Almond Joy Cupcakes

Here is another great cupcake recipe from Lizzy over at Your Cup of Cake! I am enjoying sifting my way  through her cupcake recipes. One of the things I love about cupcakes is how easy they are to share! It keeps me from eating a whole cake by myself :) This is the Chocolate Coconut Cupcakes, also known as the Almond Joy Cupcakes. They are so tasty, and this is the best chocolate buttercream icing I have ever had, but I do want to find a way to make them a little more coconuty. 

Cake Ingredients: 

3 sticks of butter at room temperature

2 cups sugar

5 eggs at room temperature 

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder 

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter milk

7 oz coconut (and some extra to sprinkle on top)

1. Preheat oven to 325 and line muffin tins with cupcake liners

 2. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy

3. Add eggs, vanilla and almond extract, beat some more

4. In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together

5. Starting and ending with the flour mixture, alternate adding the flour and the buttermilk to the batter, mix only until combined

6. Stir in coconut and fill cupcake liners to the top 

7. Bake for 20-30 minuets, or until a tooth pick comes out clean 

Chocolate Buttercream:

2 sticks of butter, softened

1/2 cup cocoa powder

3 cups powder sugar

1/4 cup of milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract  

Almonds to top cupcakes with

1. Beat butter for 5 minutes

2. Slowly add cocoa and powder sugar adding small amount of milk in between

3. Add vanilla

4. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes- top with an almond and extra coconut