Bon Appetit April 2009
Makes 18
The secret to these moist cupcakes? Reduced Coconut milk. These are one of the best recipes for a dessert that I have ever tried.
I loved them warm right out of the oven. They are buttery, mildly coco-nutty, and have a vanilla undertone. They are super wonderful!!

Reduced Coconut Milk
2 13-14 oz cans unsweetened coconut milk

Cupcakes
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 14/ tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) of butter, room temperature
1 1/3 cups of sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
Seeds scraped from 1 split vanilla bean or 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup reduced coconut milk ( see above)

Frosting
1 cup ( 2 sticks) of butter, room temperature
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup reduced coconut milk, room temperature
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sweetened flacked coconut, lightly toasted for garnish

Reduced Coconut Milk: Bring coconut milk to a boil in large deep saucepan over medium high heat
(coconut milk will boil high up in the pan.) Reduce heat to medium-low; boil until reduced to 1 1/2 cups,
stirring occasionally, 25 to 30 minutes. remove from heat: cool completely. Transfer to small bowl.
Cover; chill ( coconut milk will settle slightly as it cools)
Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.

Cupcakes: Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350 degrees. Line eighteen 1/3 cup muffin tins with
paper liners. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth. add sugar, beat on medium-high speed until well blended for about 2 minutes. Add 2 eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and
occasionally scraping down sides of the bowl. Beat in seeds from vanilla bean and remaining egg. Add half of the flour mixture;
mix on low speed just until blended. Add 1 cup reducded coconut milk; mix just until blended. Add remaining flour mixture; mix on low speed just until blended. Divide batter among muffin cups.
Bake cupcakes until tops spring bake when gently touched and tester comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
Transfer cupcakes in pans to rack; cool 10 minutes. Carefully remove cupcakes from pans and cool completely on rack.

Frosting: Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar, 1/3 cup reduced coconut milk,
seeds from vanilla bean and salt. Beat on medium-low speed until blended, scraping down sides of bowl.
Increase to medium-high until light and fluffy.
Using pastry bag fitted with large star tip, pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes.
(Alternatively, top each cupcake with 2 TB frosting. Using small offset spatula, swirl frosting over top of
cupcakes, leaving 1/2 inch plain border.) Sprinkle with coconut., Can be made 1 day ahead. Store in airtight container; chill.
Bring to room temperature before serving.