Mango Pineapple (cup)cake(s) with pineapple buttercream

Last weekend, Labor Day, marks the end of summer, although technically autumn doesn't start until 5 days after my birthday, the 20th. I felt like this may be my last legitimate opportunity to make a fruity dessert, since Starbucks is already serving pumpkin spice lattes at select locations. I wanted something easy for Labor Day weekend, and this recipe can be thrown together in a flash!

Ingredients:

• 15 ounce can of diced mango
• 8 ounce can of crushed pineapple
• Boxed angel food cake mix
• 8 ounce carton of pineapple cream cheese
• 4 cups powdered sugar 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• .5 (1 stick) butter

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 

2. In a large bowl mix the angel food with all of the mango and roughly half the can of crushed pineapple. It'll magically expand so be prepared.

3. Butter a dish or slap some cupcake liners in a muffin tin. Be forewarned that it'll make about a million cupcakes. I made 12 cupcakes and threw the rest in a smaller glass Pyrex baking dish. If you make just a cake it'll fill a 9 by 13. 

4. I baked the cupcakes for 15 minutes and the cake for 22. Be sure not to underbake your cakes, be also warned that because the batter is so moist a knife or toothpick won't come out clean, so look for your edges and top to be nice and golden.

5. While the cakes are baking, soften your butter and beat it together with your cream cheese. Then beat in the powdered sugar and vanilla.

6. Scoop the buttercream into a freezer sized ziplock, and once the cupcakes are cooled snip a corner and pipe it on cupcakes or if you're just making a cake slop it on there. Depending on how you like your cakes frosted, you may have a bit of leftover frosting. Keep it and enjoy it. Dip pretzels in it, slather it on waffles, I don't care, but don't throw it away.

7. ENJOY!

My family took some dinner over to my grandparents and we all celebrated the birth of my cousin's new baby boy, the latest addition to the great grandkids.It was a joyous evening aided by some wonderfully sweet and melt-in-your-mouth cupcakes. 

I love this conglomeration of fruity goodness and I can't wait to make them again next summer!