Coconut Cupcakes

June 20, 2007 at 7:11 pm | Posted in cupcakes, sweet things | 23 Comments

Every week, in my efforts to perfect a second language, I take a Spanish class through The University of Sydney’s continuing ed program.  Yesterday was the last class of the level, so I volunteered to bake up a batch up of something to bring in for fiesta-time.  And I was really in the mood for cake.

I’ve had Ina Garten’s The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook for years, and for years the picture on page 174 of a snowy white coconut cupcake has been taunting me. Just to show that picture who’s boss, I’ve refused to make them– until yesterday, when I finally gave in to it’s seductive stare.

My class was small, so I halved her recipe (seems as though I halve every recipe I make). My half-batch gave me 15 regular-sized cupcakes, and I have enough frosting left over to probably frost another eight!  In the cake itself, I used regular coconut flakes, but I found coconut chips at the health food store to use for garnish.  I lightly toasted them in the oven before sprinkling them over the cupcakes.

While I do like to eat some cakes cold (I love cake with chooclate frosting straight out of the fridge), these are best at room temperature. The cream cheese frosting is gooey and soft. And the cakes have a delicate almond flavor. No wonder so many other people have posted about these cupcakes.  If you want to make them, too, but don’t have the book, the recipe is here on Food Network’s site.

So….¿Cómo se dice ‘cupcake’ en español?  Since cupcakes aren’t really part of Spanish/Latin food cultures, it seem as thought there is no definitive translation.  In fact, I read on a couple of sites that in many Hispanic countries people initially mistake cupcakes for muffins, since they have they same shape!