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Well, Hello!

19 Sep 2011 1 Comment

by creativityismessy in In the Kitchen Tags: caramel, chocolate, coconut, cooking, cupcakes, girl scout cookies, home-made, recipe, samoas, the novice chef

I’ve been blog-negligent again.  I suck and I’m sorry… :*( However, to make it up to you all, I have decided to share a recipe for the most amazing cupcakes ever to come out of my kitchen.

I have always been a sucker for “Samoas”.  If you don’t know what Samoas are, they are chocolate, caramel, coconut goodness wrapped up in a donut shaped cookie.  They are like cookie crack, and they are pushed by some of the most dangerous dealers… Girl Scouts.

The other day on Pinterest (if you don’t know what “Pinterest” is yet, check it out) I ran across a recipe for Samoas Cupcakes.  I nearly pee’d myself with excitement.  I mean, cupcakes… great!  Samoas…. awesome!!  Samoas Cupcakes…. OMGosh!  Honey, catch me while I pass out!!  Needless to say, I was ecstatic 🙂

So, please, take this token of apology and make these babies up ASAP!  They will not disappoint. Aren't they pretty?!?

(adapted from The Novice Chef)

For the Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350° and line 24 muffin tins with cupcake liners.

2. In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

3. Add in eggs, milk, oil, vanilla, and coconut flavoring.  Mix well.

4. Fold in coconut, then add boiling water.  (Batter will be very thin)

5. Pour batter into muffin tins, filling each cup no more than 3/4 full.  Bake at 350° for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool for several minutes, but then remove cupcakes from tins on cool on a wire rack.

For the Salted Caramel Buttercream

1. Cream butter until fluffy.

2. Add in vanilla extract, salt and caramel topping.  Slowly add the powdered sugar into your mixture.  If icing is still too thin after 4 cups, add a bit more powdered sugar.   You want it light and fluffy, not too dense.

3. Wait until cupcakes are completely cool, and use a pastry bag to ice the cupcakes.

To top the Cupcakes

1. Toast coconut by placing shredded coconut on a cookie sheet and baking it on 300 for about 15-20 minutes.  Mix/turn the coconut every 5 minutes to make sure it toasts evenly.

2. Once the coconut is toasted and has cooled, place a dab on the top of each cupcake (about a tbsp).

3. Place 3 (or so) dark chocolate chips on top of the coconut, pushing them down slightly to “stick” them into the frosting.

4. Drizzle caramel topping on to the top of the cupcake.

Now eat.  Enjoy.  Repeat.