Honey Roasted Pineapple Cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes

• 1/2 fresh pineapple
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup Wildflower honey, divided
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 large eggs

Honey Pineapple Whipped Cream

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon Wildflower honey
• 2 tablespoons pineapple syrup
• 14 pineapple wedges
  

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Cupcakes: Remove rind from pineapple, slice and cut into wedges.
3. Put 2 tablespoons butter in a 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan and place in oven 2 to 3 minutes, until melted. Remove from oven and add 1/4 cup honey; stir. Place pineapple wedges in a single layer; return pan to oven. Roast for 10 minutes, turn wedges over and roast an additional 10 minutes.
4. Remove pan from oven to a cooling rack. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
5. Remove 14 wedges from pan; set aside.
6. Measure 2 tablespoons of pineapple syrup from pan; set aside.
7. Place remaining pineapple and syrup in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Place 3/4 cup of pineapple mixture in a liquid measuring cup. Add ginger and buttermilk; set aside.
8. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.
9. In a mixing bowl, cream 1/2 cup butter until fluffy; scraping sides of bowl, as necessary. Add 1/4 cup honey; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down sides of bowl after each addition. Add half of the reserved dry ingredients to the butter mixture; mix on low until just combined. With mixer running on low, slowly add the buttermilk mixture. Add remaining dry ingredients until just combined. Fill paper-lined muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake 18 to 22 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove to wire rack; cool.
10. Frost with Honey Pineapple Whipped Cream, if desired.
11. Honey Pineapple Whipped Cream: In a mixing bowl, combine whipping cream, honey and syrup. Beat until peaks form. Spread or pipe onto cupcakes. Garnish with pineapple wedges.

Yield: 12 to 14; about 1 cup whipped cream

Recipe and photo credit (used with permission): National Honey Board - nhb.org