Time-saver: Substitute store-bought marshmallow or vanilla frosting.

Prep Time: 12-15 minutes, cook time: 20 minutes, servings: 12

Ingredients
Cupcakes
11/2 sticks (12 tablespoons)
unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
13/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
21/2 ounces shredded sweetened coconut, plus extra for decorating
1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature
Frosting
11/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon water
4 egg whites
Pinch of salt
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
2. To make the cupcakes, in a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and creamy. Gradually add eggs, mixing well after each addition and occasionally scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add vanilla and mix well. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir in 21/2 ounces of the coconut. Gradually add to the egg mixture in alternate batches with buttermilk and mix until smooth. Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared tin. Bake 20 minutes, or until golden and a skewer inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool in the tin 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
3. To make the frosting, put all ingredients into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk slowly until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is foamy. Continue cooking until it reaches 140F on a candy thermometer. Immediately pour the frosting into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until it forms stiff, glossy peaks, about 3 minutes. Spoon frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a wide round tip; pipe generous swirls onto each cooled cupcake. Sprinkle generously with shredded coconut.

Ingredients

Cupcakes

11/2 sticks (12 tablespoons)

unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

3 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of salt

2 1/2 ounces shredded sweetened coconut, plus extra for decorating

1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature

Frosting

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 tablespoon water

4 egg whites

Pinch of salt

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.

2. To make the cupcakes, in a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and creamy. Gradually add eggs, mixing well after each addition and occasionally scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add vanilla and mix well. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir in 21/2 ounces of the coconut. Gradually add to the egg mixture in alternate batches with buttermilk and mix until smooth. Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared tin. Bake 20 minutes, or until golden and a skewer inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool in the tin 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

3. To make the frosting, put all ingredients into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk slowly until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is foamy. Continue cooking until it reaches 140F on a candy thermometer. Immediately pour the frosting into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until it forms stiff, glossy peaks, about 3 minutes. Spoon frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a wide round tip; pipe generous swirls onto each cooled cupcake. Sprinkle generously with shredded coconut.

Excerpted from Holiday Cupcakes, by Annie Rigg, published by Ryland Peters & Small, copyright © 2010.