Hummingbird Cupcakes with Pineapple Mascarpone Frosting

Instructions

Hummingbird Cupcakes:

1. Heat oven to 350°F.
2. Combine the flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and allspice in a large bowl. Whisk the pineapple, canola oil, eggs and vanilla in another large bowl. Whisk in bananas and pecans until blended. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.
3. Fill each paper-lined muffin cup with a 1/4 cup batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. 
4. Using a sharp knife, carefully remove a 1-inch wide by 1-inch deep core from the top of each cupcake. Save cake pieces for different recipe.

Pineapple Mascarpone Frosting:

1. Drain pineapple, reserving 2 tablespoons of juice. Cream butter and cream cheese in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in mascarpone and reserved pineapple juice until blended. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time, beating each addition until combined. Beat frosting on high for 1 minute. Transfer half of frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a 1M tip. Refrigerate until ready to use. 
2. Fold crushed pineapple into remaining frosting. Fill each cupcake with heaping teaspoonful of crushed pineapple frosting. Pipe remaining frosting on cupcakes. Refrigerate until serving.