Coconut-Pecan Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache

This recipe was take from yet another recipe from my favorite cupcake book of the year, Martha Stewart's Cupcakes. Martha's recipes are great, but sometimes they get a little complicated for a novice baker such as myself. So I was definitely pleased with the flavor since I was able to complete her entire recipe. It wasn't your typically sweet cupcake. To me, the cake tasted like a moist muffin and the ganache has a rich, decadent taste. Here's the recipe:

COCONUT PECAN CUPCAKES

1 c. firlmly packed sweetened shredded coconut

3/4 c. pecans (3 oz.), toasted and cooled

2 c. sugar

2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 c. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp

1/4 c. creamed coconut (or 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temp)

1 tablespoon pure coconut extract

4 large eggs, room temp

1 c. plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut milk (9 oz.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. In a food precessor, finely grind shredded coconut; transfer to a bowl. Process pecans with 2 tablespoons sugar until finely ground. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; stir in ground coconut and pecans.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, mix cream butter, creamed coconut, and remaining sugar until pale and fluffy. Add extract and then eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with 2 additions of coconut milk, and beating until just combined after each.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each 3/4 full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until golden and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, 20-22 min (cupcakes will not be domed). Turn out cupakes into wire racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temp or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.

To finish, dip tops of cupcakes in chocolate glaze, then turn over quickly and garnish with toasted coconut.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

2 c. unsweetened coconut flakes, toasted

6 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

2/3 c. heavy cream

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

Place chocolate in medium heatproof bowl. Bring cream and corn syrup into just a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; pour mixture over chocolate. Let stand, without stirring, until chocolate begins to melt.

Using a spatula, gently stir chocolate and cream until totally combined; begin near the center of the bowl and gradually work your way toward the edge, pulling in as much chocolate as possible, until the mixture is smooth and glossy. (if any chocolate pieces remain, strain mixture through a fine sieve and discard solids). If not using immediately, glaze can be refridgerated up to 5 days in an airtight container. Reheat gently before using.

Hope you all give this a try!