Almond Cupcakes with Chocolate Coconut Buttercream

http://inthelittleredhouse.blogspot.com/2012/03/friday-senses.html

Almond Cupcakes with Chocolate Coconut Buttercream
Almond Cupcakes
makes 12
(a twist on Sunset Magazine's Butter Cake)

2 1/4 cups cake flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 cup coconut milk

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat sugar and butter until creamy. Add eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, scraping down the inside of the bowl as needed. Add vanilla, almond extract, and coconut milk. mix. Slowly add in flour mixture, and mix until just combined--careful not to over mix.
2. Line cupcake pan.
3. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean, 13-15 minutes.
4. Let cool before frosting.

Chocolate Coconut Buttercream
this is my recipe from THIS cake last year, so is makes a little bit more than you need--I put it in the freezer for next time I need some frosting quickly....you know, like 10 o'clock on a rainy night.

3/4 cup butter
2/3 cup cocoa powder
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2c-3/4 cup coconut milk,
1tsp pure coconut extract

Beat butter, cocoa, powdered sugar, and coconut extract, and add coconut milk a little at a time until you reach a consistency you like.

Toasted Coconut
Heat oven to 475°. Place a few handfuls of unsweetened coconut onto parchment lined baking pan. Place in oven and watch closely, turning coconut over as needed. In 10-15 minutes it should be toasty brown.

Frost cupcakes and top with toasted coconut.