Creamy Coconut Cupcakes Recipe

Today's classic cupcake recipe is for an elegant little cake of a white cupcake sponge base topped with a cream cheese icing and coconut flakes.

A must-bake for anyone who loves coconut and who loves cupcakes!

Creamy Coconut Cupcakes

Serves: 12

Ingredients:

100g (3 1/2 oz) butter, softened
25g (1 oz) creamed coconut
125g (4 oz) caster sugar
2 eggs
125g (4 oz) self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
25g (1 oz) desiccated coconut
finely-grated zest of 1 lime
2 tbsp milk

For the Topping:

150g (5 oz) cream cheese
50g (2 oz) icing sugar, sifted
1 tsp fresh lime juice
40g (1 1/2 oz) coconut shavings

Method:

Cream together the butter, creamed coconut and sugar in a bowl until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly to combine after each addition. Sift together the flour and baking powder into the mixture and fold to combine. Now stir in the desiccate coconut and lime zest, followed by the milk.

Line the wells of a 12-hole muffin tin with silicone or paper cupcake cases then spoon in the cake batter, filling them no more than 2/3 full. Transfer to an oven pre-heated to 180ºC (350ºF, Gas Mark 4) and bake for between 15 and 20 minutes, or until a cocktail stick inserted into the centre emerges cleanly. Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the icing, beat together the cream cheese, sugar and lime juice in a bowl. Swirl this frosting over the top of the cakes then sprinkle over the coconut shavings in a thick layer on top.