May 28, 2011: Honey Coconut Key Lime Cupcakes Recipe

To celebrate the Memorial Day weekend, we're having a barbecue today. I kept the menu pretty simple: veggie pizza for an appetizer, hamburgers, brats,and an assortment of side dishes my guests are bringing. That's not a lot of cooking for me to do so I decided to do it up right with the dessert. I opted for two types of cupcakes since they're so popular these days: Honey Coconut Key Lime and Better Than Sex Chocolate. Sure hope my guests appreciate them!

Here's the recipe for the coconut cupcakes. BTW, my niece and I have been on a coconut kick lately, buying coconut-scented lotions and soaps and indulging in a coconut creme cappuccino from Starbucks, so they just seemed appropriate. They may not be her fave coconut creme pie but I think they're the next best thing!

Honey Coconut Key Lime Cupcakes

Cupcakes:
2 cups flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 t. Key lime zest
1/4 cup juice from Key limes (about 6 - 7)
3/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup buter, softened
1/4 cup mild honey
2 large eggs
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup macadamia nuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine dry ingredients, set aside. In a liquid measure, combine lime zest, lime juice, and coconut milk.

In a large mixing bowl or sand mixer bowl, cream butter until fluffy. Add honey and mix again. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down sides of bowl after each addition.

Add half of reserved dry ingredients; mix on low just until combined. With mixer on low, slowly add the wet ingredients. Add remaining dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Stir in coconut and nuts. Pour mixture into paper-lined muffin tins until two-thirds full. Bake 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in cetner of muffin comes out clean. Remove to wire rack; cool. Frost with coconut cream frosting.

Makes 12 cupcakes.

Coconut Cream Frosting
3 oz. cream cheese
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 T. coconut milk
2 T. mild honey
4 - 5 cups powdered sugar
1 cup shredded coconut

In a large mixing bowl, cream together cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add honey, coconut milk and coconut; mix well. Beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until spreading consistency.

April 7, 2011: Pineapple Carrot Cake Recipe

Well, my birthday is this month, and so if my friend Kathy’s – hers is just a few days after mine and we always celebrate together. One of our favorite desserts is carrot cake; we usually go out to lunch and order a big, decadent slice we can split.

I ran across this recipe in my latest edition of the Cooking Club magazine, courtesy of Tiffiney Hazen, and it sounded absolutely delicious – of course I had to make it for Kathy and I to share on our birthdays! Plus, I had some pineapple to use up so this was the perfect solution. See if you enjoy my slightly different version of this carrot cake as much as we did!


Note: This would make a perfect dessert for your Easter dinner menu!

 

Pineapple Carrot Cake

2 cups flour
2 t. cinnamon
2 t. baking powder
½ t. baking soda
2 cups sugar
1 ½ cups vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 cups shredded carrots (about 2 – 3)
½ cup diced fresh pineapple
½ cup sweetened flaked coconut
½ cup chopped pecans

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened
½ cup butter, softened
1 t. vanilla extract
3 ½ - 4 cups powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13 x 9” baking pan with cooking spray.

Mix together flour, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda in medium bowl.

Beat together sugar and oil in large mixing bowl (or bowl of a stand mixer). Add eggs one at a time and beat just until blended. Beat in flour mixture just until combined. Stir in remaining ingredients and pour into prepared pan.

Bake 50 – 60 minutes until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, prepare the frosting. Beat together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar until the mixture is of spreading consistency. Spread over completely cooled cake.