Lemon and coconut cupcakes

Feeling in the mood for something sweet? If you like lemon and coconut, you will love this recipe! This recipe makes 12 cupcakes and is easy to make!

Makes 12 cupcakes

Ingredients: 

• 175 g butter
• 225 g caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 5 ml vanilla essence
• 225 plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 125 ml lemon yogurt
• 175 desiccated coconut

 For the topping:

• 100 g plain cream cheese
• 55 g butter
• 250 g icing sugar
• 1-2 tbsp cream
• pinch of salt
• 5 ml vanilla essence
• lemon essence to taste
• desiccated coconut to taste
• grated lemon zest

Heat the oven to 200C or 180C with a fan assisted oven. Place 12 paper cases in a muffin tin. Cream the butter and the sugar together in a mixing bowl until it is light in colour and fluffy, next beat in the eggs and the vanilla essence. Sift the flour and the baking in the creamed butter and gently fold into the mixture with the yogurt, until well combined. Then add the coconut and stir it until it is evenly mixed. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases and bake the cupcakes for 15-20 mins until it is golden and springy when you touch it. Cool the cupcakes in the tin for 5 mins, then place the cupcakes onto a wire rack to cool off completely before you add the icing mixture on top.

For the topping, beat the cream cheese and butter until it is light and fluffy. Gradually sift in the icing sugar and beat it until smooth. Beat in the cream (check first with 1 tbsp cream for desired consistency, add another tbsp if it is too thick), salt, vanilla essence, lemon essence and desiccated coconut (to own  taste). Continue to beat the mixture until smooth and spreadable.

Spoon the mixture into a piping bag and pipe onto the cupcakes. For the finishing touch toast some desiccated coconut in a non stick pan or put some baking paper in a pan. Toast them until they are just light brown in colour. Sprinkle the toasted coconut on top. Lastly, top it off with freshly grated lemon zest to add some flavour and add some character in your cupcake!