Vanilla-Coconut Cupcakes with Coconut Frosting

Over a year ago I set out to keep a blog to document all the baking and cooking I experiment with in my kitchen. I designed a blog page, and that was about as far as I got. So here's take #2. Today marks my random start date, a quiet Sunday evening following a baby shower for a good friend of mine.

As with everything I make, these were an experiment. I dug out a Bon Appetit magazine from earlier this year with plans to make chocolate marscapone cupcakes (absolutely delicious, I'll have to post on them later...) and stumbled upon a different recipe for coconut cupcakes. The parents-to-be of the baby shower had a coconut cake at their wedding so I thought it would be the perfect recipe to try. The coconut flavor wasn't overwhelming, since the flavor comes only from concentrated coconut milk, but it does add a nice dimension to an otherwise basic vanilla cupcake. I baked 48 mini cupcakes in cute swirly white/green wrappers, and decorated each cupcake with white sanding sugar and toasted coconut flakes. I will definitely make them again!



RECIPE:
Vanilla-Coconut Cupcakes with Coconut Frosting
From Bon Appetit, April 2009
makes 48 mini cupcakes

REDUCED COCONUT MILK
2 13-14 ounce cans unsweetened coconut milk (I used low fat); usually found in Asian section of supermarket

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, room temperature (see 1st step of directions)

FROSTING
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup reduced coconut milk, room temperature (see 1st step of directions)
seeds scraped from 1 split vanilla bean or 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut, lightly toasted (for garnish)

DIRECTIONS:

REDUCED COCONUT MILK
Bring coconut milk to boil in large 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, 25-30 minutes. Remove from heat; cool completely. Transfer to small bowl. cover; chill (coconut milk will settle slightly as it cools). Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.

CUPCAKES
Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350F. Line mini muffin pans with paper liners . Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar 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 (or extract) 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 11 minutes. Transfer cupcakes in pans to rack; cool 10 minutes. Carefully remove cupcakes from pans and cool completely on rack.

FROSTING
Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl; add sugar, 1/3 cup reduced coconut milk, seeds from vanilla bean (or extract), and salt. Beat on low to medium-low speed until blended, scraping down sides of bowl. Increase to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy.

Using pastry bag fitted with large star tip, pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes. (Alternatively, spread frosting on each cupcake with a knife). Sprinkle with coconut. Can be made 1 day ahead. Store in airtight containers; chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.