Coconut Cupcakes {Bird Nest Cupcakes}

I am on a coconut kick lately. Last week, I made this coconut almond cake and I loved the flavor combination however, it wasn't coconut-y enough. So when my mother-in-law suggested I bring dessert to Easter dinner, my first thought was to make another coconut cake!

I started with a coconut cake recipe from Martha Stewart, grabbed some pastel speckled eggs and some sweetened coconut shavings. The recipe used cream of coconut, which is thicker than coconut milk and gives the cake a very coconut-y (Is that even a word?) flavor.

For the frosting, I made a coconut variation of my go-to SMB with an addition of coconut cream. I got two new cake stands this week (I have a problem, I know) and I was so excited to use them that I forgot to take the sticker off this one (whooops!).

 

To make the 'nest', I used Wilton tip 1M to pipe the frosting. Dusted with sweetened toasted flaked coconut and topped with the speckled 'eggs'. 

The cupcakes were very delicious and were a big hit at dinner. The frosting was a tad too sweet for me, so next time I might cut back on the coconut cream a bit or use unsweetened coconut flakes.

Happy Easter!

 

Coconut Cake

Recipe:  Adapted from Martha Stewart

Yields about 20 cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
• 1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder, preferably aluminum free
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
• ½ cup cream of coconut, such as Coco Lopez
• 1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoons pure almond extract
• 1 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature

Directions

1. Preheat oven with a rack set in the lower third. Line two muffin tins with cupcake wrappers
2. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cardamom; set aside. In a large measuring cup or a small bowl, stir together cream of coconut, ¼ cup water, vanilla, and almond extract.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary.
4. With the mixer on low, add flour mixture in thirds, alternating with the cream of coconut mixture and beginning and ending with the flour. Mix just until combined, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary.
5. Spoon batter into lined cupcake tins. Transfer to oven and bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 2-3 minutes; remove from pans and transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Coconut Meringue Buttercream

Makes 5 cups

Ingredients

• 6 large egg whites
• 1 ¼ cups sugar
• 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into tablespoons
• ¼ cup cream of coconut

Directions

1. Wipe down the bowl of an electric mixer with lemon juice or vinegar to remove all traces of grease.
2. In the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer set over a saucepan of simmering water, combine egg whites and sugar. Cook, whisking constantly, until sugar has dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch (about 160 degrees), 3-4 minutes.
3. Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat the egg-white mixture on high speed until it holds stiff (but not dry) peaks. Continue beating until the mixture is fluffy and cooled, about 10 minutes.

4.     Switch to the paddle attachment. With mixer on medium-low speed, add butter several tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition. (If frosting appears to separate after all the butter has been added, beat on medium-high speed until smooth again, 3 to 5 minutes more.) Beat in cream of coconut. Beat on lowest speed to eliminate any air bubbles, about