Coconut Cupcakes

Video recipe here:

3 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt 1 ½ cups butter

2 ¼ cups sugar

½ tsp. vanilla

¼ tsp. coconut extract

1 cup coconut milk

8 eggs, separated (egg whites)

1 ¼ cups shredded (sweetened) coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, add flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk together and set aside.

In another bowl, beat butter and 2 cups of the sugar together until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add in vanilla and coconut extract and beat together. Alternately add in flour mixture and coconut milk, ending with the flour. Beat until just combined being careful not to overmix. Set aside.

In another bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Add remaining sugar to egg whites and beat on high speed until stiff peaks form.

Fold the egg whites into the butter-flour mixture until just combined. Gently add in the shredded coconut, being careful not to deflate the batter.

Fill each cupcake cup with ¼ cup of batter. Bake until cupcakes are golden and a cake tester comes out clean (about 20-25 minutes).

Remove cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting. Top with a vanilla frosting and garnish with shredded coconut.

Makes about 24-30 cupcakes.