Tinkerbell Coconut Cupcakes

Tomorrow is Paige's birthday. It will round out birthday month in our house. We've decided to let our kids have 'friend' birthday parties at certain ages. This year Paige turns seven, so on Saturday she had her first birthday party with friends. The theme was Tinkerbell and she asked for coconut cupcakes. I turned to one of my favorite recipe books 'The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook'

and found the most delicious recipe I've ever tried for coconut cake...

Coconut Layer Cake

5 large egg whites, room temperature

3/4 c. cream of coconut

1/4 c. water

1 large egg, room temperature

1 tsp. coconut extract

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 1/4 c. cake flour

1 c. sugar

1 T. baking powder

3/4 t. salt

12 T. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 12 pieces

Preheat oven to 325F. Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans, then line the bottoms with parchment paper. Whisk the egg whites, cream of coconut, water, whole egg, and extracts together in a large bowl until combined and set aside.

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Beat in the butter, one piece at a time, with an electric mixer on low speed until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, 2-5 min.

Add 1 cup of the egg mixture, increasing speed to medium-high, and beat until light and fluffy, about 45 seconds. Add the remaining egg mixture in a steady stream and continue to beat until the batter is combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl and beaters as needed.

Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake 30-35 minutes.

Frost with coconut frosting and top with 2 c. toasted coconut.

Coconut Frosting

2 T. heavy cream

1 t. coconut extract

1 t. vanilla extract

pinch salt

16 T. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1/4 c. cream of coconut

3 c. powdered sugar

Stir the cream, extracts, and salt together. Beat the butter and cream of coconut until smooth. Add the sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in the cream mixture and mix until light and fluffy.