German Chocolate Cupcakes

by Brenda Langton, Tastemaker in Residence—author Spoonriver Cookbook

This is one of those desserts that it is hard to keep away from. It’s a classic, delicious dessert that many of us remember from our childhoods. // makes 12 cupcakes

Cupcakes
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1⁄2 cup cocoa

3⁄4 teaspoon baking soda

1⁄4 teaspoon salt

1⁄4 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

3⁄4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line or oil and flour the cups of a 12-cup tin.

Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Sift the dry ingredients or mix them well with a whisk to thor- oughly incorporate the cocoa with the flour.

In a separate bowl, beat the butter and sugar. Add the egg and vanilla, and beat until the mixture is light and creamy.

Stir in 1⁄3 of the dry ingredients and then 1⁄3 of the but- termilk. Continue stirring in the ingredients, alternating between the dry ingredients and the buttermilk, until all of the ingredients have been incorporated. It is best to stir by hand or beat on low with a mixer. Do not overbeat.

German Coconut Frosting
1⁄4 cup butter or virgin coconut oil

1⁄4 cup honey

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 egg

1⁄2 cup cream or soy milk

1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla

3⁄4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

1⁄2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Instructions

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling the cups 2⁄3 full.

Bake for 20 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes before frosting them. This recipe can also be made in a 9 × 13-inch cake pan; you’ll need to adjust the baking time to about 30 minutes.

To make the frosting, combine the butter, honey, maple syrup, egg, and cream in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until thickened. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the vanilla, coconut, and nuts. Cool the frosting before spreading it on the cupcakes.