Dehydrated Pineapple on Hummingbird Cupcakes

Recipe Overview

Prep time: 10 minutes for pineapple / 20 minutes for cupcakes

Dehydrate time: 14 hours

Cook time: 35 minutes

Yields: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

For Dehydrated Pineapple:

• 1 small underripe pineapple

For Hummingbird Cupcakes:

• 2 small, very ripe bananas (about 5 ounces/150g each)
• 1 (15½-ounce / 440g) can crushed pineapple in natural juice, drained
• ⅔ cup (220g) raw sugar
• ¾ cup (50g) desiccated coconut
• ¾ cup (180ml) vegetable oil
• 2 eggs, lightly whisked
• 1⅓ cup (220g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For Lime Cream Cheese Frosting:

• ¾ cup (75g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1⅓ cup powdered sugar, sifted
• ½ cup (125g) cream cheese, softened
• 1 lime, zested + 1 tablespoon juice

Method

Dehydrating Pineapple:

1. Trim and peel the pineapple. Slice crosswise into ⅛-inch (3mm) slices using a sharp knife. Arrange slices in a single layer on the dehydrate basket.
2. Select DEHYDRATE/125°F (52°C)/SUPER CONVECTION/14 hours on the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro. Enable Rotate Remind. Place the basket in rack position 4 and press START.
3. Dehydrate for 14 hours, or until the pineapple feels dry and papery and tears easily. Rotate the basket when the Rotate Remind signal occurs.

Making Hummingbird Cupcakes:

1. Mash bananas with a fork in a large bowl. Add the drained pineapple, sugar, coconut, oil, and eggs. Stir until combined. Sift the flour, baking powder, and cinnamon over the pineapple-banana mixture and stir to combine.
2. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Scoop the batter evenly into the liners.
3. Insert a wire rack into rack position 6. Select BAKE/325°F (165°C)/CONVECTION/35 minutes and enable Rotate Remind. Press START to preheat the oven.
4. Bake cupcakes for 30-35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Rotate the pan when the Rotate Remind signal occurs.
5. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Making Lime Cream Cheese Frosting:

1. While the cupcakes bake, prepare the frosting. Using a Breville bench mixer or a hand mixer, beat the butter and powdered sugar until pale and creamy.
2. Add the cream cheese and beat until combined.
3. Add the lime zest and juice, and lightly beat just to combine.
4. Spoon the frosting into a piping bag and pipe onto the cooled cupcakes. Decorate each cupcake with a dehydrated pineapple flower.

Tips for Dehydrating Fruits

A recommended dehydrating temperature for fruits is 125°F (52°C). The dehydrating time will vary depending on the thickness and type of fruit. Thinner fruit slices will dry faster and become crispier.

Some fruits, such as apples, pears, and bananas, may discolor during dehydration. This can be prevented by brushing the fruit with a lemon-water solution. Higher acid fruits like pineapple are less prone to browning.

Use firmer fruit when dehydrating whole pieces or slices. Overripe fruit is suitable for fruit leather.

Sweeter fruit will result in more pliable dehydrated fruit due to the elevated sugar content. For a pale yellow result, use young, firm pineapples.