Coconut Cupcakes...Cuisine-At-Home

***Topped with "everything"...***

***Topped with just frosting...***

***Left plain...***

Coconut Cupcakes...Cuisine-At-Home Do you love coconut? Well, both my husband and I absolutely love coconut! I am glad, because it's not the same when you have someone in the family who doesn't like something you really LOVE. I love anything with coconut...coconut macaroons, coconut ice cream, Girl Scout Samoa Cookies(Homemade), and the list goes on! I even like it in savory dishes such as coconut chicken strips, coconut shrimp, coconut macadamia crusted fish, etc. I am wanting to even make some Indian/Thai dishes that uses coconut milk in their sauces. Anyway, this recipe for cupcakes has a real coconut flavor, so you gotta like coconut:)! Since I haven't posted a cupcake recipe yet, I decided to post this recipe in the hopes that you might also like it. We really enjoyed these cupcakes. It is funny, but I've been meaning to make this recipe ever since I saw it on an the cover of an old Cuisine-At-Home magazine. Of course it got my attention...it was a coconut cupcake of all things! It had shredded coconut and coconut milk in the batter and then topped with yet more coconut....wow, I knew they would be good! But, I put the magazine away...I had plenty of desserts in the house. No need to make more. I always did think about making them though:) Yet, I always came up with an excuse..too many calories, too much sugar, etc.... But sometimes, when you have to do some HEAVY outside work, like cutting down pine beetle infested trees, you sort of feel of entitled to a reward. Such was the case with us ... So, I made the cupcakes:). These were some good cupcakes!

I tried to stick to the original recipe as much as possible. I had a bit less coconut milk than what the recipe called for...I just added a bit of regular milk to make up for it. Actually, the recipe says you can make it with regular milk if you want(instead of the coconut milk). For the frosting, I added less sugar and less butter. I also did not use all of the frosting the recipe called for. I probably used half the amount. Sure a "proper" cupcake should have a 1:3 ratio, frosting to cupcake that is, but I don't care for too much frosting on mine. I ended up making some carrot cupcakes( a post soon) so that I could use the leftover frosting:)...

I am posting the regular recipe with my changes. Feel free to make the original with the full amount of frosting. Actually, if you want to skip on the frosting you can...they will just be coconut muffins:). You can also skip the shredded coconut and just stick with the cream cheese frosting. It's so nice to be able to make them however you like.... though I have to admit that "the everything" cupcake was a winner for us. I was able to freeze some of the cupcakes in a container. They did very well. Hope you enjoy...

You will need: adapted from Cuisine-At-Home( April 2005)

Cupcake:

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp table salt

3 egg whites

3/4 cup coconut milk or whole milk ( I used 5 1/2 oz coconut milk and the rest milk)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp almond extract

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp.

1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese, room temp.

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp( I used 4 TBS)

2 oz white chocolate, melted( you can easily omit)

juice of 1/2 lime( I used 3 tsps lemon juice...I didn't have any lime)

2 cups powdered sugar( I used 1 1/3 cup(or so)...I tasted it it until I felt it was sweet enough)

Topping:

1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut*

*or you could use unsweetened coconut flakes

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 deg. Line a regular sized muffin tin with cupcake liners.

In a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Measure coconut milk in a measuring cup and add the egg whites and extracts. Combine.

Cream the sugar and butter on medium speed using a mixer. Mix until the butter lightens in color as well as texture, about 4 minutes. Alternately, add dry and wet ingredients in 3 additions. Starting and ending with dry ingredients.

Fold in the coconut. Scoop batter in prepared muffin tin.

I like to use an ice cream scoop. Much easier. Fill about 3/4 full. Bake until toothpick comes out clean...about 25-30. Check at 20 minutes as all ovens are different. Cool in pan for 5 minutes. Remove and cool completely.

For the frosting:

Beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until smooth. Add melted white chocolate and lime juice. Add powdered sugar and beat till smooth(just taste and see how sweet you want it to be)

Spread 3 TBS( I used less) frosting on each cupcake. Dip in shredded coconut(or sprinkle it on top).

Enjoy some and share some!