Tropical Cupcakes With Fluffy Gingered Frosting Food

TROPICAL SPICE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Place 18 cupcake liners in muffin tins.
• In a medium bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Whisk the mixture lightly until there are no clumps, and the spices are mixed throughout. Set aside.
• Cream the butter with a mixer for a few minutes until soft and fluffy.
• Add the sugars and eggs to the butter, and beat until light in color and fluffy in texture (about 5 minutes).
• Next, add the Grand Marnier and beat until incorporated.
• Add 1/4 cup juice from the freshly squeezed orange and 1/3 of the flour mixture, and beat until incorporated, scraping the batter down into the bowl as necessary. Add the coconut milk and 1/2 the remaining flour mixture, and beat until blended. Add the buttermilk and the rest of the flour mixture and again beat until incorporated, scraping the bowl as necessary.
• Measure 2 - 3 tbsp orange zest from the freshly zested orange, and add to the mixture; also add the coconut and mix until blended.
• Using an ice cream scoop, fill the cupcake liners with one scoop of batter each (filling the liners about 3/4 full).
• Bake 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
• Remove from the oven and let rest in the muffin pan for 15 minutes.
• Remove the cupcakes from the muffin tin, and place on a rack to cool thoroughly before frosting.
• Make frosting: Beat the cream cheese in a medium bowl until creamy.
• Measure 2 tbsp juice from the freshly squeezed orange and add to the cream cheese.
• Measure 1 cup of confectioner's sugar and add to the cream cheese mixture. Beat until the ingredients are smooth.
• Add the coconut milk, the Grand Marnier, and another cup of confectioner's sugar. Beat until smooth.
• Add another cup of confectioner's sugar and beat until smooth.
• Add 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar and beat until smooth.
• At this point, check the consistency. If it is firm enough to spread on the cupcake, it's finished. Add a little more confectioner's sugar (a few tablespoons at a time) if it needs to be firmer.
• Spread the frosting on the cooled cupcakes.

GINGERBREAD CUPCAKES WITH LEMONY FROSTING

Steps:

• Gingerbread Cupcakes:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a muffin pan with paper cupcake liners.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt into a bowl and mix.
• Whisk the oil, molasses, maple syrup, soy milk, yogurt, and lemon zest in a separate large bowl. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix just until smooth. Fold in the chopped crystallized ginger.
• Fill cupcake liners two-thirds full. Bake for 19 to 22 minutes, until a knife or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely before frosting.
• Lemony Cream Cheese Frosting:
• Cream together margarine and cream cheese until just combined. Use a handheld mixer to whip while adding the confectioners' sugar in 1/2 cup batches. Mix until smooth and creamy, then in mix in the vanilla. Add the lemon zest. Keep tightly covered and refrigerated until ready to use.

TROPICAL CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Soften butter with short 10 second bursts in the microwave
• Cool and stir in the yogurt, coconut and sugar until smooth
• Stir in the pineapple and beaten egg, adding a tablespoon of flour after each addition
• Mix to dropping consistency with the cinnamon and orange extract then spoon into mini muffin cases
• Bake for 15-20 mins until golden. Once cooled they can be iced with a white chocolate buttercream (100g each butter and chocolate with 200g icing sugar).