Growing up I never really liked anything with coconut and preferred dark chocolate over white chocolate, but lately I have found that I am craving both flavours more and more. Late one night, when my cravings usually take over, I was inspired to create a white chocolate coconut cupcake. The original recipe for the coconut cupcake is from Bon Appetit but I have modified it to my own liking. It is so good that I think I ate almost half of them before I even had the chance to frost them!
Coconut Cupcake:
2 cans coconut milk
2 c all-purpose flour
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c butter
1 1/3 c sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
Seeds from 1 vanilla bean (or another 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract)
1 tbsp Malibu coconut rum (optional)
1. In a large pot, bring coconut milk to a boil over medium-high heat then reduce to medium-low heat.
2. Reduce coconut milk to 1 cup.
3. Transfer reduced coconut milk to a container and cool completely.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F.
5. Cream the butter until smooth then beat in the sugar until fluffy.
6. Add 2 eggs, mixing well after each addition.
7. Add vanilla extract and seeds from vanilla bean and mix well, then add the last egg.
8. Add 1 cup of the flour, the baking powder and salt and mix until just combined.
9. Add cooled, reduced coconut milk and mix well to incorporate.
10. Add second cup of flour and mix until just combined.
11. Portion batter into prepared muffin tins.
12. Bake for 15-20 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.
13. Cool completely before frosting.
Whipped White Chocolate Frosting
1 c whipping cream
3 c chopped white chocolate
1. Using a double boiler, heat cream and chocolate over boiling water. Stir until white chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is completely smooth.
2. Cool mixture completely.
3. Using the whisk attachment of an electric mixer, whip white chocolate mixture until it forms stiff peaks and can hold its shape.
