Two Toned Coconut Red Velvet

I really wanted to try something new this week and had an urge to make red velvet but the same old cream cheese frosting gets boring! So I thought of the stuff I had on hand (so exciting I know) but I had extra coconut. My hubby loves coconut and so do I so I figured may as well try!

We LOVE this red velvet recipe and wanted to just change it up some. This really isn't huge changes from the original cream cheese recipe but it's subtle enough to get the coconut flavor. Technically there isn't any coconut in the actual recipe you will see in the pictures that I actually ringed the edges with coconut shavings.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting


    Cupcakes:

• 2  1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (or 2 sticks) butter salted
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 bottle (1 oz) red food coloring
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract

     Frosting:

• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 8 oz cream cheese softened
• 2 teaspoons coconut extract (if you don't have that you can substitute almond extract)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3-4 cups powdered sugar
• coconut shredded 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line your cupcake tin. Put the softened butter and sugar into a bowl and beat together until fluffy (I say around 5 minutes but it usually takes me 7 minutes). Then one at a time beat the eggs in until they are completely incorporated and there is no stringy egg whites. Add the cream, sour cream, milk, food coloring and vanilla in. 
2. Sift in the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt into the wet mix. Mix until combined and remember to scrape the bottom of the bowl to make sure all the butter mix is incorporated into the flour
3. Transfer them into the cupcake pans and set the timer for 20-25 minutes, it differs with each oven but you will know for sure when they are done when the toothpick comes out clean. 
4. While the cupcakes cool you can start to mix up the frosting, beat together the butter and cream cheese until well combined. Add the extracts together and once that is completely combined add sugar slowly. 
5. If you want to do the two toned roses separate 1/3rd the frosting and color the 1/3rd in whatever color you want. Take a 16 inch piping bag and a 1B tip from Wilton, lay the bag flat on the counter and coat the edges with the colored frosting. Then add the white to the center and squeeze it down. Start in the center of the cupcake and wrap around in a circle to the edge of the cupcake. 
6. If you choose to have shredded coconut then you can sprinkle it over the top or add it to the edges like I did. It pushes in the side where you will let up on the tip at the end of the rose and hides any imperfections. TA DA!!!