I'm Cuckoo for Coconut!



naked



iced





close up

Its really odd, but I never really liked coconut until after I became vegan. Now I cannot get enough of the stuff. It started with moonpies at RFD (which are on menu now!), then the coconut white cake when they were out of something else I wanted. When I had the cake again it wasn't quite like I remembered. Maybe it really is never as good as the first time?

I've really been wanting sweets and I'm less and less interested in paying someone else a bunch of money to make them for me. Sometimes it is nice to be served and not have to do the dishes, but other times I feel incredibly stupid paying five dollars for a cupcake or piece of pie, when I know I could make my own at home. Maybe I am getting a bit conceited, but the last few desserts I've had while out were not nearly as good as anything I've made myself.

Of course I'm never truly at it alone since I always have my favorite cookbooks at the ready. Today I made the Coconut Heaven Cupcakes from Vegan With A Vengeance. I can't believe I have had this book for so long and have never made them. I made two little mistakes, I put the coconut in with the wet ingredients instead of folding it in at the end. They turned out fine, but I had a moment of panic. I also should have left them naked instead of frosting them all at once. The icing is not very thick and could melt/run off your cupcakes. I've got to work on my icing skills, but I think next time I pipe instead of spreading. Anyway, they turned out amazing, so the presentation won't matter so much. You'll get more calls for seconds than you will decorating critiques (unless yours came out gorgeous).