Coconut Cupcakes with Coconut Swiss Meringue Buttercream

These are so delicious they are worth the time and effort to make them. I recommend that you don't wait for 90 degree weather to make these like I did this past weekend. The meringue needed to chill out in the fridge before it would come together. But thankfully it did!

Makes 30 cupcakes

Cook's Notes- Coco Real is a coconut product used in making Pina Colada's. It is a syrup made from real coconut and can be used in baked goods as well as drinks. You can often find it in the liquor aisle of the grocery store.

2 cups cake flour
1 cup all purpose flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 cup(2 sticks)butter, softened
7 large egg whites
1/3 cup Coco Real
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp coconut flavoring
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup coconut milk
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
Coconut Swiss Meringue Buttercream
2 cups sugar
8 large egg whites
3 1/2 sticks butter, softened
1/4 cup cocoa real
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp coconut flavoring
1/3- 2/3 cup coconut milk
Preheat the oven to 325 and line your muffin tin with cupcake liners. In a large bowl of a standing mixer, place the flours, sugar, baking powder, shredded coconut and mix breifly to combine. Cut the butter into 2 inch pieces and with the mixer on low add a few pieces at a time until all have been added. Beat unitl the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg whites, Coco Real, coconut flavoring, vanilla extract, and coconut milk. Add half of the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients while the mixer is running on medium. When that is well combined, add the rest of the wet ingredients to the mixer bowl. Beat until the batter is a uniform consistency and is light and fluffy in appearance. Using an ice-cream scoop, fill each liner 2/3 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until they spring back when lightly pressed. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Coconut Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Whisk together the sugar and egg whites and add to the top of a double boiler that has been set over simmering water. Heat the mixture, whisking constantly until the sugar is dissolved. You can tell if you rub a bit between your fingers and it does not feel grainy. This will take 6-8 minutes. Pour the mixture into the bowl of a standing mixer with a whisk attachment. Beat on medium/high speed until the mixture is a fluffy meringue. Turn the speed down to low. Cut the butter into 2 inch pieces and add a little at a time unitl all is incorporated. Increase the speed to medium/high and beat for 4-5 minutes more or until the frosting is smooth and fluffy. If the frosting looks curdled, keep beating it will come together. If it appears too loose, stop the mixer and place the frosting in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Then return to the mixer to continue beating. Add the vanilla, CoCo Real, coconut flavoring. Add the coconut milk a little at a time until the frosting is smooth and fluffy. Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a decorating tip and pipe the frosting onto each cupcake. Decorate the top with more shredded coconut if desired.