Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Coconut Cupcakes with White Chocolate Icing

I don't know whether its present economic conditions or a desire to test my ingenuity that's recently found me 'foraging' for ingredients I already have in my kitchen before creating a new recipe. Perhaps it's a little of both. Today, I combined sweetened flaked coconut, white chocolate chips, and coconut rum left from a party, in a surprisingly healthy cupcake recipe:

Coconut Cupcakes with White Chocolate Icing
Makes 12

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup honey
1 tablespoon coconut rum (may substitute one teaspoon coconut or vanilla extract)
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Icing

1/2 cup white chocolate chips
2 tablespoons coconut rum (may use milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract instead)
1/4 cup coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the first three ingredients. Add eggs, oil and honey and then beat all ingredients together on medium high speed for 3-5 minutes. Fold in coconut. Fill 12 muffin papers, approximately 2/3s full. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until tops are light brown.

While cupcakes bake, melt white chocolate in microwave or double boiler, checking frequently to avoid burning the bottom. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Stir in coconut rum thoroughly and then add coconut. Cover each still-warm cupcake with a heaping teaspoon of icing. Enjoy!

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