Coconut Cupcakes

These special cupcakes, topped with cream cheese frosting and shredded coconut, are the perfect way to celebrate a birthday, anniversary, holiday, or any other important milestone event!

Coconut Cupcakes
Yield: 1 dozen

Ingredients

For Cupcakes:

• 1 1/2 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 6 Tbsp butter, softened
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 tsp almond extract
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/3 cups sweetened shredded coconut

For Frosting:

• 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
• 6 Tbsp butter, softened
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• additional sweetened shredded coconut
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
   
2. In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. With mixer running on low, add eggs one at a time, scraping down bowl after each addition. Add vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.
3. In separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In three parts, alternately add dry ingredients and buttermilk to batter, beginning and ending with dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in coconut.
4. Line muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each cup to the top with batter.
5. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until tops are brown and toothpick comes out clean.
6. Allow to cool in pan for 15 minutes. Remove to baking rack and cool completely. Then prepare cream cheese frosting.
   
7. In stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, blend together cream cheese and butter. Add vanilla and almond extracts and mix well. Add powdered sugar and mix until smooth, scraping down bowl as needed.
8. Frost cupcakes and sprinkle with additional coconut.
9. Store covered in refrigerator.

Note: Cupcakes are best prepared one day in advance to allow frosting to set.

Recipe adapted from Barefoot Contessa.

Chocolate Cake {from Scratch}

Have a birthday coming up in your family? (My daughter's was yesterday.) Don't bother with a boxed cake mix this year... make it from scratch! This moist, tender cake is packed with rich, chocolate flavor and pairs perfectly with my homemade buttercream frosting. This will surely be a birthday to remember!

Chocolate Cake {from Scratch}
Yield: 2 cake rounds

Ingredients
2 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
2 cups sugar
1 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs, room temperature
1 cup sour cream
1 1/3 cups coffee, cooled
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray, line bottom with parchment, and spray again.
3. Whisk dry ingredients together. Add wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Divide evenly between cake pans.
4. Bake for 35 minutes, or until cakes are set and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
5. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove cakes from pans, discard parchment, and place cakes on wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Recipe adapted from Pinch of Yum.