Mini Coconut Cupcakes With Passion Fruit Icing Recipes

COCONUT CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.
• In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in 7 ounces of coconut.
• Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each liner to the top with batter. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.
• Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with the remaining coconut.

WINNING RECIPE MINI COCONUT CUPCAKES WITH POPPY SEED CRUST, MUSCAT RAISIN FILLING, AND PARSLEY ICING WITH TOASTED COCONUT, FLAX AND POPPY SEED TOFFEE, AND ORGANIC ROSES

Steps:

• For the toffee: Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat. Put the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. When the butter is halfway melted, add the sugar and water and cook over low heat, stirring very gently with a rubber spatula, until completely combined. Clip on a candy thermometer on to the side of the pan, turn the heat up to medium-high, and wait for the mixture to reach 300 degrees F, about 15 minutes. The mixture will start to bubble and turn brown. If the browning seems uneven, swirl the pan during the cooking process, but do not stir. Once the mixture reaches 300 degrees F, remove the pan from the heat and remove the candy thermometer. Stir in the toasted flax seeds and poppy seeds. Pour onto the prepared baking sheet, using an offset spatula to spread evenly. (This will cool quickly.) Chop by hand into small pieces.
• For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line mini cupcake pans with 48 mini cupcake liners.
• Sprinkle each cupcake liner with 2 teaspoons Toasted Flax and Poppy Seed Toffee. In the bowl of a standing mixture fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at a time, scraping the bowl after each addition. Add the coconut extract and coconut flakes. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Alternate folding the coconut milk and flour mixture into the butter mixture. Fill the cupcake liners three-quarters of the way and bake for 11 minutes. Cool.
• To assemble: When the cupcakes are cool to the touch, use an apple corer to make a hole in the center of each cupcake (be careful not to go to the bottom of the cupcake and tear the paper). Put the Muscat Raisin Filling in a pastry bag, snip the end, and fill each cupcake to the top of the hole. Pipe the Parsley Icing high on the tops of each cupcake. Decorate the sides of the cupcakes with toasted coconut. Arrange a few rose petals in a circle on the tops of the cupcakes and fill the middle with additional Toasted Flax Seed and Poppy Seed Toffee.
• Combine the milk and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat to dissolve the sugar. Add the raisins and continue to cook for 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Pour onto a half sheet tray and place in the refrigerator to cool. Combine the raisin mixture and toasted coconut by hand.
• For the puree: Rinse and pat dry the parsley. Bloom the gelatin in the warm water. Trim the bottom 2 inches from the parsley and add the remaining parsley to a blender. Add the bloomed gelatin and cold water and blend until smooth. It should hold a slight peak and be bright green (you may need to add a couple extra tablespoons of water). Transfer the mixture to a baking sheet and cool quickly in the refrigerator.
• For the icing: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and salt on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the confectioners' sugar in 1/2-cup additions until fully mixed. Add the vanilla. Fold in the finely chopped toffee. Remove the parsley puree from the refrigerator and mix into the icing. Transfer the icing to a large pastry bag fitted with a large fluted star tip. Return to the refrigerator to keep firm.

VANILLA BEAN-COCONUT CUPCAKES WITH COCONUT FROSTING

Steps:

• For reduced coconut milk:
• Bring coconut milk to boil in large deep saucepan over medium-high heat (coconut milk will boil up high in pan). Reduce heat to mediumlow; 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). DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.
• For cupcakes:
• Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Line eighteen 1/3-cup muffin cups with paper liners. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, 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.
• For frosting:
• Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar, 1/3 cup reduced coconut milk, seeds from vanilla bean, and salt. Beat on medium-low speed until blended, scraping down sides of bowl. Increase to mediumhigh and beat until light and fluffy.
• Using pastry bag fitted with large star tip, pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes. (Alternatively, top each cupcake with 2 tablespoons frosting. Using small offset spatula, swirl frosting over top of cupcakes, leaving 1/2-inch plain border.) Sprinkle with coconut. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Store in airtight containers; chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.
• Available at many supermarkets and at Indian, Southeast Asian, and Latin markets.