Birds Nest Cupcakes

I've said this before and I'm sure I'll say it again....I LOVE cupcakes! I love making them and of course eating them. So, when asked to bring a dessert for an Easter gathering, I decided to make cupcakes. I found these super cute ones on Pinterest and tried to make my own.


Inspiration

Martha Stewart

Ingredients (makes 1 dozen cupcakes)
1/2 cups shredded coconut
Yellow and light blue food coloring


Vanilla Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup milk


Chocolate Buttercream
3/4 cup sugar
3 large egg whites
1 cup (2 sticks) plus 6 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
3 oz semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled




Cupcakes
First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners. 


In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy with an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add eggs, one at a time; scrape down bowl and beat in vanilla.

Alternately add flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Divide batter evenly among liners, about three-quarters full each. Bake until golden and tops spring back to touch, about 20 minutes. Transfer pans to wire rack, cool completely.

Chocolate Buttercream 
NOTE: Reserve 1 1/2 cups of buttercream (BEFORE adding the chocolate) and 1 tsp of melted chocolate.


Combine sugar and egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Place over a pot of simmering water, which until hot and sugar is completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. Transfer bowl to mixer stand and beat on high speed until cooled, 7 to 10 minutes.


Replace whisk with paddle attachment and set mixer on medium-high speed; add butter, 1 to 2 tbsp at a time, until incorporated. Beat in chocolate. 


Bird's Nest Cupcakes
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread coconut on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until light brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.


Lightly frost cupcakes with 1 cup chocolate buttercream, set aside. Tint 2 tablespoons reserved buttercream pale yellow, place in a pastry bag fitted with a #349 Ateco leaf tip; set aside. Tint remaining buttercream light blue; place in a pastry bag fitted with a #11 Ateco plain round tip, and pipe three blue bird heads (3/4 inch in diameter) onto each cupcake. Using leaf tip, pipe yellow beaks. With a toothpick, add melted-chocolate eyes. Form each nest with 2 tablespoons of toasted coconut.