Category: Coconut

Miffy Inspired Coconut Cookies

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
Miffy Inspired Coconut Cookies

Spring is finally here and Easter is around the corner, so I couldn’t resist making these cute, melt-in-your-mouth Miffy inspired bunny cookies. They’re made of tender coconut shortbread topped with icing and sprinkled with coconut flakes. Coconut bunnies make perfect Easter treats. I happened to have a Miffy cookie cutter, but any 3-inch (7.6cm) bunny cookie cutter works too.* You can also use a pattern to cut out the cookies with a small paring knife. Click here for a Miffy-inspired cookie pattern. Coconut bunnies make perfect Easter treats. This shortbread recipe also works beautifully as vanilla flavor. If you prefer vanilla, refer to the notes below.**

 

Miffy Inspired Coconut Cookies

by Mari Vasseur
Tender, melt-in-your-mouth bunny shaped coconut shortbread cookies with icing and coconut flakes
Print Recipe
Course Dessert
Servings 36 cookies

Ingredients
  

Coconut Shortbread Cookies

  • 1 cup (227g) good quality unsalted butter, softened
  • ¾ cup (85g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon natural coconut extract or flavoring
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup (14g) unsweetened coconut flakes
  • 2 cups (255g) all purpose flour, sifted

Coconut Icing

  • 1 ¼ cups (150g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2-4 tablespoons (30-60ml) half & half
  • ½ teaspoon natural coconut extract or flavoring
  • 1 pinch fine sea salt
  • ¼ cup (43g) semisweet chocolate chips
  • ¼ cup (14g) unsweetened coconut flakes

Instructions
 

Coconut Shortbread Cookies

  • In a large bowl, beat the butter, powdered sugar, and salt with an electric mixer on medium speed, until smooth and pale. Beat in the extracts and coconut flakes until well blended. On low speed beat in the flour, just until combined.
  • Form the dough into 2 disks. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or up to overnight.
  • Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to a scant 1/4-inch (.6cm) thick. Cut out the cookies using a 3-inch (7.6cm) bunny cookie cutter. If you don't have a cookie cutter you can use the provided pattern and cut the cookies out with a small paring knife. Place the cut cookies about 2 inches (5cm) apart onto the prepared baking sheets. Freeze the cookies for 10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Bake the cookies until set and light golden, about 9-11 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Coconut Icing

  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of half & half, the coconut extract and salt until smooth. Whisk in additional half & half as needed to achieve the desired consistency.
  • Apply the icing to the cookies by dipping the tops of the cookies in the icing or by spreading the icing on with a small offset spatula. Sprinkle with coconut flakes.
  • To make the Miffy or bunny faces, melt the chocolate ships in a small heat safe bowl, in the microwave. Transfer the melted chocolate to a piping bag fitted with a narrow round tip. For the Miffy faces, pipe an x for the mouth and dots for the eyes. For Easter bunnies, pipe eyes, noses and mouths. You can also use small candies for the noses.

Notes

*To find bunny cookie cutters, click here.
**To make vanilla shortbread cookies, omit the vanilla extract, coconut flavoring and the coconut flakes. Replace with 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste. To make vanilla icing, replace the coconut flavoring with pure vanilla extract
***To find the coconut flavoring I used, click here.
Keyword coconut shortbread, cookies

Pineapple Coconut Cake Bars

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
Pineapple Coconut Cake

If you like tropical flavors, you’ll love this spring dessert from my childhood. We used to call it Pineapple Coconut Snack Cake, but I would consider it more of a cake bar, so I changed the name to Pineapple Coconut Cake Bars. We would typically enjoy it on Easter or Mother’s Day because it was my mom’s favorite. It’s buttery, moist and rich. It’s also kind of addicting, because everyone always asks for seconds. You can double the recipe if you need to.

 

Pineapple Coconut Cake Bars

by Mari Vasseur
Soft, ultra-moist pineapple cake topped with a buttery toasted coconut topping
Print Recipe
Course Dessert
Servings 9

Ingredients
  

Cake

  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (142g ) all purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup (200g) sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 8 oz (227g) can crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Topping

  • ¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup (50g) packed brown sugar
  • â…› teaspoon fine sea salt
  • â…“ cup (78ml) heavy cream
  • 1 cup (75g) sweetened coconut flakes
  • ½ cup (50g) chopped toasted pecans
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions
 

Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt until well blended.
  • In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter, sugar, egg, egg yolk and vanilla until smooth & creamy. tir in the pineapple until incorporated. Stir in the flour mixture just until combined.
  • Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan. Bake until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes.

Topping

  • In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter with the granulated sugar, brown sugar and salt. Whisk in the heavy cream.
  • When the mixture starts to bubble, turn the heat down to low and simmer until thickened, about 3 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and stir in the coconut, pecans and vanilla. Spread over the warm cake. Let cool at least 15 minutes before cutting the cake.
Keyword cake, pineapple coconut

Little Coconut Bundt Cakes

Posted on by Mari Vasseur

These little personal-sized coconut cakes are soft, moist and so plush! They’re perfect for Mother’s Day or any springtime or summer celebration. I love topping them with cherries for a super cute, vintage look. They’re also lovely topped with fresh flowers.

 

Little Coconut Bundt Cakes

by Mari Vasseur
Soft, moist personal-sized coconut bundt cakes with coconut buttercream & shredded coconut
Print Recipe
Course Dessert
Servings 6 mini bundt cakes

Ingredients
  

Coconut Bundt Cakes

  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (124g) cake flour, sifted
  • ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons (175g) granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3 large egg whites, room temperature
  • ½ cup (118 ml) canned coconut milk*
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil or any neutral oil of your choice
  • 1 teaspoon pure coconut extract or natural flavoring
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups (150g) sweetened coconut flakes
  • Maraschino cherries with stems or fresh, pesticide free edible flowers optional

Coconut Frosting

  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 ¾ cups (454g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 5 tablespoons (74ml) coconut milk or whole milk
  • ½ teaspoon pure coconut extract or flavoring
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • â…› teaspoon fine sea salt

Instructions
 

Coconut Bundt Cakes

  • Preheat the oven to 325ºF (165ºC). Grease and flour a bundtlette pan with six 1-cup servings.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt until well blended. Add the butter and mix, with an electric mixer, on low speed, until the mixture looks sandy.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the egg whites, coconut milk, oil and extracts together until smooth and creamy.
  • On low speed, gradually add the egg mixture to the flour mixture. Turn mixer up to medium speed and beat for 1 or 2 more minutes, just until the batter is smooth.
  • Transfer batter to the prepared baking pan, dividing the batter equally among the cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 18-22 minutes. Do not over bake.
  • Let cakes the cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove them from the pan and transfer them to a cooling. Frost the cooled cakes and cover with coconut. Top with maraschino cherries or fresh flowers if desired.

Coconut Frosting

  • In a large bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium speed, until pale and smooth.
  • On low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar and beat until well combined. Add the coconut milk a little at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. Add the extracts and salt and beat on low speed until smooth.

Notes

*If your coconut milk is separated, re-emulsify it with a blender or whisk it vigorously with a whisk before using.
 
**Do not use imitation coconut flavoring. It tastes very artificial.
 
***To find the mini bundt pan I used, click here.
Keyword bundts, cake, coconut