Coconut Cream Cupcakes

I love coconut and cupcakes so this recipe is a win-win for me!  It starts with a light vanilla cake topped with sweet, creamy coconut flavoured icing and sprinkled with toasted coconut.  A great treat for any occasion!

Coconut Cream Cupcakes

Ingredients:
Cupcake
1 1/4 cups cake & pastry flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. coconut extract

Directions:
1.  Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
2.  Beat eggs, add sugar, oil, vanilla and coconut extract.
3. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture alternatively with buttermilk.
4.  Bake for 12-14 minutes at 350F.
Yield: 12-13 cupcakes

Frosting
1 cup margarine (or butter)
2 1/2 cups icing sugar
1/2-1 tsp. coconut extract

Directions:
1.  Using hand mixer, whip margarine or butter till fluffy (2-3 minutes).
2.  Add icing sugar and coconut extract (add more or less extract depending on your flavour preference).
3.  Pipe frosting onto cupcake using a large round icing tip.

Top with toasted coconut.
(I toast my own coconut by placing about 1/2 cup of flaked coconut in a hot frying pan.  I constantly stir the coconut until it is light brown in colour).