Ingredients
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For Cupcakes
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Nonstick cooking spray
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3 cups all-purpose Flour
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1 tablespoon Baking Powder
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½ teaspoon Salt
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¾ cup (1½ sticks) Unsalted Butter
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1½ cups Sugar
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2 Vanilla Bean
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2 finely grated Lemon Zest
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3 large Egg
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1 cup Buttermilk
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2 teaspoons pure Vanilla Extract
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For Decorating
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Swiss Meringue Buttercream
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28 ounces (four 7-ounce packages) sweetened shredded Coconut
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20 whole unblanched Almonds
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⅓ cup red candy-coated Licorice Pastels
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1 piece Black Licorice Lace
Directions
Cupcakes disguised as baby chicks are equally appropriate for a birthday party or an Easter celebration. To decorate them, the cupcakes are first inverted, then coated with generous layers of frosting and toasted coconut; features made of candy and almonds complete the disguise. Frosting anchors each cupcake onto a shallow dish to make it easier to keep the dessert in place while you finish it. If you don’t have vanilla beans, increase the amount of pure vanilla extract by one tablespoon.
Steps
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1
Done
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For CupcakesPreheat oven to 350°F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners, and coat liners with cooking spray. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter, sugar, vanilla-bean seeds, and zest until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to medium; add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low; add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk. Beat in vanilla extract. |
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2
Done
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Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. |
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3
Done
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Decorate CupcakesGently peel liners off cooled cupcakes. Spread buttercream on top of a cupcake; invert onto a small dish. Using an offset spatula, spread buttercream over sides of cupcake, then generously spread more over inverted bottom to create a dome shape. |
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4
Done
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Place toasted coconut in a bowl. Holding cupcake dish at an angle over the bowl, press coconut into frosted top and sides of cupcake, letting excess fall back into bowl. |
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5
Done
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With kitchen tweezers, press 2 black licorice pieces into each cupcake for eyes. Insert an almond for a beak. Arrange 3 red licorice pastels on top for the comb and 2 at either side of base for feet. Cupcakes are best served the same day they are decorated; keep at room temperature. |
