Mini Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream and Desiccated Coconut

I know, I’ve heard, the cupcake trend is over. That doesn’t mean I’m going to stop making them, or liking them for that matter. They’re still delicious, aren’t they?

Take these Mini Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream and Desiccated Coconut for example. They’re bite sized and delicate with a moist, almost weightless texture. The buttercream is rich and velvety, but not overly sweet, creating a perfect balance between the cake and topping. And the coconut, well it’s just the icing on top of the icing on top of the cake!

Eat one (or two, or three, or four…) for a snack, dessert, or even breakfast if chocolate is your drug of choice. (Please note, chocolate is most definitely mine.)

This recipe is quick, easy, and makes two dozen. If you’re cooking for a crowd, make a double batch — you don’t want to run low on these little guys.

It’s your turn: What’s your vice? If you’re not a chocolate-for-breakfast kind of person, what is it that you can’t get enough of?

Mini Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream and Desiccated Coconut
Makes 24

CUPCAKES
Ingredients:
¾ cup all purpose white flour
A scant ¾ cup granulated sugar
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 teaspoon white vinegar
½ cup skim milk
1 large egg, at room temperature
¼ cup hot water (hot from the tap, not boiling)
2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 24-cup mini muffin tin.

2) In a large bowl, sift the first seven ingredients (flour through espresso powder) together.

3) In a small bowl, mix vinegar and milk, set aside.

4) In a medium bowl, whisk egg, hot water, oil, and vanilla. Add milk and vinegar mixture and continue to whisk until evenly combined.

5) Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients and beat with an electric mixer set on low for one minute. Turn off mixer and scrape down sides of bowl, then turn mixer to medium and continue to beat for another few minutes, until the batter is smooth and no lumps remain.

6) Pour batter evenly into mini muffin tin, so each cup is about ¾ full.

7) Place in oven and cook for approximately 13–15 minutes, or until tops spring back up when you push on them gently with your finger. Let cool in tin on a wire rack until they cool to room temperature. Remove from time and keep in an airtight container until ready to ice, up to 48 hours.

CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM
Ingredients:
Scant 2 cups icing sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder, sifted
¾ cup butter, at room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
¼ cup desiccated coconut

Instructions:
1) In a medium bowl, sift icing sugar and cocoa powder together and set aside.

2) In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer set on medium-high until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes), scraping down sides of bowl often.

3) Add half of icing sugar mixture to butter, and turn mixer on at a low speed. Beat for 30 seconds, scrape down sides of bowl, and then increase speed to medium and beat for another minute.

4) Add other half of sugar mixture and repeat step 3. Scrape down sides of bowl, beat on high for 30 seconds, reduce speed to low-medium and add vanilla extract. Continue to mix for another 30 seconds.

5) Using a rubber spatula, transfer buttercream to an icing bag that has been prepared with a tip of your choice, and ice the cupcakes. Alternately, spread icing on cupcakes using an offset spatula. Sprinkle with coconut and serve immediately, or keep in an airtight container for up to 48 hours.