Kickass Coconut Cupcakes

The time has come for me to blow your minds with my mad cupcake skillz. Be prepared to experience a mouthgasm. I guarantee you will come crawling back, begging for more like some damn junky. To be honest, I'm really only sharing my recipe because I'm tired of beating back the cuppie junkies with my broom everyday. Get off my lawn! *shaking my fist*

So, here's the deal: I don't put a ton of coconut in the cupcake itself otherwise you have trouble disconnecting the cuppie from the wrapper, which I find infinitely annoying. Maybe you don't. So, if that's your thing, feel free to add more coconut to your batter. In the meantime, I will be here mocking your inability to peel your paper cups from your cuppies. I just add more coconut to the frosting to make up for it. Take that.

I have one more hint for this recipe. The frosting can be as runny or as stiff (ha) as you want it to be. Just add more powdered sugar as needed to stiffen it up. I like it pretty stiff (that's what she said), so I just keep adding powdered sugar by the 1/4th cup as needed. If you didn't know, 1/4 cup is the same as 4 TB. See, you've not only gained access to my wonderful recipe, you've learned something useful. For once.

My recipe is for 12 cupcakes, so you will need to engage in mathematical equations if you're wanting less. I originally wrote it for just 6, but then I realized that most folks would find that odd, so I have done you a favor by doing the math and making it so you don't have to. See, I can be nice sometimes! Now back off and leave me to the recipe-sharing.

Cupcake Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Earth Balance, room temp
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 egg replacements (as usual, I use Ener-G brand)
• 2 tsp plus a few extra drops vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2./3 plus 1/4 cup milk of your choice (I used coconut milk this time, but usually use almond)
• 2/3 cup sweetened coconut shreds

Frosting Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Earth Balance, room temp
• 2-3 cups powdered sugar
• 3 TB milk of your choice (again, I used coconut)
• 1/2 to 1 tsp vanilla extract depending on your tastes
• 1 1/2 cups sweetened coconut shreds
• Optional: you can also add a few TB of vegan cream cheese to the frosting, which I sometimes do, but not today. Make up your own mind. 

 Cupcake Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line your muffin pan with 12 paper liners. I use the kind from the health food store that have no dyes or wax or any of that. I'm elitist that way.
2. Cream together the Earth Balance and sugar. Don't worry. It will be a little grainy.
3. Whisk in your egg replacement and vanilla extract.
4. Whisk in flour, baking powder, salt and milk. This should be mostly smooth, maybe a few tiny lumps.
5. Gently fold in the coconut.
6. I use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop the better out and fill the paper liners 2/3 full. If you fill beyond that point, do not blame me...I warned you.
7. Bake on middle rack 20-23 minutes. You want a bit of a golden hue around the edges. But, to be sure, do the toothpick test. 
8. Remove from the pan and let cool on a rack at least 30-45 minutes before frosting. 

Frosting Method:

1. Whip your Earth Balance (and cream cheese if you chose to add that) until nice and fluffy.
2. Mix in the vanilla and milk until just combined.
3. Slowly blend in the powdered sugar about 1/2 cup at a time so it doesn't make a giant poof of sugar all over you. I've done it. You look stupid and feel like an idiot. Anyway, I add about 2 cups total here. 
4. Mix in the coconut. After that, I almost always add more powdered sugar because I like a good stiff frosting (similar to how I like my cocktails).
5. Refrigerate frosting while the cookies are cooling. I do recommend waiting until your cupcakes are cool to the touch before frosting otherwise your frosting melts and it makes a terrible mess and people will mock your cuppies.  You can always put the cuppies in the fridge to cool if you're in a time crunch. 

So, you're welcome. Or whatever.