Friday, September 17, 2010

Maligayang Bati

Or "Happy Birthday" in Tagalog (I'm half Filipino for those curious souls out there...).

A few days ago was my grandma's birthday (80 years young!) and I thought it was the perfect time to whip out a new recipe I had been yearning to try. I was first introduced to the coconut-mango mix by my friend, Lindsey, who suggested that I try out the combo in my next pancake batch. Being the pancake lover that I am, I contemplated making them every morning this week, but I was so intrigued by the idea, that I wanted to take it a step further. That's when I remembered that my grandma's favorite two fruits were fittingly enough, coconuts and mangoes.  I was originally going to use fresh coconut both inside my cupcake and as a finishing sprinkle, but I ran into a slight roadblock when I opened the fridge and my coconut had been used to make something else. (Fresh coconut is hard to come by in my family, so you snooze, you lose..and I lost!). Luckily for me, the coconut debacle wouldn't necessarily make or break my cupcakes, and I still had fresh mangoes perfect for a topping. I was pleasantly surprised when the cupcakes came out better than I imagined, and I'm happy to say that everyone enjoyed them. Below is part of the recipe I used to make the cupcakes via Bon Appetit. I didn't use the coconut frosting recipe because I  wanted to make a simple, but refreshing cool whip/mango topping to give a different texture and flavor.

Vanilla-Coconut Cupcakes



  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 1/3 cups sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • Seeds scraped from 1 split vanilla bean or 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup reduced coconut milk (see above), room temperature

Preparation

  • Bring coconut milk to boil in large deep saucepan over medium-high heat (coconut milk will boil up high in pan). Reduce heat to medium-low; boil until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, stirring occasionally, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat; cool completely. Transfer to small bowl. Cover; chill (coconut milk will settle slightly as it cools). Do ahead. Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.

On to the Cupcakes

  • Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Line eighteen 1/3-cup muffin cups with paper liners. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar; beat on medium-high speed until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add 2 eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Beat in seeds from vanilla bean and remaining egg. Add half of flour mixture; mix on low speed just until blended. Add 1 cup reduced coconut milk; mix just until blended. Add remaining flour mixture; mix on low speed just until blended. Divide batter among muffin cups.
  • Bake cupcakes until tops spring back when gently touched and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer cupcakes in pans to rack; cool 10 minutes. Carefully remove cupcakes from pans and cool completely on rack.

Easy Mango Topping (a la pancakeSTACKER)

  • This part is so easy, it's kind of a joke that I'm writing how what I did, but I couldn't leave my mango step out! All you need is one large mango (or more if you'd like) and a package of cool whip. Cut the mango to small pieces, or mash the mango up completely. Mix with the cool whip and bam-- you've got a topping.
Photos by: Chandamheer 

Now that I have successfully overloaded you all with food posts this week, I promise that starting Monday I'll be back to my regular posting schedule, AND I will have a ton of outfit posts to make up for lost time. Tomorrow, Alex L. and I are heading to SFO to catch a flight for the first leg of our trip. Stop by first thing on Monday to see where we go!

By the way, did anyone notice I made a little change? How do you guys like the new layout?? The only thing I'm missing now is a beautiful new banner. Anyone up for the challenge? Let me know what you think below :)

Happy weekend!! (P.S. Just because I know you are wondering, the coconut-mango pancake experiment will happen, too.)
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34 comments

  1. wow, that looks delicious! great explanation, totally gonna try that recipe! :D

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  2. I wish I could cook like you! everything looks amazing and so yummy

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  3. I wish I could cook like you! everything looks amazing and so yummy
    xoxo
    Vicky

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  4. happy birthday to your grandma! i bet she loved the cakes (:

    http://itscohen.blogspot.com/

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  5. wow! those look yummy yummy! Thank you for the lovely and easy recipe guide for these beauties!
    will deffo be making these very soon. And happy late birthday to your gran-mama!

    http://ohlookanotherfashionblog.blogspot.com

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  6. Wauw what a great post, and you explain it so well!! Usually cookbooks and recipes are like chinese to me haha but this I'm definately going to try :) My grandparents are coming over this weekend, glad I found something to make them :)

    xx

    lifeisroyalty.blogspot.com

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  7. HI Sweetie!!! These look so yummy!!! I TOTALLY love the new little layout:)

    Have a Fashionable Day:)
    Statements in Fashion Blog

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  8. ahh congrats with your grandma! :D and girl this is looking de-li-ci-ous!

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  9. Ooooh I really wanna try these cupcakes! I never actually bake from scratch, but I might have to make an exception for these ones :)

    PS Loving the new layout!

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  10. Aweee, thank you soooo much!! your comment makes us soooo happpyy :D!! it's very kind of you!

    Take a peek!
    www.apieceofcrapdepartment.blogspot.com

    best regards from Sweden :)
    /MALIN

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  11. I am starving !
    Great pictures and I will read it cause I need to learn to cook
    The pictures are great and you write very good I hate to cook
    But reading you ;) I want to try
    Have a great day

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  12. the layout is really nice and those cupcakes look delicious :) is it ok if i copy the recipe for my birthday too ^_^ biiiig cupcake fan :P

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  13. yummmy i love food post!

    -Silvia

    Kisses from Paris~

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  14. Pleased to meet your blog..first up: I can eat a lot...second Up: your Grandma & me share a coconut/mango thing! This sounds delectable!!Declicious! Delighful! Looks like I will be having to try this recipe...on the double!! xx

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  15. omg, those cupcakes looks delicious!! i love coconut:)

    http://olivia1995.blogspot.com

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  16. I think I just died and went to culinary heaven.

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  17. happy birthday to your grandmother - those cupcakes look amazing!!!

    and im lovin the layout :)

    stayfabulous,
    zarna
    http://zarnasrunway.blogspot.com

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  18. these look so good! and since they're made with fresh fruit, that means they're healthy right? :P great post

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  19. wow! Love your blog! the photography is great! and yes, I'm gonna try those cupcakes TODAY hahaha Just printed out the recipe. Thanks!

    Xo

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  20. Mmmmmm Juuummmmm...
    cute blog
    xoxo

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  21. THIS is where the coconuts went! A very nice twist on plain old cupcakes. These look so fresh and yum! Happy belated to your nana!

    Have a lovely weekend!

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  22. those cupcakes.....mmmm.

    and uh, funnily enough i bought those wedges at f21.x

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  23. oh wow - hope you had a great time at your gran's 80th, the cake recipe sounds delish! and loving the new look x

    http://pagesixxx.blogspot.com/

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  24. i love coconuts! these look delish! happy bday to ur grandma :)

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  25. awwww happy birthday to your gran.
    and those cuppycakes look amazing!!
    great blog!
    loving the posts
    stop by some time xx

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  26. those look delicious! i have never heard of coconut mango cupcakes, but it sounds like a fantastic combination. :) happy belated birthday to your grandmother!

    xoxo
    http://sweatshirtdressshirt.blogspot.com

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  27. I came here from the IFB group discussion on Bloglovin, following you now.
    Love your blog , lets become fashionable blogger friends , lets follow each other.

    Maybe you'll be interested in the FENDI GIVEAWAY I'm having on my blog.
    http://www.thedollsfactory.com/2010/09/fendi-giveaway.html

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  28. you're half Filipino? cool! i'm Filipino! :) belated happy birthday to your grandmother! and those cupcakes look absolutely delicious!

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  29. you're half Filipino? cool! i'm Filipino! :) belated happy birthday to your grandmother! and those cupcakes look absolutely delicious!

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  30. Aww! How did they turn out? I love your blog, Chanda! I'm getting hungry while browsing ;). I feel special for being mentioned lol

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i love it when you whisper sweet nothings to me.

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