Life's a beach cupcakes!

After getting back from a lovely holiday in Melbourne I wanted to try out my new cupcake book. It was a friend's birthday, and I know he loves the beach, so some tropical cakes with a beach theme seemed perfect.

These lime-coconut cakes rise to a perfect little dome and retain a nice bit of moisture. I added lime to the frosting for a bit more of a tang.

Life's a beach cupcakes adapted from Womens Weekly Cupcakes
makes 24 cupcakes

Lime Coconut Cakes
250g butter, softened (I'll assume that is salted butter)
2 teaspoons coconut essence
1 tablespoon finely grated lime rind
1 1/2 cups (290g) caster/superfine sugar
4 eggs
2/3 cup (160ml) milk
1 1/2 cups (120g) dessicated coconut
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, sifted
2 tsp baking powder

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
60g butter, softened
160g cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons coconut essence
3 cups (480g) icing/confectioners sugar
Optional: juice of 1 lime

Decorations-fondant flowers/trees, crushed graham crackers for sand

Cakes:
Prepare 2 muffin tins with 24 cupcake cases. Preheat oven to 350f
Beat butter, coconut essence, lime rind, and sugar until fluffy
Add eggs, one at a time and beat
Meanwhile, sift flour and baking sugar
Add the coconut, stir in, then half the flour mixture, stirring gently until just combined. Add the milk, then the rest of the flour. Mix gently just until combined.

Scoop the mixture into the cupcake cases until about a third full. Bake for 25 mins or until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean

Frosting: Beat together the butter, cream cheese and coconut essence. Add icing sugar and mix slowly until incorporated, then beat. Add lime juice, if desired and beat.