Coconut Snowball Cupcakes

By ctozzi

Ingredients

• For the Coconut Cupcakes:
• 2 cups cake flour
• 1/2 cup AP flour
• 2 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 6 Tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup shortening, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup ice water
• 2 large egg whites
• 1/2 tsp 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 Tbsp AP flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• For the Coconut Frosting:
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup AP flour
• 1 1/2 cup milk
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cup (3 sticks) unsalted butter, soft but cool, cut into small pieces
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup coconut pastry cream
• To Assemble the Cupcakes:
• 1/2 cup shredded, sweetened coconut

Details

Servings 24

Preparation

Step 1

Make the Coconut Cupcakes:

1.) Preheat the oven to 325°. Line two 12-cup cupcake pans with paper liners.

2.) Sift the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt together into a large bowl. Set aside.

3.) In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and shortening together until creamy, 2 to 4 minutes. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, add the egg and beat until just combined. Turn the mixer to low. Add the flour mixture, alternating with the ice water, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Scrape down the bowl and mix on low speed for a few more seconds.

4.) In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Do not overbeat. Gently fold egg wihites into the batter. Fold the shredded coconut into the batter.

5.) Fill the cupcake liners about 3/4 full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

6.) Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pans and place them on the rack to cool completely.

Make the Coconut Pastry Cream:

1.) Set a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl.

2.) 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.

3.) In another medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar, flour and salt until the mixture is pale, about 1 minute. Whisk half of the warm half-and-half into the 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, about 6 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the vanilla. Strain the 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 the coconut pastry cream for about 1 hour or until chilled.

Make the Coconut Frosting:

1.) In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk the sugar and flour together. Add the milk and cream and cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the mixture comes to a boil and has thickened, about 20 minutes.

2.) Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed until cool. Reduce the speed to low and add the butter; mix until throughly incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy.

3.) Add the vanilla extract and 1/2 cup of the freshly made coconut pastry cream and continue mixing until combined. If the frosting is too soft, put it in the refrigerator to chill slightly, then mix again until it is the proper consistency.

Assemble the Cupckaes:

1.) Fill a pastry bag fitted with a medium tip with the remaining coconut pastry cream. Puncture the center of a cupcake with the tip and squeeze approximately 1 tsp of the pastry cream into the cupcake. Repeat for all cupcakes.

2.) Frost the top of each cupcake with the coconut frosting and sprinkle with shredded coconut.