Coconut Easter Cupcakes

Spoondles apologizes that it has been slacking this week. I wanted to have these Easter Cupcakes done by today but it looks like I will be making them tomorrow. This is one of my favorite recipes by Ina Garten. I've made them before and I absolutely love them, which is no surprise since my 3 favorite "c" things in the world are cream cheese frosting, coconut and cupcakes. To add an Easter flair I am going to dye the coconut shreds different colors to decorate on top. This is an easy and quick way add easter flair to your brunch or dinner. Here is the recipe in case anyone is looking to make an Easter sweet treat today.

Ingredients

• 3/4 lb unsalted butter at room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 extra-large eggs at room temperature
• 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 ½ teaspoons pure almond extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 14 oz sweetened, shredded coconut

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. You can also do this with a hand held mixer
3. With the mixer running on low, add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.
4. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In three parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry.
5. Mix until just combined. Fold in 7 oz of coconut
6. Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each cup to the top with batter
7. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow time to cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
8. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely. Frost with cream cheese icing and sprinkle with the remaining coconut (click here to see directions for dying coconut shreds)

Cream Cheese Icing

• 1 lb cream cheese at room temperature
• 3/4 lb unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
• 1 ½ lbs confectioners' sugar, sifted

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a hand held mixer, blend together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.

Recipe courtesy of Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa Cookbook