curry, basil and coconut for cupcakes.

If you're looking for a treat that is literally bursting with delicious, fresh and exotic flavors, that is definitely what you'll find in these cupcakes that combine the flavors of curry, coconut and fresh basil.

About a year ago now I had a curry cake with basil buttercream at my sister's wedding reception, it blew me away and I've been craving it ever since.
When I couldn't find any recipes online even CLOSELY resembling what I remember I decided to make my own, and added the coconut flavor because I think coconut and curry are just happy together.

These cupcakes have a sweet vanilla    base flavor with that curry combo of SUCH good spice flavors; turmeric, cinnamon, paprika, coriander, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, red pepper, black pepper and saffron. When that is combined with the sweetness of coconut and that fresh taste of basil in the buttercream with the crunch of toasted coconut, it really is a delightful and flavorful experience.


CURRY CUPCAKES (or cake)**:

1 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup vegetable shortening (may substitute more butter here if desired)
3 cups granulated sugar
5 eggs, room temperature
3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt (kosher if you've got it)
5 tsp curry powder*
1/2 cup milk, room temperature
1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp coconut flavoring

*I used The Spice Hunter: salt free curry blend
-I use my adapted vanilla cake recipe inspired by this recipe as my vanilla cake base and took off from there.

1. Preheat oven to 400. (my oven tends to run about 10 degrees cool so, set your temperatures and/or bake time accordingly) Line cupcake tin with cupcake liners.

2. Cream butter and shortening until very light and fluffy in your electric mixer, add sugar one cup at a time until fully mixed before adding the next cup.  Add eggs one by one until fully mixed before adding another egg.

3. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and curry powder. Pour milks, vanilla and coconut flavoring into a mixing cup and whisk with a fork. Add both to the butter/shortening mix a bit at a time, starting and ending with the dry mixture.

4. Gently stir in mixer until well combined, and make sure to scrap down sides of mixer and mix thoroughly.

5. Evenly distribute batter (I used about 2 Tbsp per cupcake). These baked for 14 mins at 400 in my oven, be sure to check a couple minutes out to ensure you don't over bake, a toothpick should come out of the center clean.

6. Immediately move cupcakes from cupcake tray to cooling racks. Let fully cool (and I would also chill a bit) before frosting.

Yield: 36 cupcakes

I freeze mine until I'm ready to frost and serve. When they are completely cooled and chilled I wrap each individually in saran wrap and place in gallon-size freezer bags. I pull them out just in time to add the frosting and then refrigerate again. Be sure to pull them out of the fridge at least an hour before serving.

** To make as a cake you can make 4 8-inch rounds or 3 9-inch rounds. I always butter and flour my pans with a parchment round in the bottom of each pan.
Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. 
(Tip:I always set an early timer for my first time with a recipe, to make sure I don't accidentally over bake.)

Let stand for about 5 minutes in cake pans before removing and letting cool completely on cooling racks.
(I saran wrap and freeze my cakes before frosting as well, and I like to make them ahead of time so I don't have to do everything in one day.)

BASIL COCONUT BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
5-6 cups powdered sugar (add until the consistency is as firm as you like it, I like it to keep it's form a bit so I can frost easily)
4 cups fresh basil, (rise and dry and LOOSELY pack to measure it out in cups)
7 Tbsp coconut milk, mix in the can well before using to blend
2 tsp coconut flavoring (start with one and add second if you like more coconut flavor)

1. After washing and drying, pulse basil leaves in food processor until well chopped. Add 1 cup powdered sugar for each cup basil to food processor bowl and pulse until basil sugar mixture is fully combined and resembles a loose paste. Set aside.

2. Mix butter and vanilla until butter is light and fluffy.

3. Gradually combine with powdered sugar, start with the basil sugar combo and then add the extra powdered sugar.  

4. Add the coconut milk a tablespoon at a time, and fully mix, add more powdered sugar or more coconut milk until it reaches your desired consistency.  

5. Pipe onto chilled cupcakes as desired.

TOASTED COCONUT:

3-6 Tbsp of coconut flakes

1. Spread out evenly and thinly in a dark non-stick pan and broil on high until golden brown and let FULLY COOL before adding to cupcakes.

*Monitor these, they get golden all of the sudden and will burn shortly after if you aren't careful.

Hope you enjoy them as much as I do!