Wonder-Woman Coconut Cupcakes with Key Lime Buttercream

 W- is for Wonder Women! I made these tasty cupcakes for this weeks Super Hero themed Ladies Climbing Night.

 Coconut Cupcake Recipe

• 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 extra-large eggs at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup buttermilk (I used 1 cup milk with 1Tbs lemon juice combine and let sit for 2mins before using) 
• 7 ounces sweetened, shredded coconut

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in 7 ounces of coconut.

Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each liner to the top with batter. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely.

The icing is a basic buttercream with 1Tbs lime juice, 1Tbs lemon juice, and zest from about six key limes. 

Then I added food coloring and sprinkles to end with some SUPER-cupcakes!