Coconut Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Light and fluffy coconut cupcakes topped with cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
Unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
170 g
Light brown sugar
280 g
Eggs (room temperature)
2
Coconut milk (canned)
240 ml
Vanilla extract (not imitation vanilla)
1 tsp
All-purpose flour/plain flour
340 g
Salt
1 tsp
Baking powder
1 tsp
Desiccated coconut (dried shredded coconut)
55 g
Butter (softened to room temperature, for frosting)
110 g
Cream cheese (room temperature, for frosting)
225 g
Powdered sugar (for frosting, adjust to taste)
60-120 g
Desiccated coconut (for frosting garnish)
20 g
Instructions
1
Preheat the oven
Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F, gas mark 4). Using an electric mixer, beat the butter for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and continue beating.
2
Mix in the eggs
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. The mixture may look curdled after each egg, but keep beating and it will become smooth.
3
Combine dry and wet ingredients
Combine the flour, salt, and baking powder; in a separate bowl, mix the coconut milk and vanilla extract. Sift one-third of the flour mixture into the butter mixture and beat for about 1 minute. Add about half of the coconut milk mixture and beat for another 1 minute.
4
Finish the batter
Repeat the alternating dry-wet additions until all ingredients are used. The batter will thicken to a porridge-like consistency. Fold in the desiccated coconut with a wooden spoon or spatula.
5
Bake
Fill the cupcake liners about two-thirds full with batter. Bake for 20 minutes, rotating the pan at the 15-minute mark for even baking. Cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
6
Make the frosting
Beat the butter and cream cheese together for about 3 minutes. Sift in the powdered sugar in batches, tasting as you go until the desired sweetness is reached.
7
Decorate
Stir in the desiccated coconut. Spread over the cooled cupcakes with a knife, or pipe with a piping bag fitted with a large tip.
