Bake Sale Success!

This past weekend, I participated in the Food Blogger Bake Sale, supporting Share our Strenth, an organization fighting childhood hunger. It was such an inspiring event to be a part of! Not only did I meet some of Orlando’s finest food bloggers, I was able to take part in raising over $1,400 for a charity that is helping feed so many hungry children.

For the bake sale, I made Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes, Cookies and Cream Cupcakes, and Toasted Coconut Cupcakes! I was thrilled that my cupcakes were a hit with the customers!
Here’s some photos from the event! Enjoy

(I hope Ricky, Chris, and Julius don't mind my fun little additions to the picture!)

The photo above shows the whole group of bloggers who participated in the bake sale. Please go check out their blogs – they all have incredible photography, recipe, and restaurant reviews.

Back row: Julius from Droolius, Angie from Eclectic Recipes, Wanda from My Sweet Zepol, Robin from Simply Southern Baking, Katie from Katie’s Cucina, Julie from The Little Kitchen, Chris from Eat Local Orlando, Ricky from Tasty Chomps.

Front row: ME!! , Marilyn from Forkful, Pearleen from Mega Yummo and Jacqueline from BeyondNFinity.

At the bakesale, getting ready for customers!

 

 

 

 

 Hope everyone is having a fabulous week. Stay tuned for more recipes and some updates from my advetures in Cupcake Wars casting for Season 7!

Stay Sweet!

xo, Jill

Coconut Cream Cupckes

A perfect little getaway!

Coconut is the type of food that people either LOVE or HATE! I fall on the LOVE side of the argument. I love everything about coconut, from the texture, to the flavor, to the smell. I can’t get enough of it. If you are like me, then this cupcake is the perfect way to indulge in your coconut obsession. A moist coconut cupcake filled with milky coconut cream, and topped with vanilla buttercream and toasted coconut flakes. Divine!

Coconut Cream Cupcakes

Makes 2 dozen

• 3 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 8 large egg whites
• 1 1/4 cups shredded sweetened coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two standard 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners; set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla.

With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour; beat until just combined. Transfer mixture to a large bowl; set aside.

In the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on low speed until foamy. With mixer running, gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar; beat on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 4 minutes. Do not overbeat. Gently fold a third of the egg-white mixture into the butter-flour mixture until combined. Gently fold in remaining egg-white mixture; stir in shredded coconut.

Divide batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake 20-23 until the cupcakes are golden brown.

Coconut Cream Filling

5 tablespoons of heavy cream

1 can of cream of coconut – Blend well so the large coconut bits are dissolved

½ cup of sweetened coconut flakes

1/2 cup of cool whip

½ cup of cream cheese

1. In a blender, mix the cream of coconut to get rid of large coconut chunks
2. In a mixer, beat together the cream cheese, cool whip, and cream of coconut
3. Add to the mixer 5 tbs of heavy cream – beat until you get it to the desired consistency. You want it thick, but not too stiff.
4. Add is the coconut flake and beat until well mixed.
5. Put your filling in a piping bag and fill each cupcake with this yummy coconut cream

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

3 1/4 cups powdered sugar

1 cup butter, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tbs of heavy whipping cream

1. With an electric mixer, beat together sugar and butter. Mix on low until well blended.
2. Continue mixer on medium for another two minutes.
3. Add vanilla and whipping cream, beating on medium for another minute.
4. Frosting should be light and fluffy.

For toasted Coconut Flakes, simply heat your oven to 350, spread the sweetened coconut flakes out evenly on a cookie sheet and bake for about 5 minutes. Keep a close eye on them though, they burn quickly! Use the toasted flakes to top your delicious cupcakes.

Share with some friends and enjoy!

Stay Sweet, xoxo

Jill