Coconut cupcakes with Citrus-Cream cheese frosting

Earlier this week, I attended a really fun BBQ party at my friend Tania's place. I knew she'd be going all out with her prep for this party and I felt like I wanted to take her a little treat... actually... I just needed an excuse to spend my day in the kitchen, with my precious oven :)
So my day was spent making cupcakes and cookies my two most favorite things to bake! Cupcakes, for the party and Jam-filled cookies for Aarav, Tania's adorable 3 year old son :)

A while ago, I was watching a baking contest on "The Ultimate recipe Showdown" on the Food Network where a contestant attempted a Pina Colada inspired cake... It had coconut, fresh pineapple and a generous proportion of alcohol... Now, I love Pina Coladas, but I wasn't about to feed a bunch of kids (including Aarav) alcohol -spiked cupcakes...!
So, I left out the booze and used cream cheese on the frosting instead...

Cream cheese is the easiest ingredient to use on a cupcake frosting. It works brilliantly with a citrus-y flavour and is naturally creamy...and was a nice compliment to the coconut in the cake.

This recipe makes about 25-28 cupcakes.

PART 01/02: THE CAKE

Wet Ingredients:
- 2 cups unsalted Butter, softened
- 1-1/2 cups Sugar
- 5 large Eggs @ room temperature
- 1-1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup Buttermilk
- 1/2 cup Coconut milk (thick)

Dry Ingredients:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (maida)
- 1 tsp Baking powder + 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 cup shredded Dessicated Coconut, plus an extra half cup for decorating later



Method:

1.)  Preheat your oven to 170 deg C (325 deg F). Cream the softened butter and sugar first on medium speed and then on high till light and fluffy.
Crack the eggs into the batter. One by one into the batter. Beat the batter to mix eggs after adding each addition.
Add the Vanilla extract and beat again. Set aside the bowl.

 2.) In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set this dry mix aside.In a bowl whisk together the buttermilk and coconut milk.

Mix the flour mix and buttermilk mix into the egg batter alternating each addition. i.e. add the flour + followed by the buttermilk mix + repeat flour + repeat buttermilk + add the remainder of the flour mix.

 
3.) Line a cupcake tray with paper liners. Spoon the batter into the cups and bake in an oven preheated to 170 deg C for about 25-30 mins, or till a cake tester comes out clean.







 4.) Transfer the baked cupcakes onto a wire rack and allow them to cool and come to room temperature. Bake the rest of the cupcakes and allow them to cool completely before you frost them.

PART 02 / 02: THE FROSTING

Ingredients:

1 cup Cream cheese @ room temp

2 tbsp unsalted Butter @ room temp

Grated zest + Juice of 1 medium Lime

6-7 tbsp of Icing (superfine) Sugar ( add more if you want it sweeter)

Few drops of Green apple food colouring

Method:

Cream together the cream cheese, butter till light and fluffy. Add the lime juice,  freshly grated lime zest and the green food coloring and cream again. Chill for about 30-45 minutes before using. 

DECORATING THE CUP CAKES : 

 Using a butter-knife or a flattish spoon, slather the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. 

Sprinkle on the dessicated coconut and decorate the cup cake with a slice of fresh green lime... Yum!

Refrigerate till its time to dig in! Enjoy greedily with your family, friends, or just all on your own :)