Ingredient: unsweetened coconut flakes

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

Honeydukes Inspired Pink Coconut Ice Cake

Posted on by Mari Vasseur

Honeydukes Inspired Pink Coconut Ice Cake by Brownie Mischief

I recently enjoyed a girls’ day out at Universal Studios Hollywood. My daughter is a Harry Potter fan, so of course we beelined straight to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter upon arrival at the theme park. We were spellbound by the ominous looking Hogwart’s Castle and the sparkling snow-topped shops of Hogsmeade. My daughter was in Harry Potter fan heaven, flitting around Hogsmeade, testing out her interactive wand and sipping some refreshing Butter Beer. It’s definitely a must-try

Our favorite shop was Honeydukes sweet shop, where anyone with a sweet tooth can get his or her candy wishes fulfilled. The candy selection was nothing short of magical. We picked up some Chocolate Flies, a Chocolate Frog and some Pink Coconut Ice candy.

Honeydukes Candy                   Pink Coconut Ice Candy

I was most excited to try the Pink Coconut Ice. I’ve been intrigued by the thought of this candy ever since it was mentioned in the book, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling. The Pink Coconut Ice candy is similar to a stiff fudge. It’s very sweet, so you can cut it into small squares and have plenty to share with friends.

Pink Coconut Ice Candy

I imagined the “shimmery pink squares” a little differently so, I decided to build on my imagined version of the coconut candy by making a shimmery pink coconut cake. I used my favorite coconut cake recipe and pink coconut buttercream. I tinted my buttercream with Americolor gel food color soft pink. I covered my cake in large flakes of unsweetened coconut. To find unsweetened coconut flakes, click here. I think the large flakes look more whimsical and add texture, but feel free to use whatever kind of coconut you prefer. I colored my coconut a shimmery, soft pink. Click here to see how I colored my coconut flakes.

Honeydukes Inspired Pink Coconut Ice Cake by Brownie Mischief

You don’t have to be a Harry Potter fan to appreciate this pink, fluffy, coconut-covered cake. I can imagine this pretty cake at any party or event with a pink theme. I hope you enjoy this perfectly Pink Coconut Ice Cake as much as we did!

Pink Coconut Ice Cake

by Mari Vasseur
Moist, fluffy coconut cake with pink buttercream and coconut flakes
Print Recipe
Course Dessert
Servings 1 6-inch cake (serves 6)

Ingredients
  

Coconut Cake

  • 2 ¾ cups (326g) cake flour, sifted
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ¾ cups (350g) granulated sugar preferably ultra fine
  • ¼ cup (58ml) vegetable oil or neutral oil of your choice
  • 2 teaspoons natural coconut extract *see note below
  • 6 large egg whites
  • 1 ½ cups (400ml) canned light coconut milk **see note below

Pink Coconut Buttercream

  • 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened
  • â…› teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 3 ¾ cups (454g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • ¼ cup (65ml) canned light coconut milk
  • ½ teaspoon natural coconut extract
  • Pink gel food color I used Americolor soft pink (link below)

Pink Coconut Flakes

  • 3 cups unsweetened coconut flakes
  • 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
  • Edible pink petal dust I used Rosie Sterling Pearl Dust by GSA (link below)

Instructions
 

Coconut Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottoms of three 6-inch cake pans with parchment paper. Grease and flour the insides.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt until well blended.
  • In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar and oil and coconut extract together with an electric mixer at medium speed, until pale and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Gradually beat in egg whites until the mixture is smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
  • On low speed, beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the coconut milk after each addition.
  • Pour batter into the prepared pans, evenly distributing batter among the pans. Bake for 28-32 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
  • Cool the cakes for 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from pans and transfer them to a cooling rack.

Pink Coconut Buttercream

  • In a large bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium speed, until pale and fluffy.
  • Turn off the mixer. Add the powdered sugar and salt. Mix on low speed until the sugar is moistened, then turn the mixer up to medium speed and beat until combined. Add coconut extract, then add the coconut milk a little at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. Continue mixing on low speed until the buttercream is smooth.
  • Add the food coloring with a toothpick, a little at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Beat at low speed until well blended. Fill and frost the cake.

Pink Coconut Flakes

  • Place the powdered sugar in a small bowl. Add a small amount of petal dust. Whisk together with a small whisk. Add additional petal dust until the desired color is reached.
  • Spread the coconut flakes out onto a large shallow dish. Sprinkle powdered sugar mixture over coconut with a small sieve. Toss gently with gloved hands.
  • Place the cake on a baking sheet to catch excess coconut. Gently press the colored coconut onto the sides and the top of cake.

Notes

For best results weigh your dry ingredients.
*Use natural coconut extract. Imitation coconut flavorings may give your baked goods an unpleasant flavor.
**If your coconut milk is separated when you open the can, simply place it in a blender to emulsify before using.
To find my favorite 6-inch cake pans, click here. To find the gel food color I used, click here. To find unsweetened coconut flakes, click here. To find the edible pearl dust I used, click here.