A Tale of Two Cupcakes

I made these cupcakes along with smore's brownies, blueberry muffins , and chocolate chip,  pecan, banana bread for a friend's birthday. I heard these cupcakes were the hit of my gift basket. 

These cupcakes are a party in themselves!

As you know, I love coconut cupcakes. I was excited to make these cupcakes so I could compare them with the Barefoot Contessa's coconut cupcakes I made a few months back. The Barefoot's cupcakes and coconut buttercream had tons and tons of butter in them (6 sticks) but the cake was very sweet, creamy and very rich but you could only have one small cupcake or just a few bites of a larger cupcake. Martha's cupcake was much lighter and the batter was lovely and silky. Also Martha's cupcake was decadent but not over sweet or too dense like the Barefoot Contessa's cupcakes. I really liked how moist and fluffy Martha Stewart's cupcakes. In the end I really like and prefer Martha's cupcakes and luscious buttercream but the Barefoot Contessa's buttercream is a very, very close second.  Enjoy!

Martha Stewart's Coconut Cupcakes
Adapted from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes
20 cupcakes


1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup packed sweetened coconut
3/4 cup (1  1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 large whole eggs plus 2 egg whites, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk


Topping: 1 1/3 cups unsweetened flaked coconut


Preheat the oven to 350°F Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.  Pulse shredded coconut in a food processor until finally ground and whisk into flour mixture.
With  an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and  fluffy. Gradually beat in whole eggs, egg whites and vanilla,  scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low.


Add flour mixture in three batches alternating with  two additions of coconut milk, and beating until combined after each.


Divide batter evenly among lined cups filling each 3/4 full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through until cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.


Remove from the oven. Turn out cupcakes on to wire racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature or frozen up to two months in an airtight container.


To finish use a  small offset spatula to spread a generous dome of frosting onto each cupcake, and if desired garnish with flaked coconut (press gently to adhere)


Cupcakes are best eaten the same day they are frosted. Store at room temperature until ready to serve

Martha Stewart's Cream Cheese Buttercream

Adapted from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

Cream cheese frosting is versatile, tangy and quick to prepare cream cheese frosting has perfectly soft consistency for swirling or scooping. It is the classic choice for topping many cupcakes including carrots and red velvet and is especially good with other such as Zucchini-Spice and Applesauce-Spice

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
12 ounces cream cheese at room temperature 1 pound or 4 cups confectioners' sugar assisted 1/4 teaspoon per pure vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon almond extract 
1 teaspoon coconut extract

With an electric mixer on medium high speed beat the butter and cream cheese until fluffy 2 to 3 min. Reduce speed to low add sugar 1/2 cup at a time, then add in the the vanilla and almond extract and mix until smooth and combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. If not using immediately, buttercream can be refrigerated up to 3 days in an airtight container. Before using bring to room temperature and beat on low speed until smooth again.

Makes 4 cups (2 cups frosts 20 to 22 cupcakes)