Coconut Cream Pie Cupcakes
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Serves: 1 dozen cupcakes
 
Light almond and vanilla flavored cupcakes stuffed with coconut custard and topping with a light as air whipped cream and mascarpone topping.
Ingredients
Cupcakes
  • 2 cups cake flour
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened
  • 1½ cups sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean, seeds removed
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 egg yolks
  • ¾ cup vanilla unsweetened almond milk (I use Trader Joe's)
  • 4 egg whites
Coconut Custard
  • 1 -14 ounce can coconut milk
  • 1 egg yolk
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup almond milk
  • 2 tablespoons corn starch
  • ½ cup shredded sweetened coconut
Whipped Cream & Mascarpone
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • ⅔ cup mascarpone
  • 6 tablespoons powdered sugar
Instructions
For the cupcakes:
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with liners
  2. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl. In the bottom of a stand mixer fit with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium-high until smooth. Add in vanilla bean and almond extract. Beat until combined. Add egg yolks, bean until combined.
  3. Turn the mixer to low. Working in batches, add ⅓ of the flour mixture, followed by ⅓ of the milk. Repeat until combined completely. Scrap down the sides and bottom of the bowl, mix one more time to incorporate.
  4. In another bowl, using a hand held mixer, whip up egg whites until medium peas form. Fold mixture into batter, make sure to not deflate the egg whites.
  5. Fill muffin tins ¾ full. Bake for 23-25 minutes or until the edges are just slightly golden brown. Work in two batches. Let cool.
Coconut Custard
  1. In a medium sauce pan, whisk together coconut milk, sugar and egg yolk. Turn the heat on medium and using a wooden spoon, heat mixture until it is slightly thickened and the sugar has dissolved, about five minutes.
  2. In another small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and almond milk. Whisk into hot coconut milk mixture. Simmer until thickened, about five minutes.
  3. Once thickened, add coconut. Let cool completely. If you need to speed the process up, place in another bowl and chill in the freezer for 20 minutes or so.
Whipped Cream
  1. In a stand mixer fit with a whisk attachment add cold cream. Turn the mixer on medium high and whip until medium peaks form.
  2. Add mascarpone, whip until combined. Be sure to not over mix. With the mixer on low, add powdered sugar and mix just until combined.
Assembly:
  1. Use a cupcake corer to remove the center of each cupcake
  2. Transfer coconut custard to a ziplock baggie. Cut the tip off and pipe filling into center of cupcakes.
  3. Transfer whipped cream to a large ziplock or pastry bag, cut the tip off and pipe whipped cream mixture onto cupcakes.
  4. Garnish with coconut.
  5. Chill for 20 minutes before serving.
Recipe by Cooking for Keeps at https://www.cookingforkeeps.com/coconut-cream-pie-cupcakes/