Coconut Blackberry Cupcakes

Friends! I break the silence here in blog land with a brand new recipe. I've been on a cake-making hiatus, and it has been the best, really. Making cupcake and cakes has brought me so much joy, and I'm really excited to be sharing recipes with you here and there from my own kitchen. 

I know, I usually don't share my cupcake or secret frosting recipes. It's for a personal reason, really. I have dreams for my blog and baking business, and I've been burned SO many times with bigger bloggers stealing my original recipes, putting them in their publishes cookbooks with zero credit to me. I know that sounds petty, but it hurt a lot. It's one thing if it's someone else's recipe, but when it's my own, that I created from scratch in my kitchen, I get a little cranky. 

But today, I wanted to share one with you, because I shared them on Studio 5 (KSL) this week, and didn't want to leave you darling friends hanging! So here it is, in it's full glory:

Coconut Blackberry Cupcakes!!!

Let me deconstruct this beauty for you so you can get the entire picture. Trust me, this one is a masterpiece!!!

First, we have the coconut cupcakes with toasted shredded coconut right in the batter. 

Next, we have coconut cream filling. 

Next, my coconut buttercream dunked in shredded coconut. 

And finally, my white chocolate blackberry buttercream with a fresh blackberry on top! 

I've had rave reviews, and even was told by a producer "this is the best cupcake I've EVER HAD!" Yep! It's a good one, friends!!

But here's the ultimate kicker: I used a cake mix. 

DON'T RUN AWAY, LET ME EXPLAIN!!

I add in 5 different sure-fire ingredients that transform that white cake mix into nirvana, and will change your life forever. So yes, a cake mix is involved, but I add into it:

egg whites, 

sour cream, 

buttermilk, 

vanilla, 

shredded toasted coconut

and a little vegetable oil. 

Still think I should be burned at the stake for using a cake mix? 

Take one bite of these and thank me later for making your life easier, tastier, and confirming that yes, scratch is best, but sprucing up a cake mix is EVEN BETTER when it comes to these cupcakes! 

Enjoy, friends! 

Blackberry Coconut Cupcakes

makes 24 cupcakes 

Ingredients:

Coconut Cupcake:

1 Duncan Hines white cake mix

1/2 C toasted shredded coconut

4 egg whites

3/4 C buttermilk

3/4 C sour cream

1/3 C vegetable oil

1 T vanilla extract

Filling:

1 small Jell-o package cook & serve coconut cream pudding 

2 C milk

Shredded Coconut: about 2 C

Coconut Buttercream: 

1/2 C (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold

1/2 teaspoon concentrated coconut oil/extract (found at most baking stores), or 1 teaspoon coconut extract 

1 T vanilla extract 

1/2 C Jell-o cook & serve coconut cream pudding powder 

1/2 C coconut milk

4-5 C powdered sugar 

heavy cream as needed to thin

pinch of salt

White Chocolate Blackberry Buttercream

1 C whole fresh blackberries

3 T heavy cream + 3 T heavy cream, more as needed, divided 

1/2 C white chocolate chips

1/2 C (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold

1 T vanilla extract

optional: 1 t blackberry extract

4-5 C powdered sugar

pinch of salt 

Method:

To make cupcakes: 

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare cupcake pans with cupcake liners. Set aside. 

2. In a large bowl, sift cake mix. Toss in toasted shredded coconut. Set aside. 

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg whites, buttermilk, sour cream, vanilla, egg whites, and coconut extract. Pour in wet ingredients into the dry, then whisk together until just combined. Using an ice cream or cookie scoop, fill cupcake liners 1/2 full. Bake for 11-15 minutes, or until top springs back and are just barely cooked through (shouldn't be golden for these ones!). 

4. Carefully remove from cupcake pan, and let cool on a wire rack until frosting is finished. 

To make coconut frosting: 

1. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whip up butter, extract, vanilla, coconut pudding mix, coconut milk, and pinch of salt, until combined. Slowly add in powdered sugar until you reach your desired consistency. Add heavy cream if you need to thin, about 1 Tablespoon at a time. 

To make white chocolate blackberry buttercream:

1. In a food processor or single serving smoothie cup, pulse together the blackberries and 3 Tablespoons heavy cream until a puree forms. Strain if desired, but I usually just keep the seeds in there because my Ninja chops them up super fine! Set aside. 

2. In a microwave safe bowl, melt together the white chocolate chips and 3 Tablespoons heavy cream, about 30-50 seconds depending on your microwave. Set aside. 

3. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whip up the butter, vanilla, pinch of salt, blackberry puree mixture, and white chocolate mixture. Slowly add in the powdered sugar until the desired consistency is reached. Thin with more heavy cream if needed. 

Assembly: 

1. Remove the centers of the cupcakes, fill with 1-2 tablespoons prepared coconut cream, top with coconut frosting (I just used a piping bag without a tip for this step in a single swoop), then dip in shredded coconut, then swirl blackberry buttercream on with a Wilton 1M tip, and then top with a fresh blackberry! Enjoy!! 

Recipe source: Baking with Blondie original.