I have never struggled so much with a recipe as I have with the 'Pineapple Right-Side Up' cupcakes from VCTOTW. I attempted this 4 times before I finally got a satisfactory result. For some reason, it always came out flat, dense, and almost like rice cakes. Each time, I tried to do something differently, whether it be using canned pineapples verses fresh pineapples, blending the pineapples less, reducing the amount of batter in each cupcake liner, or adjusting the oven temperature. Finally, I realized that it might be the new Korean baking powder that I started using, so I went to the Foreign Food Mart and bought an imported can of Calumet Double Acting baking powder. Perhaps it was a combination of all the practice I was getting, the little adjustments I was making to the recipe, or maybe it was indeed the baking powder, but I think I finally got an edible result.
The taste of these cupcakes are so fresh and tropical, especially when topped with more pineapples and sprinkled with some coconut flakes. I also really liked the combination of all the spices that the recipe calls for, like cinnamon and allspice. It all goes perfectly with the pineapple flavor.
I would make these a lot more often if I just didn't have so much trouble with the recipe! Is it just me?? I will have to do more research and testing to see if it was indeed the Korean baking powder that was sabotaging my cupcakes.
