Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Coconut Cupcakes

I am ALIIIVE!!!

Alright, my oven has been fixed. And just ion time for my housemate's birthday!

She wanted cupcakes and she told me to surprise her with anything but chocolate. All I knew was that she liked coconut, so coconut cupcakes it was! And I found an amazing recipe for these litte jems. They were moist, light and super delicious!

I also had some pictures, but the camera has been taken across the country by my mother, so I'll add them in when she returns.

EDIT: The camera has returned!

Here's the pictures from my coconut cupcakes...




And here's the recipe (from 125 Best Cupcake Recipes, by Julie Hasson):

Coconut Cupcakes
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sweetened shredded/flaked coconut
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt (only if using unsalted butter)
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 egg whites
1 cup buttermilk ( if you don't have buttermilk, use 1 cup of regular milk and mix in 2 teaspoon of distilled white vinegar, let sit for a few minutes before using)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. spread coconut evenly over a cookie sheet and toast in oven for about 5 minutes or until they are slightly brouwn, watch them carefully or they will burn! set aside to cool.
3. In a small mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt (if needed.)
4. In a seperate, larger bowl, beat the butter until smooth, add in sugar and beat until light and smooth. Add egg whites one at a time, beating them in completely after each addition.
5. Add cooled coconut to flour mixture and pour half into the butter mixture. Mix well.
6. Pour buttermilk into the nowl and mix until completely combined.
7. Add in the rest of the flour mixture and mix until smooth.
8. Scoop into lined cupcake pans and bake for 20-25 minutes.
9. When cupcake are finished (a toothpick poked into the center of a cupcak in the middle of the pan comes out clean) remove from oven and let cool.

Frosting: If you like lots of frosting, this recipe can easily be multiplied.
Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (for buttercream, you need to use unsalted butter for the right taste)
pinch of salt (a tiny pinch, mind you)
3 cups confectioner's/powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup sweetened shredded/flaked coconut

1. In a mixer, cream the butter (don't use the wisk! only the paddle attachment or a wooden spoon for those doing it by hand) until smooth and light. Add sugar and salt, beat until light and fluffy, add vanilla and beat until completely smooth. If the frosting is too thick, add 1/4 cup milk and beat until smooth.
2. In a shallow bowl or small plate, spread out the coconut.
3. Frost your cupcakes, then simply turn them puside down and dip into the coconut, making sure to completely coat the top. Repeat with all of the cupcakes, then unwrap one and eat it!

I really like this recipe and I might try to turn them into Pina Colada cupcakes. We'll see...