Coconut-Lime Cupcakes

 

 

These cupcakes were delish!!  They are filled with coconut, lime and tropical tasting goodness.  Calgon take me away? More like Coconut-Lime Cupcakes take me away!

 

  

Coconut-Lime Cupcakes:
Recipe slightly adapted from Our Best Bites

White cake mix
3 eggs
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 c. full fat sour cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. coconut extract
Zest of 1 lime
1 c. coconut

Coconut-Lime Cream Cheese Frosting:
Recipe slightly adapted from Our Best Bites

3 8-ounce packages full-fat cream cheese softened
3/4 c. butter, room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar (cooks note - I had to add in a TON more powdered sugar.  To balance this out I added in a splash more of coconut extract and refrigerated the frosting for a couple hours.  Once I piped it on I refrigerated cupcakes again as they had started to "melt")
Juice of 1 lime
2 tsp. coconut extract

Garnish:
Sweetened toasted coconut
Lime Zest

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Disregard instructions on cake box.  Line 2 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners (white is the prettiest!) and set aside.

In a large bowl or the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer, combine all the cake ingredients except coconut.  Mix on low for 30 seconds and then high for 3 minutes.  Fold in coconut.

Evenly distribute batter among cups.  Bake 16-22 minutes (I did mine for 15 1/2-16 minutes) Or until toothpick comes out clean and tops are barely golden.  Be sure not to overbake! You almost want them ever so slightly underbaked as they will continue to set up out of the oven. Cool completely.

To prepare frosting combine cream cheese and butter and whip until light and fluffy.  Add remaining ingredients (please refer to cooks note above about the powdered sugar) and mix until combined.  If frosting is runny and does not look like it could be piped on then refrigerate for a couple hours.  Once solid enough to pipe transfer to a piping bag and swirl on cupcakes.  Garnish with toasted coconut and lime zest.  Cover and refrigerate any leftovers.

Cooks Note: to toast coconut toss in desired amount of coconut into pan, heat on medium stirring constantly under lightly browned and fragrant