Coconut Cupcakes with Lime Buttercream

Never in a million years I thought I would make coconut cupcakes! :0   Coconut is not something I can't live without...I try to avoid them, but if it's on a plate, I'll eat it.. So back to the cupcakes, a friend, over a conversation mentioned how she loves coconut....and when she was organising her baby shower, I thought I'll make Coconut cupcakes! Don't know what I'll do without google... I googled away and lime buttercream seemed like a good choice to go with the cupcakes...

I usually do not use artificial ingredients and make everything from scratch... I guess, the only 'artificial' thing I use is red colouring when I make red velvet. I am hopeless at using fondant and I don't find the taste pleasant. So the next option was to decorate the cupcakes with flags! I got this recipe from click here and tweaked it a little...

So here's the recipe for 12 coconut cupcakes:

Cupcake

1 can                      reduced fat coconut milk (simmered until reduced to 1/2 cup stirring occasionally and cooled)

1 cup                      self-raising flour
1 1/8 tsp                 baking powder
1/4 tsp                    himalayan rock salt
1/2 cup                   caster sugar
2 large                    eggs
1/2 cup                   reduced coconut milk
1 tsp                       organic vanilla extract
1/3 cup + 1 tbsp     butter


Frosting

1/2 cup                     softened butter
1 1/4 cup                  powdered sugar
1 tsp                         organic vanilla extract
finely grated zest from 1 lime
juice from 1 lime


Method:

1. Turn oven on at 170 degree C
2. Line cupcake tray with paper liners.
3. Using a cake mixer, beat at medium speed butter and sugar for approximately 2-3 minutes.
4. Add eggs one by one and beat at medium speed.

5. Add salt and vanilla extract and mix well.
6. Into the batter, pour in half of the cooled coconut milk.
7. Sift half of the flour into the batter and mix on the lowest settings until just combined.
8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 with the remaining coconut milk and flour and sift baking powder into the batter.
9. Using an ice cream scoop, divide batter into the lined cupcake tin.
10. Bake for 18 minutes. Insert tester into the cupcakes and if it comes out clean, remove cupcakes from the oven and let cool on a rack.

Please excuse my stained cupcake tray....shows how often I use it...:P

Now for the frosting...

11. Into a clean mixer bowl, add softened butter and sift powdered sugar. Turn mixer on medium and beat well.
12. Add vanilla extract and lime juice and beat until smooth. Ensure that you do not beat too long as the butter will split. If the mixture if too soft, add more powdered sugar.
13. Fill piping bag and pipe onto cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with lime zest.



Happy trying!