SUMMER CUPCAKES

This flavor combination - mango, coconut, lime - has been in my mind for the last few weeks, but I wasn’t sure what I wanted to make. Bread? Mousse? Cake? Cake is almost always the answer. This combination was somewhat tropical and reminded me of typical summer tastes, with the coconut and mango giving a sweetness, undercut by the tartness of lime zest, so I made these for the Fourth of July in lieu of the typical red, white, and blue desserts that pop up around this time. If you like this flavor profile, I would recommend giving these a whirl.

Vanilla Cupcakes with Whipped Cream

Adapted from Joy the Baker

Makes 24 cupcakes

Vanilla Cupcakes

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened

1 ¾ cup granulated sugar

4 large eggs

1 cup whole milk

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

½ vanilla bean, seeds scraped out

2 ¾ cup all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

Whipped Cream/Topping

3 cups heavy whipping cream

¼ cup granulated sugar (optional)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Mango, cut in cubes

Sweetened coconut flakes

Zest of 1 lime

To make cupcakes: Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together milk, vanilla extract and vanilla bean seeds.  Set aside. In a stand mixer, fit with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. This may take 3 to 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is well incorporated. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for one minute after each addition. If the batter begins to looks a bit curdled, that’s alright. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and the vanilla milk mixture in three batches, starting and ending with the flour. When the batter is almost combined, stop the mixer and finish mixing the batter with a spatula, making sure that any flour bits at the bottom of the bowl are well incorporated. Divide into the lined cupcake pan and bake for 25 minutes or until golden and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely before frosting. 

To make whipped cream: In a chilled metal bowl, whip the heavy cream on high speed with an electric mixer using a whisk attachment. When cream begins to thicken, add vanilla extract and the optional 1⁄4 cup granulated sugar if desired. Continue to beat on high speed until fully whipped.

To assemble: Frost cupcakes with dollop of whipped cream, press a few cubes of mango into middle, garnish sides with coconut flakes and tops with lime zest.