Monday, July 27, 2009

Coconuts…..

I can’t get enough of them…

hanging and ripening in the trees…

Olinda1_093

The epitome of tropical.

inside…

bamboos7

And out…

coco

But best in a sweet cupcake…..

coconutcupcake2

Coconut cupcakes…a la Ina Garten

  • 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 5 extra-large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 14 ounces sweetened, shredded coconut
For the frosting:
  • 1 pound cream cheese at room temperature
  • 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
  • 1 1/2 pounds confectioners' sugar, sifted

Directions

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, about 5 minutes. 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 7 ounces of 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, on low speed, 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 remaining coconut

What a heavenly fruit

Ambrosia of the Gods.

Yes indeedy!

52 comments:

Natalia said...

I'm a coconut-aholic!

This post is...DELISH! :D

The other day I realized I was drinking a pina colada rimmed with coconut, while eating coconut shrimp, and smelling like coconut tanning oil. Heaven on earth!

anita said...

"i'm about to lose my coconuts" has
become my newest replacement phrase since spongebob moved in..get what i'm saying gary?

so i'm lovin all things coconut too!

Denise Vakili Fine Art said...

Of course you had to post this today, my first day of the P90X workout that won't allow me to eat them. This is complete torture, because I'm a coconut freak!

MissBliss said...

Lovely!!! Their presence here in Miami makes me happy all the time, too! The landscapers sliced some open for us to drink recently... heavenly!

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

Those are indeed the best cupcakes! I make them frequently. They can also be turned into a huge and amazing coconut cake!!

Oh, and coconut pie...I do love that also!!

Maya@Completely Coastal said...

And they do fall off the trees too..., has anyone ever been hit!

square kitchen said...

Nice post. I guess you like the picture with the tree shaken by the wind. I've seen this picture already a couple of times on your blog. I like it too. just one question... a translation thing. baking soda is for you just baking powder or baking powder with Natriumbikarbonat?

Chic Coles said...

I LOVE Ina Garten's coconut cupcakes! So yummy. Thanks for the recipe, I would love to make them!!

Mango Gal said...

These coconut cupcakes look amazing! Oh my goodness my stomach is growling.

Suzanne said...

Yummmm...if it's coconut, I love it!

Stereos and Souffles said...

My fav is coconut shrimp...yum.

Style Odyssey said...

yum!
you're not going to believe this, but here in the BVI- and i suspect other caribbean territories- coconut isn't widely used in local recipes. odd, isn't it? the coconut water and coconut milk are, however, frequently used in rum drinks. maybe using the "meat" is too much trouble, i don't know...
anyway, the recipe looks delish!

Farmgirl Paints said...

Oh I'm going to have to try that recipe. I love coconut...the smell is pure heaven.

Anonymous said...

I wish I loved coconut, I just don't...but I saw them first time ever growing on trees on my cruise trip this past winter.

Love your pictures!☼

Sixpence and A Blue Moon said...

YUMMY! I love anything coconut, any way it can be fixed. I'm loving that centerpiece, so cool!

Beautiful post, as always.

xoxo

Deviant Deziner, aka Michelle said...

CoConut cake has a warm creamy spot in my heart.
I made one for my favorite man in my life, my grandfather when I was 10 years old.
I got the recipe out of a Betty Crocker cookbook that my grandmother gave to my mom as a wedding present. ( no preconceived ideas there! )
I still have that cook book and recipe, along with my 10 year old hand written notes next to the recipe.

It was the first cake I baked all by myself and I remember that my grandfather was totally smitten with it.

blushing rose said...

Going to be made here shortly! How tropical ... TTFN ~Marydon

Kathy said...

I love coconut! You can be sure I will be trying that recipe!

Renae Moore said...

Oh my goodness that cupcake looks so yummy! Bring some over would ya?
Blessings...

Ivy Lane said...

Gotta love anything "a la ina garten"!!!! YUMMMM

Renée Finberg said...

this looks so yummy.
i am just starting my diet ...again.

i will save the recipe.
xx

Karen Deborah said...

you just kill me with this stuff. I love coconuts to look at and to eat. i have am amazing butternut squash soup recipe with coconut milk in it. Love the cake, drools on keyboard. computer blows up.

Antoinette Seminario-Skinner said...

My best friend's wedding cake was made from this AMAZING recipe- I actually tried to take a piece of it on the plane with me. Unfortunately I ate it before I got there. Sinfully delightful.
I have been following your blog for a while- the name got my attention. I am a Florida girl trapped elsewhere...counting down until we can move back down there. Even if I never read anything you wrote, I come back every day to dream of home (and beautiful places) with your pictures. Thanks so much for sharing...

square kitchen said...

I dont know. We never use soda in this context. We have the all purpose baking powder (Backpulver) and we have something called baking agent (or leaven?) and this contains for us cream of tatar and natron. just for understand your recipe... cause it sounds so good as I want to try :-)

Ann said...

Hmmm... the tree of life.
There is something about the coconut tree that's so calming and relaxing, probably they are found in the tropics, but they really makes a place dreamy.

Thanks for the recipe.

A Seaside House said...

These delicious coconut cupcakes makes me wanna bake today:)

Have a great day!

~Bry~ said...

Oh, Yummy! That just made my morning!

Susan Lang @ Designing Your Dream Home said...

Yummm! Those look delicious! August 1st is the date I set to get back to my healthy lifestyle so I can try these before then!

e.e. said...

Our wedding cake was coconut! I am crazy for it, thanks for posting about it. Random question - how do you open your coconuts?

Jen said...

that looks very delightful! :) and i love the photos!!

anita said...

linda! i was at IKEA on sunday too!

geez what a small world.
did you get a chance to ck out WEST ELM? i was there also!

Udo Umami said...

W00t! Are we on the same wavelength or what?! I just made an outrageously delicious coconüt cake for my family reunion last week. Everyone freaked out. They didn't believe me that I made it because it looked so dang good- they said it looked like a professional did it. HAr! Gotta love those Wilton decorating classes at Michaels, eh? Check my blog in the by and by for my coconut cake lady! Love ya- xoxox <3 Üdo =D

for the love of a house said...

love the photo of the bowl of coconuts... so pretty!

And I love, love, love Ina... did I mention I Love her?!;) (met her once! we flew to Seattle so I could go to one of her book signings!!) and I've made these cupcakes before, and they are the BEST.

Unknown said...

Oh my gosh. Every picture in this post is so pretty. I saw your comment at Karen Deborah's and came over to say hi. Your blog title is irresistable.

Visual Vamp said...

Mmmmmmmmm.
To quote an old band "Kid Creole and The Coconuts":
"Oooo ooo ooo, don't take my coconuts..."
Love you!
xo xo

Linda Lou said...

Yeah! Another great Ina recipe....gotta check these out, I made her chocolate peanut butter frosting cupcakes last summer....thanks for sharing

sealaura said...

i LOVE coconut. I smell like coconut year round, BF often asks if we have any soap that is not coconut froufy. I add shavings to my cereals. love it.

vicki archer said...

Those cakes....what I would do to have one right this second....xv

Kelley at My Island Wedding said...

Oh my. Loving your photos, but that recipe is making me think of tossing my diet out the window!!!

Have I mentioned that my husband dances around the house singing "Put the Lime in the Coconut..." etc...

You're both nuts!!!

Brenda Pruitt said...

Well, we don't have coconuts in East Texas. But at least we have some palm trees!
Brenda

Teacup Mosaics said...

Oh I just know I am going to dream about these tonight.

Joyce said...

I LOVE coconut! When I use to bake for a diner I was shocked to know some peeps didn't like coconut. LOL... I wish I had a coconut tree out back. xoxo

Kate Riley said...

I am such a fan of coconut - I once had coconut creme brulee served to me in a beautiful shell in a restaurant in Maui, and I've never forgotten it. Those cupcakes look DEEEEE-LISH.

Kate

Fifi Flowers said...

Ooooh YUM!!! I LOVE fresh coconut right out of the shell!!!

Blue Muse said...

Growing up, Sunday coconut cake was the BEST treat, ever! Ahhhh! Thanks for the cupcake recipe, and lucky you for having coconuts growing around you! Mmm Mmm good!
xo Isa

Amanda said...

ooooooh it's before 7 am and i'm practically drooling looking at those cupcakes! can't wait to try them :)

Olive Sahara said...

Coconut is high in lauric acid content. It is good for lowering bad cholesterol level in our blood stream. Coconut...yummy

Fröken L said...

I`m a coconut-aholic too. I love the smell and I love the taste of it. My favourite drink is Pina Colada and my Bodybutter smells a lot of Coconut. The only sad is that we don´t have any coconuttrees here in Sweden.

/Dila

Unknown said...

ohhhh and fresh pina coladas!! You live in paradise...

Ms. Tee said...

I adore coconuts, too - and I love it added to anything! Beautiful photos, too!
P.S. Thank you for your comment on my mama - she is adjusting and doing well :)

Zuniga Interiors Design Studio said...

Yum Linda! Love it! I will have to try the recipe!

Take Care!
Michelle

cotedetexas said...

I MISS your old header, the one in that picture in this blog. to me it said everything about our coastal states.!!!

Joni

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