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
2  14-ounce cans unsweetened coconut milk
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

​​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).

Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl.

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!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe