Coconut Lime Cupcakes

Caroline celebrated her birthday today so this is what I made for our party up at the park:

Coconut Cake with Pineapple Lime Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened, plus additional for pans

3 cups cake flour, plus additional for pans

1 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

1 cup cream of coconut (found in the drink aisle by the mixers)
1/4 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

2 large whole eggs

3 large egg whites

12 ounces cream cheese, not whipped

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 tablespoon finely grated fresh lime zest

2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup chopped, drained, canned pineapple chunks

5 1/2 ounces unsweetened or sweetened flaked coconut
Directions:

-Make cake: Preheat oven to 325° and line the bottom of 2 buttered 9×2-inch round cake pans with parchment. (I made cupcakes instead)

-Butter paper and dust pans with flour, knocking out excess flour.
-Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
-Whisk together cream of coconut, milk, and extracts in a bowl.

-Beat together butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
-Add whole eggs and egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, until combined well.
-On low speed, beat in flour mixture and cream of coconut mixture alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture, until just combined (do not overbeat).
-Pour batter evenly into the prepared cake pans (about 2-3/4 cups per pan) and smooth tops.
-Bake cake layers in middle of oven until golden and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. (I cooked cupcakes for about 18 mins)
-Transfer pans to racks and let cool for 5 minutes.

-Run a small knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Peel off paper, then invert layers right side up and cool.
-Make Frosting and Filling:
-Beat cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy.
-Beat in butter and lime zest until smooth.

-Slowly beat in confectioners’ sugar on low speed until smooth for frosting.
-Transfer 1 cup of frosting to a bowl and fold in pineapple for filling.
 (I left out the pineapple since I made cupcakes)
-Place 1 cake layer on a serving platter and spread top evenly with filling.

-Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes.
-Top with second layer, then spread top and sides with frosting.

-Chill cake until frosting is slightly firm.


-Coat top and sides of cake evenly with coconut flakes.
Makes 8 to 10 servings. (Made 36 cupcakes)