DEBUT CUPCAKES

My niece celebrated her debut last Friday, February 22, 2013.   Choose to celebrate her debut in a simple and memorable one, held in Lunar St., GSIS Village Matina, Davao City.(story HERE)

It was a nice gesture to start her year with simplicity, young, and vibrant.

Just like here DEBUT CUPCAKES made by my friend, Margaret.  Very Simple, young and vibrant in their pink and white icing with edible beads and different color of stars candy.

Margaret owns CAKELINE located near Mabini Public Market, fronting Rodriguez Mini-Park, Blvd.,Davao City.

Chocolate Coconut Cupcakes

photo credit: cafemama via photopin cc

Author: Carla Cardello (www.chocolatemoosey.com)

Serves: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes

• 1 oz bittersweet chocolate
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 2/3 cup hot coffee
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1 1/3 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 10 Tbsp butter, softened and cut into cubes
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla

Filling

• 3/4 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 2 1/2 cups shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup chopped almonds
• 1 tsp vanilla

Frosting

• 3/4 cup coconut milk
• 1 Tbsp flour
• 3/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup superfine sugar
• 1/4 tsp coconut extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325F. For the filling, place the coconut onto a baking sheet. Toast in 5 minute increments until brown. Set aside. Reserve 1/2 cup for garnish.
2. Meanwhile for the cupcakes, line two cupcake pans with paper liners. In a medium heatproof bowl, combine the chocolate and cocoa powder. Pour in hot coffee and whisk until smooth. Whisk in milk. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugars until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, then beat in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the chocolate mixture. Divide the batter into the paper liners and bake 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for a few minutes then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to finish cooling.
5. For the filling, in a medium saucepan, whisk together the milk, sugar and flour until blended. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook for about 5 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Remove from the heat. Stir in remaining 2 cups coconut, almonds, and vanilla. Allow it to cool until room temperature.
6. For the frosting, in a small saucepan, whisk together the milk and flour. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook for about 5 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat and allow it to cool until room temperature. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the milk mixture and coconut extract, beating on high speed until it is the texture of whipped cream.
7. To assemble, cut a hole out of each cupcake middle, being careful not to cut all the way through. Fill it with the coconut-almond mixture and top with some of the cake you just cut out. Frost to cover the hole and garnish with toasted coconut.

Nothing could be better than a chocolate coconut cupcake topped with marshmallow frosting, or maybe one topped with candies or ganache.