T'Mac's Sixth 30th Birthday Tiki Cupcakes

In celebration of T'Mac's sixth 30th birthday, she invited a group of friends to the Forbidden Island Tiki Lounge for drinks. Lover of all things themed and kitsch, I needed to up the ante on the baked goods and develop a cupcake capable of out-camping flaming bowls of ice blue cocktails. Enter the raspberry-coconut tiki cupcake.

The Coconut Cake
In the mixer (beat-it baby)
3 sticks of unsalted butter, room temp
2 & 2/3 cups sugar
4 large whole eggs, plus 4 large egg whites
1 vanilla bean halved with seeds scraped from the pod (or 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract)

In the sifter (shake-it baby)
3 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup sweetened, shredded coconut pulsed in a food processor (1-2 minutes)

Wet ingredients (oh-baby)
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk with a handfull of fresh raspberries blended into the coconut milk (like a smoothie)

Bring it together

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line your muffin tins with paper liners (I heart my unbleached paper liners).
2. Using a paddle attachment (or your god-given strength and a wooden spoon), beat the butter and sugar together for four-five minutes and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed (unless you're a complete bad-ass, beating by hand will take much longer)
3. Add in eggs and vanilla. Beat until incorporated (I always separate and crack my eggs into a separate bowl before doing this - it keeps things clean)
4. Sift together all dry ingredients.
5. Alternate adding coconut milk/raspberry smoothie mixture and dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Take you time and fold these in slowly on low speed until incorporated.
   
6. Carefully spoon in the batter into the cupcake liners until they are approximately 2/3rds full. Take your time here as well. It will make sure your cupcakes bake evenly and at the same rate.
   
7. Bake for 16 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through.
   
8. A few tips on "doneness:" Typically, any baked good is near finished when you begin to smell it. Always check the oven when you can smell the cakes baking to make sure you do not over-bake them. For cupcakes there is really no need to use the toothpick test; you can tell if they have finished baking by touching the tops of the cake. If they are somewhat springy and give back to your touch they are ready to be eaten.
   
9. Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
   

Raspberry Frosting
In the Mixer
2/3rds cup fresh raspberries, pureed
2 sticks unsalted butter, slightly chilled
A pinch of coarse or kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
3&1/2 cups of confectioners sugar

1. Beat butter and salt on high speed until smooth and fluffy
2. Beat in confectioner's sugar
3. Beat in raspberry puree one table spoon at a time, using discretion after 3 or 4 tablespoons
4. Do not over beat frosting at this point. Aim for a thick, creamy, and sumptuous frosting that rivals the consistency of ice cream when it is at it's best - just a minute or two after scooping.
   

Adornment

This is the best part. Generously frost the cupcakes. Now is not the time to strive for perfection. Cupcakes are dreamiest when the frosting is whimsically applied and imperfect. Sprinkle the tops with shredded coconut to your liking. You can use sweetened, unsweetened, or toasted coconut. I personally love the thick, coconut curls but here I went straight for mid-century Cleaver-esque sweetened and shredded. I added two raspberries to the top of each cupcake set under a cocktail umbrella. Completely ridiculous and perfectly appropriate.