Pink Coconut Cupcakes

For Easter last week, I whipped up two full batches of homemade cupcakes. Since it was Easter, the obligatory coconut was in full effect with a Barefoot Contessa recipe that I'd been dreaming about since I made these last Spring for Catherine's bridal shower. Thick and bordering on cornbread-like, these cupcakes are a serious change from the traditional chocolate or vanilla with buttercream. The frosting is made extra fabulous with the addition of almond extract (one of my favorite extracts). Let's get down to the goods, shall we?

Pink Coconut Cupcakes
*Adapted from Ina Garten
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
5 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 bag sweetened, shredded coconut plus more for garnish

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, one at a time. (Note: I crack the eggs into a separate bowl first, just in case you get a bad one, your whole mixture won't be ruined) Scrape down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and almond extract and mix well.

In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking power, baking soda and salt. In 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the mixer, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in 7 ounces of coconut - and don't overmix, or the battern will get tough.

Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each to almost the top with batter. Bake for 25 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean (mine took about 25 minutes). Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then move them to a baking rack to cool completely. Frost 'em.
My Favorite Pink Frosting:
1 8oz pkg cream cheese, at room temperature
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 C confectioners' sugar (or more for desired sweetness)
1-2 drops of red food coloring
Sweetened coconut, for sprinkling

Cream together cream cheese, butter, vanilla and almond extracts. Add confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth and fluffy. Add in a drop or two of red food coloring until desired pinkness is reached. Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with the remaining coconut.

Oh, and I should mention that to tote these little guys around, I used my handy cupcake caddy that I purchased at Bed Bath & Beyond about a year ago. I got my money's worth and have carried my cakes in style, from Key Lime in the Coconut to the Irish Car Bomb variety.

And if you see what you like, stay tuned next week for the cupcakes of the chocolate variety, pictured here. So what do you think? Are you a fan of the coconut-on-Easter tradition?

Chick Cake Pops

I hope you all had a fabulous holiday (if you were celebrating yesterday!). I ate Peeps, glazed ham and coconut cupcakes until I couldn't move (more on that later...) Moving on, today's recipe comes from TAA reader, Keri Campagna Klingman. Her truly adorable cake pops caught my eye and I just had to find out the recipe and steps to make it happen myself. Keri generously shared the recipe, providing step-by-step instructions and photos that are super sweet and tasty-looking to boot. Check it out...

Chick Cake Pops
Cake Mix
Frosting (one container)
Yellow Candy Melts
Milk or Dark Chocolate Candy Melts
Lollipop Sticks
Candy Coated Chips (for beak)
Sprinkles (hearts, flowers, circles, moons, anything to resemble wings and feet - my favorite are the hearts)
Styrofoam block
 
To make the pop:
1. Bake cake mix (any flavor desired) as directed and allow to cool.
2. When cool, take the cake and crumble it into a big bowl.
3. Take the cake crumbs and thoroughly mix in a container of frosting (any flavor desired) - you can use a hand mixer, spoon, or make it even more fun and get messy by using your hands!
4.Refrigerate this mixture for 2-3 hours.
5. After chilling, I use a cookie scoop and scoop out portions to shape into balls. (Size will vary depending on how big you want pop to be. I make them about the size of a small meatball - makes between 30 to 40 pops.)
6. Push lollipop sticks into cake balls and place on wax papered baking sheet. I refrigerate or freeze overnight for maximum firmness for dipping.
7. Melt yellow candy melts according to package (heat in microwave in 30 second intervals - make sure to stir melts between heating) I melt them in a deep narrow bowl to make it easier for dipping.
8. Dip pops into yellow chocolate. Once the cake ball is covered remove and softly tap and rotate until the excess chocolate falls off. Don’t tap too hard or the cake ball will fall off, too.
9. Place into styrofoam block to dry.
10. Once dry, use excess yellow chocolate and put into squeeze bottle. Use this chocolate to "glue" on sprinkles and candy coatings to make face. Use Milk/dark chocolate in another squeeze bottle to dab on eyes or you can use an edible ink pen to draw. (I like the chocolate look better)
11. Let dry & refrigerate.
It's a long process, but the outcome is so cute you really don't mind!! Plus, everyone raves about them - taste and cuteness! Everyone has their cake preference - my husband chooses devil's food cake with triple chocolate fudge chip icing. For these, I got seven orders for French Vanilla cake with vanilla icing. That combo made it easier to coat in the lighter color chocolate! Hope you enjoy!!!

Didn't Keri do an amazing job? Aren't these chick cake pops just about the cutest thing you've ever seen? Though Easter has come and gone, I might just need to find a reason to whip up these little chickies...

Psst...do you have a favorite recipe? Snapped a mouthwatering photo? Ate in a fun restaurant? Share your Avid Appetite by emailing theavidappetite [at] gmail [dot] com or visit the Contact page.

Beer Braised Corned Beef & Cabbage

Though St. Patrick's Day has come and gone, and we know that I got down 'n dirty with some Irish-themed goods, I'm still sharing my recipe for Beer Braised Corned Beef & Cabbage. Shaun and I (and this dish is mostly Shaun's doing) didn't get to making our corned beef until a week or so post-St. P's. While a little late, I'm getting it in just in the nik of time before the end of March. After all, while food shopping on Sunday, I noticed an abundance of corned beef packages in the meat case so it's not too late to get your corned beef fix.

Anyhow, this recipe seriously turns up the flavor on an old classic. I am typically not a huge fan of corned beef...I mean, I'll eat it, but I don't necessarily jump at the chance. Shaun, on the other hand, could not disagree more. So the compromise? Corned beef with a few adjustments, making this a meal that both traditionalists and new-age corned beef afficianados could enjoy. Just the simple changes of using the slow cooker and braising the meat in amber ale made a world of difference on this Irish favorite. And though Shaun said, "It's not real corned beef...you just don't cook corned beef in beer," once this hunk o'meat came out of the slow cooker and we dug right in...well, I think I may have changed his mind...just a bit. Let's get down to it...

Beer Braised Corned Beef & Cabbage
1 3lb. piece corned beef
1 lb. carrots (cut up, or use the baby kind)
2 bottles Budweiser Amber Ale
8 red bliss potatoes (or more, depending on how tatery you like it)
1 head cabbage, outside leaves peeled and the rest sliced
Dried onion flakes
Freshly ground black pepper
Dijon or deli mustard

Open corned beef package and drain excess liquid into sink. Place corned beef in slow cooker with fat side up. Rub meat with some freshly ground black pepper and dried onions (optional). Note: Corned beef is naturally salty, so Shaun didn't add any extra salt. You can however, add the spice packet that may or may not come with the meat (ours didn't come with one). Pour 2 bottles Budweiser Amber Ale over the meat. Cook on low for 5-7 hours (the beauty of a slow cooker is that you can't really overcook the meat). Half or quarter red bliss potatoes and submerge in the liquid along with carrots. Cook for 45 minutes. 10 minutes before serving, add cabbage and cook 10 minutes more. Serve altogether on a big platter with Dijon or deli mustard for dipping and get ready for your predisposed thoughts on corned beef to go right out the window.

So there you have it...a traditional Irish dish with the flavor turned way up. What do you think? Are you a corned beef purist? Do you eat corned beef outside of the obligatory March festivities?