, spray with cooking spray. Cook patties about 5 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Baste with teriyaki sauce in the last 5 minutes of cooking.
4. While burgers cook, grill pineapple rings for a few minutes per side, until grill marks appear.
5. To serve, place burgers on toasted buns. Top with one pineapple ring, lettuce and tomato, if desired.

Serves 4