Mocha Coconut Cupcakes

Did you know the Mocha Coconut Frappuccino is back at Starbucks? So, this week when I was planning dessert for our Friday night Shabbat dinner, I decided to make mocha coconut cupcakes in honor of my favorite drink.  We ended up not eating dinner at home, but at a fish fry fundraiser for NJROTC, but I made the cupcakes anyway because they sounded SO good to me.  I found two different recipes online, but they looked a little complicated, and I wanted something easier.  So I made up my own.  I found an easy cake recipe from my BHG cookbook and altered it a little bit.  Here's what I came up with:

Mocha Coconut Cupcakes
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
3 Tablespoons instant coffee (or 2 Tblsp. instant espresso if you can find it, which I couldn't)
1/3 cup melted butter
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1 egg
Dissolve instant coffee in the milk.  In a large bowl, stir together dry ingredients.  Add the milk & coffee, butter, and coconut extract.  Beat in electric mixer on low speed until combined, then on medium for 2 minutes.  Add egg and beat for 2 more minutes.  Pour into pan prepared with cupcake papers, and bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes.  Makes about 18 cupcakes.  Cool and frost.


Coconut Frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 pound powdered sugar
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1/2 cup toasted coconut
Mix butter and some of the powdered sugar until smooth, adding more sugar a little at a time.  Add coconut extract and beat on medium high until smooth and fluffy, adding a tiny bit of milk or water if necessary.  Frost cupcakes and top with toasted coconut.
Yum!