Instructions
Coconut Cupcakes:
Pre-heat the oven to 350ºF, and line 14 cupcake tins with cupcake liners.
Next, sift or whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter at medium speed, for about 1 minute. Then add sugar and vegetable oil.
Add the sugar and beat for another 1 to 2 minutes, until creamy and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing each egg until combined before adding the next.
Add the vanilla extract and coconut extract and stir to combine.
Add the coconut cream in and mix.
Now add the flour mixture and the shredded coconut to the bowl and mix to combine until the batter is smooth, lump free, and you see no more dry ingredients in.
Pour the batter evenly onto the cupcake tins, filling about 2/3 of the way.
Bake for about 18 minutes. Start checking if the cupcakes are baked at the 15 minute mark, and keep baking and checking as necessary.
To see if the cupcakes are ready, gently press with your finger on top of the cupcakes, and if they spring right back, that means they are done baking.
Let the cupcakes cool down before filling and frosting.
Russian Coconut Buttercream:
Make sure the butter is at the appropriate temperature, between 68 to 72ºF.
Beat the butter with an electric mixer, at medium-high speed, for 5 minutes.
With the mixer off add the Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk, coconut cream, and coconut extract.
Beat until incorporated and smooth for a few minutes, until it becomes a thick frosting.
To decorate:
Place the frosting in a piping bag lined with a large round tip.
Pipe a mound of frosting on top of the cupcakes, dip each cupcake in a bowl with shredded coconut so the coconut sticks to the frosting.
Slice the marshmallows in half diagonally. Dip the inside part of the marshmallows, which will be sticky, in a bowl with colorful sanding sugar.
Dip the bottom of each marshmallow in the frosting so you can stick it on top of the cupcake, placing one marshmallow in each side, to form the ears of the bunny.
Stick a heart sprinkle in the center to form the nose.
Pipe the eyes with black icing.
