Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Cupcake Hero - Snowball Cupcakes

It is that time again people - Cupcake Hero time! The magic ingredient for the challenge this month was coconut - and when I think of coconut I think of Golden Rough (yummy chocolates), Bounty, Cherry Ripe, Lamingtons, coconut cream pie and yummy marshmallows covered in tasty toasted coconut. So many good things have coconut involved in them!

I figured that since I am an Aussie gal that I should make some lamington themed cupcakes, and if you don't know what a lamington is then you are missing out. It is a sponge cake cut into cubes or rectangles, dipped in chocolate glaze icing and then coated in coconut. Yeah it is good.

So my plan was to have a chocolate cake (because I think that is tastier than a plain old sponge), topped with vanilla swiss meringue buttercream (SMBC) and then coated in chocolate and rolled in shredded coconut. And I did follow that plan, but what I ended up with was not a lamington cupcake, but a snowball cupcake (a snowball is a marshmallow coated in chocolate and then rolled in coconut). Seriously when you bite in to this cupcake it feels like you are eating a snowball and for that reason these cupcakes are completely and utterly awesome. I think I might be making these again!


Chocolate Cupcakes
Makes 20

50g cocoa powder
125ml boiling water
185g unsalted butter, softened
330g caster sugar
3 eggs
225g self-raising flour
75g plain flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
125ml milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
  1. Preheat oven to 180C. Line two 12-hole muffin trays with cupcake cases.
  2. Mix cocoa and boiling water in a cup. Set aside to cool.
  3. Cream butter and sugar, add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  4. Sift flours with bicarbonate of soda and stir into butter mixture. Add milk and vanilla and mix well. Gradually add the cocoa and water, mixing constantly.
  5. Divide into cupcake cases and bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream


4 egg whites
270g caster sugar
250g unsalted butter, softened
1 tbsp vanilla extract
  1. Combine the egg whites and sugar in a heatproof bowl and whisk over a saucepan of simmering water until sugar is dissolved and the mixture is as hot as you can get it without the egg whites cooking. To test rub the mixture between your fingers and if you can't feel any sugar granules then it is ready.
  2. With the whisk attachment on your mixer whisk the egg white and sugar mixture on high speed until a stiff meringue is formed and the mix has cooled down to room temperature. This should take about 10 minutes.
  3. Now put the paddle attachment on your mixer and with the mixer on a low speed add a tablespoon of butter at a time. Once all the butter is incorporated turn the mixer up to medium speed and mix until the mixture is light and fluffy again. This should take about 4-6 minutes.
  4. Add the vanilla and mix on medium speed until combined.

To Finish


350g milk chocolate
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup shredded coconut (approximately)
  1. Melt the chocolate using a double boiler.
  2. Add the vegetable oil and stir until completely combined. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Put the coconut on a plate.
  3. Dip each cupcake in the chocolate mix and then roll in the coconut. Be careful - I had two cupcakes where the frosting came off completely in the chocolate - whoops!

Dipped in chocolate...

Rolled in shredded coconut...

Cut in half and ready to devour...

Yum...

22 comments:

Paris Pastry said...

Oeh yum! Beautiful cupcake liners! I've never heard of lamington, but it sure sounds delish!

Patricia Scarpin said...

Alicia, these are amazing! I love all the different layers and flavors... My little sister would go crazy over them - maybe I'll convince her to visit me using these as an "excuse". ;)

Rhianne said...

oh wow, everytime I think you've made the perfect cupcake you make a better one - they look amazing!!

CAM said...

Holy cow...can't believe how good these look! You are SO clever!!!

Anonymous said...

Jim-49 said
There are times when,a fellar just needs to be in "South Australia"!! These look real tastee - ee! A very good combination of flavors.

cookies and cups said...

That looks insanely good! I would make SMBC more if it wasn't such a pain, but it is truly delicious!

Ingrid_3Bs said...

Very nice! I'm all over the top half of that cupcake. Love your frosting to cupcake ratio on that one you cut in half.
~ingrid

Erin @ SYL: Slipcover Your Life said...

These look so good! Btw, I've been over at MOO trying to design business cards! Great shop, but they have too many good options to pick from!

Anonymous said...

Erin - have fun with your moo cards :)

Gala said...

Oh yum...I've been wanting to participate for so long now on cupcake hero but never get to it. Uhrg!

Elissa said...

All I can say is that I am glad you posted this before January 1st, before I need to removing myself from chocolate and can now therefore try these creations completely guilt free!

Ash said...

These are pure awesomeness!! anything with coconut is my friend!!

anne said...

wow! these look delicious! i just got your card today from emma's card swap and decided to check out your blog. it looks amazing! i'll be coming back for sure :)

Jessica - The Novice Chef said...

These look delicious! And so much fun!

Chantelle {fat mum slim} said...

Alicia, you are my cupcake hero. That looks so scrumptious.

Can you please send me one?

Rose said...

wow, the icing looks so great, too bad it can only be made with eggs :( Let us know when votings open and ill be over there in a flash! i love lamingtons :)

Rose

Anonymous said...

Rose - are you allergic to egg?

Karls said...

Yum! Yum! Pigs Bum!

Future Grown-Up said...

These are stupendous cupcakes! I'm grateful I don't have the ingredients at home to make it or I'd be eating myself into a stupor now.

BonBon Rose Girls Kristin said...

You are KILLING me. Those look soooooooooo amazing! The coconut...YUM!

Saltina said...

Yum, I can't even explain. You had me at "dipped in chocolate".

Xiaolu @ 6 Bittersweets said...

I can't believe how high that one is! What an awesome cupcake that is just perfectly timed considering I'm stuck in a blizzard (yet at the office...). Send me one ASAP, pleeeease? ;p