BAKED: COCONUT SNOWBALL CUPCAKES

BAKED: COCONUT SNOWBALL CUPCAKES image

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Number Of Ingredients 33

Ingredients

For the cupcakes
2 cups cake flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup ice water
2 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup shredded, sweetened coconut
For the coconut pastry cream
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
6 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the coconut frosting
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, soft but cool, cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup coconut pastry cream
1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut
Sift the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into a bowl and set aside. In the mixer with paddle, beat the butter and shortening together until creamy, 4 minutes. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat on medium speed until fluffy, 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl, add the egg, and beat until just combined. Turn the mixer to low. Add flour mixture, alternating the ice water, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Scrape down the bowl, mix on low speed for a few seconds. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. fold the egg whites into batter. Fold shredded coconut into the batter. Fill cupcake tins three-quarters full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pan halfway through, until a toothpick comes out clean. Transfer to wire rack. Let cool for 20 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pans and place them on rack to cool.

Steps:

Coconut Cream: Set a fine-mesh sieve over bowl. In a medium saucepan over low heat, bring the half-and-half to a simmer. Add the unsweetened coconut, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes to let the coconut steep. Strain and discard the coconut. In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks with sugar, flour, and salt until mixture is pale, 1 minute. Whisk half of the warm half-and-half into egg yolk mixture, then pour that mixture into the remaining half-and-half in the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened, 6 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and whisk in the vanilla. Strain pastry cream through the sieve and press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate coconut cream for about 1 hour. Coconut Frosting: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk sugar and flour together. Add milk and cream and cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until mixture comes to a boil and has thickened, 20 minutes. Transfer mixture to mixer with paddle. Beat on high speed until cool. Reduce speed to low and add butter; mix until incorporated. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy. Add vanilla extract and 1/2 cup of coconut cream and mix until combined. If the frosting is too soft, put it in the refrigerator to chill, then mix again until it is proper consistency. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a medium tip with remaining coconut cream. Puncture center of a cupcake with tip and squeeze approximately 1 teaspoon of coconut pastry cream into the cupcake. Frost the top of each cupcake with the coconut frosting and sprinkle with shredded coconut.