Sweet T's Coconut and Key Lime Cupcakes

Teresa Reaves developed this recipe in culinary school, and it went on the bakery menu at the little coffee shop she and her husband owned on the Oregon Coast. She'd post on Facebook when she had them and sell out every time.

Her notes on ingredients are worth following: only key lime zest, only Nellie and Joe's lime juice, King Arthur AP flour. If she turns the recipe into a cake, she mixes the AP with half its weight in King Arthur cake flour.

Ingredients

• ¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (1½ sticks)
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste (real vanilla bean pod, scraped)
• 1 tablespoon finely grated key lime zest
• 2 tablespoons lime juice (Nellie and Joe's)
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour (King Arthur)
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 1½ cups loosely packed sweetened coconut flakes (4 ounces)

Key lime frosting

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened (Irish butter)
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons lime juice (Nellie and Joe's)
• 2 teaspoons key lime zest
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• Key lime zest and toasted coconut flakes, for garnish

Instructions

1. Heat the oven. Preheat to 325°F.
2. Make the batter. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Turn to low and add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl once or twice. Add the vanilla, lime zest, and juice and mix well. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In three parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in the coconut with a spatula.
3. Fill and bake. Line a muffin pan with paper liners and fill each almost to the top. A ¼-cup ice cream scoop keeps them all the same size. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops just begin to color and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
4. Make the frosting. While the cupcakes cool, cream the butter, cream cheese, juice, and zest until light and fluffy. Add the confectioners' sugar one cup at a time, beating until light and fluffy. If the icing is too runny, add more sugar a tablespoon at a time.
5. Finish. Frost the cupcakes and garnish with grated lime zest and toasted coconut flakes.