Coconut Cupcakes

Ok, I think I have made you wait long enough, sorry it has taken me longer than expected.

These recipes are based on Coconut Marshmallow Clouds from The Crabapple Bakery Cookbook, the cupcake batter smells and tastes absolutely scrummy, and the house smells like you are living on a coconut palm covered pacific island.

Coconut Cakes

makes 24, keeps 3 days, freezes 2 months

3/4 cups shredded coconut

2 1/3 cups plain flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

3 eggs

3 egg whites, extra

200g softened unsalted butter

1 3/4 castor sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cup coconut milk (I used coconut cream)

Preheat oven to 170oC. Line two 12-hole muffin tins with cupcake papers.

Cupcaketastic tip: litely grease the top of your tin, it will make it easier to get cupcakes out if you have overfilled the papers.

Using an electric food processor, process the coconut until very fine - about 3 to 4 minutes. Add coconut to a bowl with sifted flour, salt and baking powder. Mix until evenly combined.

In a separate bowl combine eggs and egg whites. Do not beat.

In another bowl, cream butter and sugar until mixture is light and fluffy and the sugar has almost dissolved.

Add the eggs a quarter at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition or until mixture is light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.

Add a third of the flour mixture and beat a low speed until combined. Add a third of the coconut milk and beat a low speed until combined. Repeat until all of the flour and coconut is added, do not over beat as this will toughen the mixture.

Spoon mixture into cupcake papers, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake for 18 minutes or until a fine skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from the trays immediately and cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes before frosting.

Marshmallow Frosting

Makes enough frosting for 24 cupcakes, Does not keep, use immediately

3 egg whites

480g white sugar

3 teaspoons light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

150ml water

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Food colouring

In a metal bowl combine the egg whites, sugar, corn syrup, cream of tartar and water. Place bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water) and beat continuously with a hand-held electric mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy and forms soft peaks. Take the bowl off the heat and add the vanilla and a few drops of desired food colouring. Whisk the mixture until it forms stiff peaks.

This is word for word from the book, I actually find this not enough information for novice bakers experiencing marshmallow frosting for the first time. Having made marshmallow frostings before I was concerned that there is no advised temp to reach, normally beating for 12 minutes is the go or reaching a Temp of 160oF on a candy thermometer. But i made the frosting as instructed above to see the result. It never came to stiff peak, but it was firm enough to pipe and hold its shape. It remained very soft, had a lovely shine, but didn't form a crust (as far as I know). It maybe the addition of the corn syrup that assists in the shine.

I'd like to hear about how you all went with this recipe.