Vanilla Bean-Coconut Cupcakes with Coconut Frosting
For the past few weeks, I’ve been eyeing this Vanilla Bean-Coconut Cupcakes with Coconut Frosting recipe on my favorite food site, Epicurious.com. Vanilla and coconut, what could be more Polynesian than that?
I failed to tackle this recipe over Labor Day weekend (made 2.5 pounds of lobster salad instead), and failed again last weekend (went to the Bronx Zoo to practice wildlife photography). Finally this weekend, I mustered up the time and energy to bake.
It’s been a long time since I’ve made cupcakes, but all in all these ones turned out quite well.
The cake part is delicious, moist and slightly sweet. The frosting is tasty too, but together with the cake the sweetness can get pretty cloying. The toasted coconut flakes add the perfect final touch, both in appearance and by adding some nice texture to each bite. Take it from me – I normally shun coconut flakes and even I was sprinkling extra onto my cupcake.
Would I make these again? Sure, but I’d have to have a really big sweet tooth to do it. With a 4 fork rating for this recipe from Epicurious.com, it’s clear a lot of people like their sweets!
Vanilla Bean-Coconut Cupcakes with Coconut Frosting
Adapted from Bon Appétit, April 2009
Yield: 18 cupcakes
Reduced coconut milk:
2 13-to 14-ounce cans unsweetened coconut milk
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 (see above), room temperature
Frosting:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup reduced coconut milk (see above), room temperature
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)
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, 45 to 60 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.
Tip #1: I’ve never mastered the art of frosting using pastry bags and star tips. Today was not the day to learn new techniques, so I frosted my cupcakes using a simple ziploc bag with one corner clipped off (thanks Alton Brown) and a steady hand.
Tip #2: If you’ve never toasted coconut before, here’s how to do it. Set your oven to 300 degrees. Place the coconut in 1 layer and bake for about 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Take it from me – keep a close eye on your coconut or it will burn!