It has been a long, long time since I made a fun cupcake. My two cupcake cookbooks are in storage, so it was time to get creative. I dusted of my Joy of Cooking book and started with the buttermilk cake recipe and went from there.
Triple C Cupcakes
The three C's are Coconut, Chocolate chip and Creamy frosting, making this cupcake super crazy awesome. A moist chocolate chip buttermilk cake injected with melted chocolate and topped with coconut vanilla buttercream frosting makes this cupcake an irresistible treat.
Chocolate Chip Cake batter: 2 bowls
Bowl 1: Combine...
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (or 2 1/2 cups cake flour)
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1 cup white sugar
Pinch of salt
Bowl 2: Combine...
1 cup buttermilk
1 stick softened (not melted) butter
3 eggs
1 t. vanilla extract
1 t. almond extract
2/3 cup shredded coconut (I broke this down into smaller bits in the food processor...up to you.)
Preheat the oven to 350 and line/spray 24 muffin cups.
Using a mixer (or your beefy forearms), combine the dry into the wet ingredients. Blend on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, or until the batter is smooth. Add in 1 cup of chocolate chips (I chopped 'em a little to go farther and to prevent them from dropping to the bottom of the cupcakes while baking.).
Bake for 13 minutes. Remove them from the pan after a minute of cooling and let them continue to cool on a wire rack.
Coconut Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
1 1/2 sticks of softened butter (I know, Paula Dean is so loving this recipe!)
1 t. almond extract
Zest of one lemon
1 pound powdered sugar (1/2 of a medium bag)
1 cup shredded coconut
In a mixer (or using bulging aching forearms and a whisk), blend butter for a few minutes, to get it nice and fluffy. Add almond extract and zest. Slowly add sugar, little by little. After a couple of minutes of blending, add the coconut.
Chocolate Middle (1 1/2 cups chocolate chips)
Easiest step...1 1/2 cups chocolate chips in a microwave-safe dish. Heat in 30-second increments in the microwave, stirring until all chips are melted.
Assembling the cupcake (1/2 cup shredded coconut)
When the cupcakes are cool (or not hot--I'm so impatient), core out a small circle, about 1/2 inch in diameter. Spoon the melted chocolate into the small hole. Repeat in each cupcake and let chocolate cool for 5-10 minutes.
Using a teaspoon (trust me) or a fancy tiny pastry spatula, spread 2 TB worth of frosting over the top of each cupcake.
Top with a button-sized drop of melted chocolate and a sprinkling of coconut.
Step back and gaze at how Suzy Homemaker you are! Then devour at least two (you earned it...).
Note: In the top photo of the single cupcake, I cut the cake in half horizontally and spread a layer of melted chocolate in between layers. This was messy, TOO sweet and coring out the top was better for me. However, this is an option if you like!!
WONDER why I decided to make these? Why I would torture myself with buttery-baked happiness (and not a vegan alternative)?? Lent, my friends! I've never given up anything for Lent, so this year I'm going to cut out sweets (except for fresh fruit). 40 days of no cookies, cakes, or cinnamon rolls. Cutting out my main indulgences (except for Real Housewives) will give me time to be still and connect...and get a little healthier. Wish me luck.
Hope your week is happy, fun, and completely FULLfilling.
Happy eating!
Laurel
Triple C Cupcakes
The three C's are Coconut, Chocolate chip and Creamy frosting, making this cupcake super crazy awesome. A moist chocolate chip buttermilk cake injected with melted chocolate and topped with coconut vanilla buttercream frosting makes this cupcake an irresistible treat.
Chocolate Chip Cake batter: 2 bowls
Bowl 1: Combine...2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (or 2 1/2 cups cake flour)
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1 cup white sugar
Pinch of salt
Bowl 2: Combine...
1 cup buttermilk
1 stick softened (not melted) butter
3 eggs
1 t. vanilla extract
1 t. almond extract
2/3 cup shredded coconut (I broke this down into smaller bits in the food processor...up to you.)
Preheat the oven to 350 and line/spray 24 muffin cups.
Using a mixer (or your beefy forearms), combine the dry into the wet ingredients. Blend on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, or until the batter is smooth. Add in 1 cup of chocolate chips (I chopped 'em a little to go farther and to prevent them from dropping to the bottom of the cupcakes while baking.).
Bake for 13 minutes. Remove them from the pan after a minute of cooling and let them continue to cool on a wire rack.
Coconut Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
1 1/2 sticks of softened butter (I know, Paula Dean is so loving this recipe!)
1 t. almond extract
Zest of one lemon
1 pound powdered sugar (1/2 of a medium bag)
1 cup shredded coconut
In a mixer (or using bulging aching forearms and a whisk), blend butter for a few minutes, to get it nice and fluffy. Add almond extract and zest. Slowly add sugar, little by little. After a couple of minutes of blending, add the coconut.
Chocolate Middle (1 1/2 cups chocolate chips)
Easiest step...1 1/2 cups chocolate chips in a microwave-safe dish. Heat in 30-second increments in the microwave, stirring until all chips are melted.
Assembling the cupcake (1/2 cup shredded coconut)
When the cupcakes are cool (or not hot--I'm so impatient), core out a small circle, about 1/2 inch in diameter. Spoon the melted chocolate into the small hole. Repeat in each cupcake and let chocolate cool for 5-10 minutes.
Using a teaspoon (trust me) or a fancy tiny pastry spatula, spread 2 TB worth of frosting over the top of each cupcake.
Top with a button-sized drop of melted chocolate and a sprinkling of coconut.
Step back and gaze at how Suzy Homemaker you are! Then devour at least two (you earned it...).
Note: In the top photo of the single cupcake, I cut the cake in half horizontally and spread a layer of melted chocolate in between layers. This was messy, TOO sweet and coring out the top was better for me. However, this is an option if you like!!
WONDER why I decided to make these? Why I would torture myself with buttery-baked happiness (and not a vegan alternative)?? Lent, my friends! I've never given up anything for Lent, so this year I'm going to cut out sweets (except for fresh fruit). 40 days of no cookies, cakes, or cinnamon rolls. Cutting out my main indulgences (except for Real Housewives) will give me time to be still and connect...and get a little healthier. Wish me luck.
Hope your week is happy, fun, and completely FULLfilling.
Happy eating!
Laurel
Oh my goodness, these look so, so fantastic! I'm thinking its time for me to make some cupcakes!!
ReplyDeleteI recently discovered how delicious coconut and chocolate is together! These are delectable!
ReplyDelete