Coconut Cupcakes With White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Bev's Note:

As adults we expect more. These are not your ordinary cupcakes. This cupcake supplies more flavor per bite. Using the coconut milk (DO NOT use Cream of coconut), instead of whole milk will help to intensify the flavor. This recipe comes from Cuisine at Home. Enjoy!

• Total Time: 1 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 1 hrs
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 12 cupcakes

For the Cupcakes

• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon table salt
• 3 large egg whites
• ¾ cup coconut milk or ¾ cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• ¾ cup sugar
• ½ cup unsalted butter , room temperature (1 stick)
• 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Frosting

• 8 ounces cream cheese , room temperature (do not use nonfat)
• ½ cup unsalted butter , room temperature (1 stick)
• 2 ounces white chocolate , melted
• ½ lime, juice of
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 ½ cups sweetened flaked coconut (for topping)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Line a regular sized muffin tin with cupcake papers.
3. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.
4. In a measuring cup combine egg whites, coconut milk and extracts.
5. Cream together sugar and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed.
6. Blend until butter lightens in color and texture, 4 minutes.
7. Alternately add dry and wet ingredients, starting and ending with dry, in 3 additions.
8. Fold in coconut using a rubber spatula.
9. Scoop batter into prepared tin, filling each about 3/4 full.
10. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 25-30 minutes.
11. Cool in the pan 5 minutes; remove completely.
12. For frosting, beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until smooth.
13. Add melted white chocolate and lime juice; beat to blend.
14. Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth (it will be gooey).
15. Spread 3 Tbsp frosting on each cupcake.
16. Top cupcakes with coconut.

Reviews

[ebburtis]

Best cupcakes ever! My tins must have been a bit smaller as I got 15 muffins from the recipe. Definitely use the coconut milk! I cut back on the icing because the recipe seemed like it would make too much, so I used 6 oz of cream cheese, 1/4 c butter, 1 c powdered sugar, juice of a whole lime and 2 oz white chocolate. I really liked it with the lime flavor jacked up a bit in the frosting.

[Chef Navidad]

Lovely cupcakes. They filled the house with a lovely smell. My husband who doesn't eat cake (believe it or not people like this exist!) wanted to try one - and asked for another. I didn't do the frosting though cause I made them for my daughter to take to school. She sprinkled vermicelli on top though.

[DDW]

LOVE these cupcakes!!! The cake has a great, light coconut flavor - it is dense but for me it made them feel more decadent and "adult" It would be key to watch them closely to make sure and over bake them. I used the pure convection setting on my oven (if you have convection) and they baked perfectly. The frosting is AMAZING!! Made it as is but substituted Lindt White Chocolate with coconut. I don't know that it added that much more coconut flavor but it literally was the only white chocolate the store. My batch made 14 cupcakes and I put about 2 heaping tablespoons on each and came out with just a little bit of frosting left over, my husband will be excited to eat that leftover. I think the amount of frosting on them is what makes them look so enticing and definitely like something from a fancy cupcake bakery. So glad I ran across this recipe - it's a winner. Thanks Bev!!