Snowball Cupcakes
Moist chocolate cupcakes, topped with a mound of fluffy marshmallow frosting, and coated in pretty pastel coconut! Ā These colorful snowball cupcakes make such a funĀ springtime treat!
Today I am on my way down to Washington DC with my friend Kellie, for the IACP Conference! Ā I’m very excited to get away for a couple days, meet some new peeps, and hopefully learn a lot. Ā But I am especially excited because, when I get back home, my kitchen will have undergone what I am hoping will be an incredible transformation!
After nearly 15Ā years of living with brown stained cabinetry, I’ve finally decided to go light and bright! Ā It occurred to me slowly, after I noticed myself pinning the same white kitchen with white subway tile backsplash, over and over again, that hello! Ā This is my kinda kitchen! Ā My kitchen should look like this! Ā White on the uppers, gray on the lowers (my husband and kids are suuuuper hard on stuff so hopefully it will show dirt/scuffs less), and brushed brass hardware. Ā IĀ can’t waitĀ to get home on Sunday night and walk into a (sorta) brand new kitchen!
But for now I’m so happy to share these adorable cupcakes with you!
Do you remember Hostess Snowball Cakes? Ā They were like a marshmallow ball, rolled in pink coconut, with a chocolate cake center. Ā Kids just go crazy for them, I guess because of the color.
These cupcakes are a riff on that childhood favorite, only waaaaay better. Ā Because: homemade. Ā Homemade is always better, but I know I don’t have to tell you that š
Also, these come in all the pretty spring colors, not just pink.
It all begins with THE BEST chocolate cupcake recipe in the universe. Ā I can say that because I am super picky when it comes to homemade cupcakes. Ā IMO, a chocolate cupcake needs to be intensely dark chocolate-y, uber moist, and soft as a baby lamb. Ā But! Ā Sturdy enough to handle plenty of fluffy frosting. Ā And bonus points if it’s easy to make and all happens in one bowl. Ā Check, check, check, checkity check-check!
They get topped with a marshmallow-y Italian meringue. Ā So light and heavenly, and just bursting with sweet vanilla flavor! Ā You could also try 7-minute frosting, but honestly, I find this recipe to be much more stable. Ā For some reason, whenever I make 7-minute frosting it’s always kinda loose and it doesn’t hold it’s shape real well. Ā You are going to dollop a big mound of frosting on these cakes, to really get that snowball effect, and so you need a frosting that can keep it together and not slump all down the sides of the cupcakes.
Then, all you need to do is divide your sweetened flaked coconut into 4 equal portions, and put 3 of those into zip-top bags. Ā Use a toothpick to add a tiny drop of gel-paste icing color to each. Ā The colors I used were Rose Pink, Lemon Yellow, and Royal Blue. Ā (The fourth portion just gets left white.) Ā Then, just shake/scrunch it all around until it’s even. Ā It’s actually kinda fun! Ā If you have kiddos this is a perfect job for them to “help” with.
Empty the baggies into bowls, and then just upend the cupcakes into the tinted coconut! Ā It’s that simple!
I hope you enjoy these pastel coconut cupcakes as much as my family and I did! Ā I just think they’d be perfect for Easter Sunday!
And I’ll keep ya posted on the kitchen job, if you’re into that kind of thing. Ā Have a great weekend, everybody!
Tools/Ingredients you may need for this recipe:
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Moist chocolate cupcakes are topped with a mound of fluffy marshmallow frosting, and coated in pretty pastel coconut! These colorful snowball cupcakes make such a fun spring time treat!
- 1 batch Simply Perfect Chocolate Cupcakes
- 2 cups sweetened flaked coconut, divided
- 1 drop Rose Pink icing color
- 1 drop Lemon Yellow icing color
- 1 drop Royal Blue icing color
- 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1/2 cup water
- 6 egg whites
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
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Bake and cool the cupcakes, according to the recipe.
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Divide the coconut into 4 equal portions. Set aside 1 portion to remain white.
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Place the other 3 portions into small zip-top bags, and add a drop of gel paste food coloring (Rose Pink, Lemon Yellow, and Royal Blue) to each.
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Zip the bags and shake/scrunch to disperse the color evenly throughout the coconut. Set aside.
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Place 1 3/4 cup sugar in a medium pot, along with the corn syrup and water.
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Heat over medium-high until the syrup comes to a boil.
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Allow the syrup to reach a temperature of 240 degrees F (soft ball stage).
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Meanwhile, whip the egg whites with the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, until they are glossy and stiff.
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When the sugar syrup has reached 240 degrees, carefully pour it into a large, heat-safe, spouted vessel. Slowly and carefully add the syrup, in a thin stream, to the whipped egg whites, while running the mixer on low speed.
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When all the syrup has been incorporated, turn the mixer up to high and whip until very stiff. Stir in the vanilla extract.
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Use an ice cream scoop to top each cupcake with frosting. Immediately dip the tops of the cupcakes into the tinted coconut, turning to coat evenly.
