Week 26, July 28th 2014 ~ Coconut S'mores Cupcakes

Dear cupcake blog, I am sorry I have neglected you but it is summer and I like to go to the beach and work is taking a lot out of me and I really have no better excuse than that...let's be friends again :)

Well (side note why do apple products auto correct well to we'll all the time...it's really annoying) this cupcakes brought us to the half way point! Yay! There have been some hits and there have been a few misses and there have been a couple weeks where I didn't want to do it anymore or skip a week...but I pulled through because I would be really mad at myself if I quit... 

This week I made a coconut s'mores cupcakes. Last summer I made a plain s'mores cupcake and I wanted to make them again but with a twist. When I put I twist on something I tend to either add bacon to it or coconut...this week coconut made more sense to me! I made a coconut graham cracker crust, a coconut devils food cupcake, and a coconut marshmallow buttercream. Then just sprinkled them with graham cracker....I REALLY wanted to torch the tops with my kitchen torch but I seem to have miss placed it :(  on with the cupcake! 

This recipe made 16 cupcakes 

For the coconut graham cracker crust:

-1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

-6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

-1/4 cup sugar

-1/2 cup shredded coconut

1. Combine the crumbs, butter, sugar, and coconut.

2. Mix evenly until everything is coated in butter.

3. Evenly distribute amongst liners and pack in tight with the bottom of a small glass.

For the coconut devil's food:

1. 1/4 cup butter( room temperature)
2. 1 cups sugar
3. 1 egg + 1 yolk
4. 6 tbsp sour cream
5. 1/2 tsp coconut extract
6. 1 cup all purpose flour
7. 2 tsp baking soda
8. 1/4 tsp salt
9. 1/8 cup cocoa powder
10. 1-oz dark chocolate
11. 1/2 cup water( boiling)

1. Preheat the oven to 350F

2. cream together butter and sugar until light. Beat in eggs one at a time. 

3. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. 

4. Add half of flour mixture to the butter mixture, followed by the sour cream and vanilla extract, followed by the addition of the rest of the flour mix. Stir well between each addition and mix until no streaks of flour remain.

5. Stir the cocoa powder and the dark chocolate into the boiling water (easiest in a large measuring cup). Pour chocolate water into the rest of the batter and stir until uniform.
6. Evenly distribute batter into prepared baking cups. Bake for 13-15 minutes, until a tester comes out clean and the cakes spring back when lightly pressed. Cool cupcakes on wire rack before frosting

For the coconut marshmallow buttercream:

-1 cup unsalted butter, room temp

-1 cup marshmallow creme

-2cups confectioners sugar

-1 tsp coconut extract

1. Cream the butter until light and fluffy.

2. Add the marshmallow creme and whip for 2 minutes.

3. Add the sugar and continue to beat for 2 minutes.

4. Add the coconut and whip until just combined.

5. Frost cupcakes as desired.