Coconut Lime Cupcakes

I adapted this from a White Cupcake recipe posted on Beantown Baker.  I changed the ingredients a little to make a coconut cupcake, but followed the mixing of the ingredients as in the original recipe.  I have to agree with the author, Jen, that I was a little intrigued by the assembly order of ingredients in the recipe which is why I tried it in the first place.  I've added a tangy lime frosting to make what I consider coconut lime heaven.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Coconut Cupcakes
2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 cup + 2 tablespoons coconut milk
6 large egg whites, room temperature
1 tablespoon coconut extract
1 1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350 and prepare cupcake pans.
Whisk together coconut milk, egg whites, and coconut extract.  Set aside.
In your mixing bowl mix together cake flour, sugar, baking powder and salt at a slow speed.  Add butter.  Continue beating on low until the mixture resembles moist crumbs.
Add all but 1/2 cup of the milk mixture and beat at medium speed for 1 1/2 minutes.  Add the remaining milk and beat 30 seconds more.  Scrape the sides of the bowl and beat an additional 20 seconds.
Fold in the shredded coconut.
Pour batter into cupcake liners.  Bake 15 - 17 minutes or until a toothpick entered in the center comes out clean.
Cool on cooling racks.

*** I usually use a 1/4 - 1/3 cup scoop to fill the cupcake liners and have never yet baked them for more than 15 minutes.
Don't try to skimp on the cake flour.  The reality is a box of cake flour can make this recipe at least three times so it is well worth the investment, and you will not get the same results from regular flour because of the higher protein content in other flours.  Just splurge and do it right.

Lime Frosting
4 tablespoons butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons lime juice
5 cups powdered sugar
8 - 10 drops florescent green food coloring or 5 - 6 drops yellow and 3 - 4 drops green

Blend butter and cream cheese together until smooth.
Add lime juice and half the food coloring.  Blend until smooth.
Add 4 cups of powdered sugar and blend together until smooth.  Add additional powdered sugar 1/4 cup at a time until desired consistency is reached.  (I like the frosting thick so it will keep it's form)
Add additional food coloring if desired.
To add a finishing touch, top with zest of lime.

This recipe makes enough to generously frost the batch of cupcakes with a little frosting left over.  If you don't plan to frost as generously I would recommend halving the recipe.