Adapted from "Little Cakes from the Whimsical Bakehouse"
Note: I used mini paper cups to bake these cupcakes. The recipe yielded 36 mini cupcakes. You can also make 12 regular-sized cupcakes. Be sure to grease a muffin tin and line with cupcake liners if you’re making the regular-sized ones. I used a buttercream recipe from the book but I didn’t adapt it in any way so I’m not going to post it here. For a really good buttercream recipe, try this one.
Ingredients:
1-1/2 (12 tbsp.) sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon coconut extract
1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup dulce de leche
Method:
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Line paper cups on a baking sheet. Place a dollop of dulce de leche in the bottom of each paper cup. Set aside.
In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar for 3 minutes. The mixture should be pale and fluffy.
With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add the coconut extract and mix well.
Add the dry ingredients to the mixture in three stages, alternating with the buttermilk in between each stage.
Be sure to scrape down the bowl to ensure that the batter is well mixed.
Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir in the coconut.
Spoon the batter into the waiting paper cups. They should be halfway to three-quarters of the way full.
Bake for 20 minutes and check for doneness. If a cake tester doesn’t come out clean, bake for a few more minutes.
Remove the mini cupcakes to a wire rack and let cool completely before frosting.
-- Originally published on Ivonne Mellozzi's blog Cream Puffs in Venice.