Coconut Cupcakes

by Tej Kumar
(Jaipur,Rajasthan,India)

Ingredients
Makes 12

1.5 cups coconut flour
1 tsp gluten-free baking powder
Pinch of salt
3/4 cups unsalted margarine at room temperature
1 1/8 cups demarara sugar (I grind them to make a finer sugar)
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract OR coconut extract
1/2 cup coconut milk
4 large egg whites
3/4 cups shredded unsweetened coconut

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

3. In the bowl, using an electric mixer, beat margarine and 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.

4. In another bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat the egg whites on low speed until foamy. 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.

5. Divide batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 of the way.

6. Bake until the cupcakes are golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool in pan for about 10 minutes before transfering to a cooling rack.

7. Frost cupcakes with frosting.