Adding a little fruit purée to your buttercream frosting gives you a berry flavour and vibrant colour atop your sponges.
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Raspberry and coconut is one of my favourite flavour combinations,
and despite the fact they aren’t in season at the moment (and cost
$8/punnet in the supermarket!) I used frozen berries which worked a
treat.
Cupcakes:
1 1/4 cup cake flour1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup plain yogurt, at room temperature
1/4 cup whole milk, at room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup sweetened, flaked coconut, toasted
1 cup fresh raspberries
Buttercream:
2/3 cup sugar
3 large egg whites
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces
1/3 cup raspberry jam, heated, strained, and cooled
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Direction
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, the baking powder, and the salt. Stir together the yogurt and the milk. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and the sugar until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla. Stir in the coconut and the raspberries. Don’t worry if the raspberries break a bit.2. Divide the batter evenly between the liners. Bake the cupcakes until a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out with moist crumbs attached, 16 to 18 minutes. Let cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer the cupcakes to a rack to cool completely.
3. To prepare the buttercream, whisk together the sugar and the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl). Set the bowl over a pot of barely simmering water. Make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Whisk the mixture over the heat until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is warm. Rub some of the mixture between your fingers to make sure the sugar has dissolved completely. Transfer the bowl to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat until you have stiff, glossy peaks and the mixture has cooled to almost room temperature, about 5 minutes.
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4. Reduce the speed to medium low and add the butter, a piece or two at a time, and beat until smooth. Switch to the paddle attachment about halfway through adding the butter. Beat until smooth and creamy and lovely then beat in the jam. Don’t worry if the mixture is loose, it will firm up as you continue to beat it. If it curdles, and doesn’t smooth out over time, apply a little gentle heat to the underside of the bowl. A mini blowtorch works well. Or use a dishtowel soaked with hot water. Once the mixture is smooth, transfer it to a piping bag fitted with a large, open star tip. Top the cupcakes with swirls of frosting and enjoy.
