Coconut ice cupcakesImage by Nigel Lough

Ingredients (13)

  • 125g butter, chopped, at room temperature
  • 55g (3/4 cup) caster sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs, at room temperature
  • 190g (1 1/4 cups) self-raising flour
  • 45g (3 /4 cup) moist coconut flakes
  • 270ml can coconut cream
  • Mini pearl sprinkles, to serve

  • Chocolate hearts

  • 100g white chocolate melts, melted

  • Buttercream

  • 375g unsalted butter, chopped, at room temperature
  • 380g (2 1/2 cups) icing sugar mixture, sifted
  • 60ml (1/4 cup) milk
  • Pink and orange food colouring, to tint

Method

  • Step 1 Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan forced. Line twelve 80ml (1/3 cup) muffin pans with paper cases. Use electric beaters to beat butter, sugar and vanilla in a bowl until pale and creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, until combined. In 2 alternating batches, stir in the flour, coconut flakes and coconut cream.
  • Step 2 Divide mixture evenly among prepared pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Turn onto a wire rack to cool.
  • Step 3 For the chocolate hearts, line a baking tray with baking paper. Dip the back of a teaspoon in the melted chocolate and gently drag the spoon across the paper to create a teardrop shape. Dip the spoon in chocolate again and repeat next to this, making sure the teardrops join at the tip to create a rustic heart shape. Repeat to make 24 hearts. Allow to set.
  • Step 4 To make the buttercream, use electric beaters to beat the butter in a bowl until pale and creamy. Gradually add icing sugar and milk, in alternating batches, beating until combined. Divide buttercream between 2 bowls. Add a few drops of pink food colouring to 1 bowl. Stir to combine. Add a few of drops of orange food colouring to the other bowl. Stir to combine.
  • Step 5 Spoon the pink icing down one side of a piping bag with a 1cm fluted nozzle. Spoon the orange icing down the other side of the piping bag. Pipe the icing onto the cooled cupcakes. Scatter the pearl sprinkles over the top and decorate with chocolate hearts.