Coconut Cupcakes – fluffy coconut cupcakes made with coconut milk and topped with smooth coconut buttercream and coconut flakes.
By Ellen JAY, The Cake Blog
Living in the south our chance of having a cold winter is pretty slim. If we have to grab our coat to go run errands you know it’s COLD outside. And that white powder that falls from the sky — most of you know it as SNOW — well that’s pretty much unheard of here in Mobile…well that is until a few weeks ago! We were working late on a few orders at our shop one Friday night and just as we were heading home, it started snowing…SNOWING, as in holy cow grab your phone and start videoing as the white flakes are falling, it’s SNOWING!
So as you can imagine, snow is a pretty big deal in Mobile. Although there was only enough snow for a light dusting on the ground, you better believe we took full advantage and rolled up three of the best snowballs we could mange and made our very own Frosty the snowman! Of course by the next day, he was already starting to melt away, but it sure was a magical night to experience with our kiddos, and one that probably won’t happen again for a long time.
Since snow is simply not part of the regular weather forecast here in the south, we improvised and created our own edible snowballs that can be enjoyed all winter long…in the form of cupcakes of course! Our Triple Coconut Cupcakes are the perfect treat to enjoy when dreaming of snowy days.
Coconut milk is a key ingredient, which provides the perfect coconut flavor to this moist and fluffy white cake. We whipped up a deliciously smooth coconut buttercream using more coconut milk and heavy cream to compliment the cake perfectly. And for the grand finale, the triple dose of coconut comes from rolling the cupcakes in shredded coconut flakes to create a rounded mound on top resembling the cutest snowball look-alike cakes! Sink your teeth into one of these babies and you are in coconut heaven.
These cupcakes may not be the real deal snowball, but they’re the closest we’re getting to snow here in Mobile, so we are embracing them and enjoying them on our mild winter days!
Yield: 24 cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Coconut Cupcakes:
- 3 cups cake flour
- 4 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 ⅓ cups granulated sugar
- 5 large egg whites
- ½ cup milk
- 1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
- ½ cup sweetened shredded coconut flakes
For the Coconut Buttercream:
- 2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
- 8 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 4 teaspoons coconut extract
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup coconut milk
- 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut flakes
Instructions
Make the Coconut Cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
- In medium bowl combine dry ingredients: cake flour, baking powder and salt.
- In another bowl combine egg whites, milk and coconut milk.
- In bowl of stand mixer, beat butter and sugar on high for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Slowly add the flour mixture until combined.
- Gradually add the egg mixture and beat until incorporated.
- Stir in the coconut flakes.
- Fill cupcake liners ¾ full.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out with a few crumbs.
- Allow cupcakes to cool in pans for 5 minutes, then remove to wire racks to finish cooling.
Make the Coconut Buttercream:
- Beat butter and coconut extract in bowl of stand mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes, until smooth.
- Reduce mixer speed to low, and slowly add in confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time while mixer is running and mix until smooth.
- Combine heavy cream and coconut milk and add to icing slowly while continuing to beat until smooth.
- Prepare a piping bag fitted with a large round tip and fill with frosting.
- Swirl coconut buttercream on top of cupcakes then dip upside down in the reserved coconut flakes to cover the tops and mound like a snowball.
