Recipe: Ina Garten's Coconut Cupcakes
A delicious treat from the host of "Barefoot Contessa."
Reprinted from "The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook." Copyright © 1999 by Ina Garten. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Random House LLC.
Coconut Cupcakes
Makes 18 to 20 large cupcakes
Ingredients:
3/4 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
2 cups sugar
5 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1½ teaspoons pure almond extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk
14 ounces sweetened, shredded coconut
Cream Cheese Icing (recipe follows)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer running on low, add the eggs one 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 three 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. Frost with cream cheese icing and sprinkle with the remaining coconut.
Cream Cheese Icing
For 18 to 20 large cupcakes
Ingredients:
1 pound cream cheese at room temperature
3/4 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon pure almond extract
1½ pounds confectioners' sugar, sifted
Directions:
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, blend together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.
For more info:
- "The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook" by Ina Garten (Clarkson Potter). Also available in eBook format
- barefootcontessa.com
- Follow Ina Garten on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest
- "Barefoot Contessa" (Food Network)