Coconut Cupcakes

I have been craving Coconut Cake for months! I mean, MONTHS! But, ironically, I don't know if I've ever tasted a coconut cake in my life. However, the words coconut & cake together left me salivating.

I finally gave up on the idea of going to a restaurant that I heard serves the best coconut cake, and decided I would whip something up myself. After much research, I decided to settle with some coconut cupcakes (because cupcakes are much easier to share, and who doesn't like a reason to go visit with friends)!

I settled on a recipe from Tender Crumb and was utterly impressed with these! Like, super in LOVE with them. I followed the directions explicitly, and they are just so delicious.

Oh, and I can't forget to mention that I used my dry milk to create the buttermilk. In case you have dry milk food storage you want to start digging into, here are the measurements for buttermilk: 1/3 cup dry milk mixed with 1 cup water. Then add a tablespoon of either lemon juice or vinegar and let it set for a few minutes.

Here is the recipe copied straight from Tender Crumb blog. However, these photos are from my very own kitchen! Salivating yet?

Coconut Cupcakes
adapted from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook
makes 12-15 cupcakes

Cupcakes

6 oz (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 tsp almond extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
3 oz shredded sweetened coconut
toasted shredded coconut to top the cupcakes

Frosting

8 oz cream cheese at room temperature
6 oz unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/2 lb powdered sugar, sifted


Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 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 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in 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.

Meanwhile, make the frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.

Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with the toasted coconut.

Jello Cake

I know that I've been posting a lot lately but I findthis fun to share recipes with everyone!! Here is another of my favorite cakes!!

1 yellow or white cake mix
6 oz. pkg. of jello
4 eggs
3/4 c. water
3/4 c. oil
2 c. powdered sugar
Lemon jucie

Combine cake mix, Jello, eggs, water, and oil. Pour into greased 9X13 pan. Bake at 350 for 30-35 min. Mix powdered suger and enough lemon jucie to make a smooth glaze. Immediatley after removing cake from oven, use a fork to poke holes all over it. Pour glaze over entire cake. Let cool before serving.

The picture just doesn't do it justice!!

Texas Sheet Cake

This is my Moms recipe but it is the best cake ever so I'd thought that I'd share it. I know Diana will love it!!

2 c. Flour
2 c. Sugar
1 c. Butter or Margarine
1/4 c. Unsweetened Cocoa
1 c. Water
1/2 c. Buttermilk or Sour Milk
1 tsp. Baking Soda
2 Eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla

Mix flour and sugar in a large bowl and set aside
Bring butter, cocoa, and water to a boil. Pour hot mixture over flour and sugar. Mix until well blended. Add milk, soda, eggs, and vanilla and beat until well mixed. Pour batter onto a large cookie sheet with edges and bake at 350 for about 20. Frost while still hot.
HINT: Add 1 tbl. Vinegar to 1/2 c. Milk to make it sour! Easier than buying buttermilk!!!

Frosting:

1/2 c. Butter or Margarine
1/4 c. Unsweetened cocoa
5 tbl. Milk
1 tsp. Vanilla
4 c. Powder Sugar

Mix butter, cocoa, milk, and vanilla in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and beat in the powdered sugar. This is not as thick as regular frosting. Spread over warm cake.
Enjoy!!!

Triple-Chocolate Cherry Cake

1 box chocolate fudge cake mix
1 can (21oz) cherry pie filling
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 bag (12 oz) miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1 container whipped chocolate frosting (or you can use coolwhip with instant chocolate pudding)

1.Heat Oven to 350 degrees. (325 for dark/nonstick) Grease and flour, or spray with baking spray.
2. In large bowl, gently mix dry cake mix, pie filling, eggs, and chocolate chips with rubber scraper. Break up any undissolved cake mix. Carefully spread in pan.
3. Bake 15x10x1 inch pan 25-30 minutes. 13x9 pan 35-40 minutes, or until toothpick inswerted in center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Frost with frosting if desired.

Yum!

Mini Moltens

It only seems appropriate to share my all time favorite recipe as the first post on here.* 1/2 Stick unsalted butter at room temperature
* 1/2 Cup sugar
* 12 ounces of bittersweet chocolate
* 4 Large eggs
* 1/3 Cup flour
* 1 Teaspoon vanilla
* 1 pinch of salt
* 6 ramekins (ceramic molds) approx. 6-ounces in size, lined with parchment paper

1) Prepare the ramekins that you'll bake the moltens in: butter them and line the bottom with parchment. This step will insure that the moltens will ease out of the ramekin molds after baking.

2) To start melt the chocolate because it needs a chance to cool before you add it to the rest of the ingredients. To melt the chocolate start by boiling a pot that has about 3-4 inches of water in it - you want there to be enough water so that it won't evaporate quickly but you also want to be able to rest a glass or metal bowl over the pot without the bottom of the bowl coming in direct contact with the water. The idea is to melt the chocolate with indirect heat, i.e. the steam from the water. Once the water comes to a boil turn down the heat to medium and place a glass or metal bowl over it and add the chocolate to the bowl. If using bars of chocolate break them into small pieces so that they will melt faster. Once the chocolate melts take off the heat and and allow to cool. I find Ghirardelli's bittersweet chocolate works well in this recipe and their bars come in 4 oz. size so you need exactly 3 of them.

3) Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl while the chocolate cools, just use a spoon to stir them together until totally incorporated. Then add one egg at a time and beat into the mixture. Once you've added all 4 eggs add a pinch of salt and the vanilla extract. The next step is adding the flour. And finally, mix in the melted chocolate.

4) Fill the ramekins with the batter evenly. You can either cover them with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you're ready to bake them or you can bake them immediately. If you cook them immediately bake for 10-12 minutes at 400F. If refrigerating them bake for 12-14 minutes at 400F. I recommend serving with your favorite vanilla ice cream.

Note: To more easily remove the moltens from their ramekins after they've baked, gently slide a knife around them to loosen and flip onto a plate.