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Italian Cream Cupcakes

Baking Italian Cream Cupcakes
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Get ready to bake a batch of pure joy! These Italian Cream Cupcakes, with their charmingly misleading name, are a delightful American classic. Packed with toasted pecans and sweet coconut, then crowned with a luscious cream cheese frosting, they’re a dreamy treat for any occasion.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Cupcakes:

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ cup buttermilk
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1¾ cups pecans, toasted & chopped (keep ¾ cup for garnish)
  • 1 cup coconut flakes

For the Dreamy Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • ¾ cup coconut flakes (for toasting)
  • 12 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • 3 – 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • Maraschino cherries (optional, for garnish)

Instructions

Cupcake Magic:

  1. Preheat & Prep: Warm your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
  2. Cream Sugars: In a mixer, beat butter with both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).
  3. Add Eggs: Mix in the egg and egg yolk until just combined.
  4. Dry & Wet Mixes: In one bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. In another, combine buttermilk and vanilla.
  5. Combine Gently: Alternately add dry and wet mixtures to the butter mixture (starting and ending with dry), mixing on low speed until just incorporated. Don’t overmix!
  6. Fold in Goodness: Stir in 1 cup of toasted pecans and the 1 cup of coconut flakes.
  7. Fill & Bake: Divide batter evenly among liners. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.
  8. Cool Down: Let cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Frosting Perfection:

  1. Toast Coconut: Spread the ¾ cup coconut flakes on a baking sheet. Toast at 350°F (175°C) for 6-8 minutes until golden. Watch closely – it burns fast! Let cool.
  2. Cream Base: In a clean mixer bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and combined.
  3. Sweeten & Flavor: Add vanilla. Gradually beat in powdered sugar, ½ cup at a time, until you reach your desired creamy consistency.
  4. Whip It Good: Beat on medium-high for 2-3 minutes until wonderfully fluffy.

Decorate & Devour:

  1. Frost Away: Once cupcakes are totally cool, pipe or spread frosting on top. (A Wilton 1M star tip gives a lovely swirl!)
  2. Garnish: Sprinkle with the toasted coconut and the remaining ¾ cup chopped pecans. Add a maraschino cherry on top if you like!

Notes

  • Serving Ideas: These beauties are perfect for parties, potlucks, or simply with a cup of coffee for an afternoon pick-me-up!
  • Room Temp is Key: For the smoothest batter and frosting, make sure your butter, eggs, and cream cheese are at room temperature.
  • Don’t Overmix: Overmixing the batter can lead to tougher cupcakes. Mix ingredients until just combined.
  • Nutty & Nice: Toasting your pecans and coconut flakes really enhances their flavor – don’t skip this step!
  • Storage Savvy: Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For best taste, let them sit at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes before serving. Unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen for up to 2 months.

Find it online: https://cakeshungry.com/italian-cream-cupcakes/