Bake It With Booze!: Coconut Daiquiri Cupcakes

If you love coconut and rum, these cupcakes are your Easter celebration E-Ticket!

I've REALLY wanted to make a coconut rum cupcake for a while since starting this blog. I think I found a great combination of flavors and textures with this cupcake. The cake is super moist, full of flavor, and the frosting is not too sweet. This cupcake is a buttermilk coconut lime cake as the base with luscious coconut rum cream cheese frosting. And, this is a recipe for a coconut daiquiri if you are so inclined...Coconut and lime? Yes!

The coconut, sprinkles and Cadbury mini eggs are supposed to be my attempt to make them look like an Easter basket. Again, more the "homey" feel here folks. This is why imagination is still so important in life!

This cupcake uses two kinds of rum: Malibu Coconut Rum and Myers Dark Rum. Malibu is new to me and I discovered it's a combination of rum and coconut liqueur. Very yummy, clear, and makes a FABULOUS addition to any daiquiri. Myers is becoming my "rum of choice" for baking. I think it has a really mellow and full flavor that hold up to baking. All is good in the land of rum at BIWB!

And, I do have to mention my addiction to Cadbury mini eggs...I buy them every year. I don't have childrens' baskets to fill. I buy at least 3 bags. I don't share them. I consume one bag during the holiday and leave the other 2 bags in the fridge. Yes, I hoard them. I'm a Cadbury mini egg hoarder. No, I don't need an intervention. Please leave me alone with my Cadbury mini eggs. Please.

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Step-by-Step

Cream the sugar and butter until light and fluffy (3 minutes). Add eggs and egg whites one at a time. Add vanilla, lime zest, and lime juice.

Add flour on low speed in 3 additions, alternating with rum/buttermilk mixture, starting and ending with flour. Fold in the coconut by hand.

Fill cupcake liners about 3/4. Note: I use a #12 scoop (3 oz)…I like big cupcakes.

Bake and cool as directed...Beautiful out of the oven...

Even more beautiful on the racks. These cupcakes have just the right "rise" for me. I'm pretty happy at this point. Almost over the cupcake moon!

These are my cake testers...Notice the vessel? And you wonder how I ever came up with this blog idea...

For the luscious coconut rum frosting, beat the butter and cream cheese for 30 seconds on medium. Add rums and vanilla bean paste.

Beat for about a minute on medium until just incorporated and smooth. Do not over beat (see below)!

Gradually add in the confectioners’ sugar mixture as directed. Now...check for the consistency you'd like. If too thick, add corn syrup or milk in 1 tbsp increments until you achieve your desired consistency. However, this time, I didn't add a thing. Okay, so now...beat on medium high for a minute to get a light and fluffy frosting. Trust me, it works...See?

Frosting Karma.

Decorating begins with frosting the cupcake so that the sides are kinda straight, like this.

Next, roll the frosted cupcake gently in the coconut. You want to fluff the coconut to separate any clumps. Easy.

Gently pat in the coconut to adhere to the frosting.

Decorate as you please! I wanted to use 3 Cadbury mini eggs...Just too much. :)

Simple is better.

Coconut Daiquiri Cupcakes with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes 20-24 cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes
2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
12 tbsp butter, at room temperature
2 whole eggs + 1 egg whites, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract

Zest of 1 lime + juice of 1/2 the lime

1/3 cup Myers Dark Rum

1/3 cup Malibu Coconut Rum
1/2 cup buttermilk (I use the full-fat version, trust me)

1 cup shredded coconut (sweetened flaked)

Frosting

1/2 cup butter, room temp (1 stick, I use salted)

1-8 oz pkg of cream cheese, room temp

2 tbsp Myers Dark Rum

2 tbsp Malibu Coconut Rum

1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or 2 tsp good vanilla extract)

5 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 tbsp coconut milk powder (can substitute coconut extract or oil)

Corn syrup or milk, if needed

Decorations

1-2 cup shredded coconut (sweetened flaked)
Sprinkles, of course

Cadbury Mini Eggs or similar festive Easter candy eggs

Make the cupcakes
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with 24 cupcake liners.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, soda and salt. In a separate bowl (I use a measuring cup), combine the rums and buttermilk.
3. In the bowl of stand mixer, cream the sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
4. Add eggs and egg whites one at a time, beating well between each addition. Add vanilla, lime zest, and lime juice.
5. Add flour on low speed in 3 additions, alternating with rum/buttermilk mixture, starting and ending with flour.
6. Fill cupcake liners about 3/4. Note: I use a #12 scoop.
7. Bake 15-18 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the frosting (enough for 24 cupcakes)

1. Sift the confectioners’ sugar and coconut powder (optional) together. Set aside.

2. Beat butter and cream cheese for 30 seconds on medium.

3. Add rums and vanilla bean paste and beat for about a minute on medium until just incorporated and smooth. Do not over beat or the heat of the beaters will make your mixture too hot!

4. Gradually add in the confectioners’ sugar mixture on low until incorporated. Beat on medium for 30 seconds.

5. Check for consistency and add corn syrup in 1 tbsp increments until you achieve your desired consistency. Or, you can use a bit of milk to do the same.

6. Beat on medium high for a minute.
7. Pipe or frost the cupcakes. Sprinkle or roll the cupcake with the coconut and place the chocolate eggs on top to look like an Easter basket.