Celebrating Easter with Coconut Cupcakes

A Tower of Toasted Coconut Cupcakes with
Candy-Covered Chocolate Eggs

Ever since I discovered this recipe for Toasted Coconut Cake from Cooks Illustrated, I've been trying to find excuses to make it. It's not the kind of thing you can make and keep around your house for a few days to nibble on - at least not my  house. Coconut cake for breakfast? Sure, it goes great with coffee. An afternoon snack - why not? And everyone needs something sweet after dinner, right?  So if you lack willpower like I do, break out the recipe when you're invited somewhere special. It's guaranteed to produce plenty of ooh's and ahh's. Plus, with a recipe this good, it's way more fun to share it with friends.

The first time I made the cake was for a New Year's Eve celebration and it was a huge hit. And for the past several Easters, I turn it into cupcakes and top them with the toasted coconut and those little candy-covered chocolate Cadbury eggs so they resemble birds nests. They look gorgeous, and they taste even better. The secret to this super creamy, coconut-ty frosting is the creme of coconut (you know, the same stuff they put in pina coladas...) - and the, um, 4 sticks of butter don't hurt either.  I follow the recipe as is, but for cupcakes, take the time down to 22-25 minutes. Enjoy!