Coconut Cupcakes With White Chocolate

Ingredients:

For the Cupcakes

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 3 large egg whites
• 3/4 cup coconut milk or 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (1 stick)
• 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Frosting

• 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature (do not use nonfat)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (1 stick)
• 2 ounces white chocolate, melted
• 1/2 lime, juice of
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut (for topping)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Line a regular sized muffin tin with cupcake papers.
3. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.
4. In a measuring cup combine egg whites, coconut milk and extracts.
5. Cream together sugar and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed.
6. Blend until butter lightens in color and texture, 4 minutes.
7. Alternately add dry and wet ingredients, starting and ending with dry, in 3 additions.
8. Fold in coconut using a rubber spatula.
9. Scoop batter into prepared tin, filling each about 3/4 full.
10. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 25-30 minutes.
11. Cool in the pan 5 minutes; remove completely.
12. For frosting, beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until smooth.
13. Add melted white chocolate and lime juice; beat to blend.
14. Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth (it will be gooey).
15. Spread 3 Tbsp frosting on each cupcake.
16. Top cupcakes with coconut.