Coconut Cupcakes

First of all - there is nothing wrong with your computer - you did see coconut cupcakes yesterday.  Secondly, although it wouldn't be totally out of the question - I did not forget to post a new recipe this morning.  This is coconut cupcake post - day 2! 

Why you ask?  After baking my first batch of coconut cupcakes, I felt like there was still room for improvement.  I loved the coconut buttercream - so I didn't even try and make any changes to that but I didn't like the way that the cupcakes sunk in the middle after I pulled them out of the oven. 

So here I am - the hopeless perfectionist.  I simply cannot let a not-quite-perfect cupcake recipe linger on the blog without trying to correct the problem.  Fortunately for me, recipe number two worked like a charm.  The cake was light and fluffy and didn't sink in the middle as it cooled.  The secret - condensed coconut milk.



Coconut Cupcakes
Reduced coconut milk:

• 2 13-to 14-ounce cans unsweetened coconut milk

Cupcakes:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• Seeds scraped from 1 split vanilla bean or 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup reduced coconut milk (see above), room temperature

 




For reduced coconut milk:
Bring coconut milk to boil in large deep saucepan over medium-high heat (coconut milk will boil up high in pan). Reduce heat to medium low; boil until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, stirring occasionally, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat; cool completely. Transfer to small bowl. Cover; chill (coconut milk will settle slightly as it cools).






For cupcakes:
Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Line eighteen 1/3-cup muffin cups with paper liners. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl.

Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar; beat on medium-high speed until well blended, about 2 minutes.

Add 2 eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Beat in seeds from vanilla bean and remaining egg.

 
Add half of flour mixture; mix on low speed just until blended. Add 1 cup reduced coconut milk; mix just until blended. Add remaining flour mixture; mix on low speed just until blended.

Divide batter among muffin cups.

Bake cupcakes until tops spring back when gently touched and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer cupcakes in pans to rack; cool 10 minutes. Carefully remove cupcakes from pans and cool completely on rack. 

Frost with coconut buttercream.

Sprinkle shredded coconut over buttercream.

Coconut cupcakes really are easy to bake - IF you have the right recipe.  I love the combination of today's cake recipe (compliments of Epicurious.com) and yesterdays buttercream recipe.

Ciao!