My roommate, Isabel, and I were going to make a coconut cake using fresh coconut but our coconut was… fermented. So then we decided to make coconut cake using store-bought sweetened coconut; but, then we forgot to put the coconut milk in to the cake so we just made normal vanilla cupcakes instead and topped them off with some toasted coconut.

The cake recipe is Paula Deen’s 1-2-3-4 cake recipe and the frosting is her 7 minute frosting.

1-2-3-4 Cupcakes
yields 24 cupcakes

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
3 cups sifted self-rising flour
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Line muffin pans with cupcake liners. Using an electric mixer, cream butter until fluffy. Add sugar and continue to cream well for 6 to 8 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour and milk alternately to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour.
3. Add vanilla and continue to beat until just mixed. Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until done.
4. Cool completely and then frost with 7 Minute Frosting (recipe below).

7 Minute Frosting

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar or 1 tablespoon white corn syrup
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water
2 egg whites
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1. Place sugar, cream of tartar or corn syrup, salt, water, and egg whites in the top of a double boiler. Beat with a handheld electric mixer at high speed for 1 minute.
   
2. Place pan over boiling water, being sure that boiling water does not touch the bottom of the top pan. (If this happens, it could cause your frosting to become grainy).
   
3. Beat constantly on high speed with electric mixer for 7 minutes. Beat in vanilla.

Toasted Coconut

Heat the oven to 350°F. Spread the coconut out in a thin layer. Toast for 2 minutes and then in 1 minute intervals until lightly browned.

Assembly

Frost cooled cupcakes and then sprinkle with toasted coconut.