Coconut Cream Custard and Birthday Cupcakes

My best friend's birthday was last week and I wanted to make cupcakes for her. We have been friends for over 35 years! Our kids grew up together, and we've been down many roads together, . I knew the cupcake wouldn't be  chocolate,  She eats chocolate, but it's not her first choice. She likes coconut Cream  pie, so  I made Coconut Cream cupcakes. Unfortunately, my camera wasn't working , and I didn't get a picture of them.  I made a vanilla cupcake with coconut milk, filled with Coconut Cream , and topped with whipped cream and toasted coconut.  They were soo good, but no picture. The picture above, is the next best thing, Coconut Cream Custard in ramekins, so creamy and coconutty, if that is a word.  I had extra custard, so I put it in the ramekins. You can make this yummy cupcake recipe, and take a picture, send it to me, and enjoy the cupcakes. Or, if you don't have time to make the cupcakes, just make the custard and Enjoy!  Please Santa, bring me a new camera!

P.S.  She loved the cupcakes, of course, I made them:)

Ingredients Adapted from Food.com

• 12 paper baking cups
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup low-fat coconut milk
• 3/4 cup heavy cream, plus
• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, beaten to firm peaks
• 1/3 cup coconut, flaked, toasted, for garnish

Coconut Custard recipe

• 3 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups whole milk
• 1 cup low-fat coconut milk
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

• Preheat oven to 350 F and arrange rack in center. Line 1 (12 cup) muffin pan with baking cups; set aside. Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl; set aside. Beat together butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs and extract; beat until combined well, about 2 minutes. Alternately add flour mixture and coconut milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating until just combined.

• Divide batter among baking cups and bake until cupcakes spring back when lightly touched, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes, remove cupcakes and cool completely on rack.

• Holding a small knife at  an angle, cut a 1 1/2 inch round in the top of each cupcake, forming a shallow cone shaped opening. Remove tops and fill each cupcake with 2 tablespoons custard; re-cover. Dollop whipped cream on top of each cupcake and garnish with toasted coconut flakes.

• Coconut Custard Directions:.Whisk together cornstarch, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan. Add milk, coconut milk and yolks; whisk until combined well. Bring to a boil over moderately high heat, stirring constantly; immediately remove from heat. 

• .Add butter and stir until melted and combined well. Transfer to a bowl set over ice and cold water; let cool completely, stirring occasionally.
• Tip to toast coconut. First,  I put the coconut on a cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven, and the coconut  got  too toasty, and I threw it out.  Then I put the coconut in a small dry skillet, and toasted the coconut  to perfection.  You have more control of the toasting in a skillet.