_{Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Linda Hirst}

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon coconut extract or vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk or refrigerated whole milk

3 cups sweetened flaked coconut, divided

Coconut-Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting

1/2 recipe Chocolate Ganache

Garnish: whole or slivered almonds

Preparation

1. Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Beat in coconut extract.

2. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients; add to butter mixture alternately with coconut milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Add 1 cup coconut, blending well.

3. Spoon batter into 18 muffin cups lined with muffin cup liners. Bake at 350° for 18 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs clinging. Remove from pan; cool completely on a wire rack.

4. Top cupcakes with Coconut-Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting. Top with remaining 2 cups coconut; drizzle with Chocolate Ganache. Garnish, if desired.

Makes 18 cupcakes

Borrowed from Coastal Living, October 2012