Vegan Desserts
Vegan Coconut Cupcakes

Light, delicate, delicious coconut cupcakes.

Preheat Oven to 350°.
Line an aluminum cupcake tin with paper liners.

Ingredients
1 cup lite coconut milk, organic (Trader Joe's)

2 tablespoons Bob's Red Mill Cornstarch
1 1/2 cups Bob's Red Mill Unbleached Flour
3/4 teaspoon Bob's Red Mill Baking Powder
1/8 teaspoon Bob's Red Mill Baking Soda
1/4 sea salt

1/4 cup Jarrow's Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
3/4 cup organic granulated sugar
1 tablespoon organic coconut extract


Tools
oven thermometer
aluminum cupcake tin
Cuisinart Stand Mixer
Beater Blade+
spatula
measuring cups
measuring spoons
scoop for dispensing batter
Pyrex measuring cup
bowl for sifted items
kitchen timer
cupcake liners, paper or aluminum
insulated cookie sheet
cooling racks


Preparation
Check Oven Temperature
Before mixing up the cupcake batter, check the temperature of the oven to make sure that the temperature is perfect. This will ensure a perfect cupcake every time.

Liquid Ingredients
In a Pyrex glass measuring cup, measure out the coconut milk and set aside.

Sift the Dry Ingredients
Measure out the all the dry ingredients into a large sieve... flour, cornstarch, baking soda and powder, and sea salt.

Over a bowl, sift all the dry ingredients to make sure no hard lumps enter the batter.

Set dry ingredients aside.

Cream the Coconut Oil & Sugar
Measure out the sugar and coconut oil and add them to a Cuisinart Stand Mixer fitted with the new Beater Blade+.

Beat the sugar and coconut oil together until totally incorporated... about three minutes.

Add Coconut Extract
Add the coconut extract to the coconut oil and sugar and beat for another minute.

Add the Coconut Milk
Add the coconut milk slowly to the coconut oil, sugar, and coconut extract mixture.

Add the Dry Ingredients
Add all the sifted dry ingredients to the Cuisinart Stand Mixer and beat at a medium speed till the batter is smooth and creamy.

DO NOT OVER MIX!

With the new Beater Blade+, you won't even have to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl!

Fill the Cupcake Papers
With an ice cream scoop, begin filling the cupcake papers 2/3rds full... do not fill the papers to the top or they will be too plump and fat, preventing a great frosting application.

HINT: If any batter falls on the metal cupcake tray edges, be sure to clean if off before baking. This will keep your cupcake tray beautiful and stain free.

Quantity
This batter makes just enough batter for 12 cupcakes.


Bake the Cupcakes
I place my cupcake pan on top of an insulated cookie sheet to prevent the cupcakes from browning too much on the bottom.

Place the tray in the middle of a preheated 350°F oven and cook the cupcakes for 25 minutes. I live in a high altitude, so I have to cook the cupcakes for 30 minutes.

Set a kitchen timer for 20 minutes bake time and start the timer.

Upon baking your first batch of Vegan Coconut Cupcakes, I suggest checking them after 20 minutes to decide how much more they should bake... make a note to yourself so you can set a timer for the next baking.

Remove Cupcakes From Oven
Remove the cooked cupcakes from the oven and let cool for five minutes.
Remove individual cupcakes from the metal tin and place on a cake rack to cool.

Do not frost until each cupcake is totally COOL.

The Coconut Cupcake is light, delicate and moist! Soooo GOOOD!

Coconut Cupcake Frosting
Depending on your desire, chose a vegan frosting recipe and mix it up while the cupcakes are baking. I chose a coconut flavor to go with the coconut cake base.

Vegan Coconut Frosting
Ingredients
1 cup Jarrow's Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
4 cups organic powdered sugar, sifted
pinch of sea salt
2 teaspoons organic coconut extract
1/8 cup canned organic lite coconut milk


Tools
Cuisinart Stand Mixer
Beater Blade+
long handled spatula
measuring cups and spoons
pastry bag
pastry bag tips


Preparation
Frosting
Use the Cuisinart Stand Mixer fitted with the new Beater Blade+ to beat the coconut oil until it is fluffy and filled with some air.


Add the shifted organic powdered sugar and continue beating for about three minutes.

Add the coconut extract and beat for another minutes.

Slowly pour the coconut milk into the frosting base until you get the desired consistency... less is more.

Piping Bag
Use a long handled spatula and scoop the frosting into a pastry bag fitted with your favorite piping tip.

Swirl the frosting on top of the cool golden coconut cupcakes!

Presentation
For me, cupcakes are far easier than a huge cake... I can leave them plain and freeze half for use later or serve with berries like a shortcake. Try using Soyatoo Whipped Topping on them instead of frosting. Just add a teaspoon of the coconut extract to the boxed version and whip with the Cuisinart Stand Mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.