Mardi Gras Coconut & Lime Syrup Sparkle Cupcakes

It’s Mardi Gras weekend here in Sydney, and what better way to shimmy into it than with a dazzling gold dusted Coconut & Lime Syrup Sparkle Cupcake in hand!

 

For the coconut cupcake

4 eggs

340g (1 ½ cups) castor sugar

Zest of 2 limes

¼ teaspoon vanilla essence

160ml pure cream

195g (1 ¼ cups) plain flour, sifted

¾ teaspoon baking powder, sifted

85g (1 cup) desiccated coconut

25g (1/4 cup) almond meal

80ml lime juice

100g butter, melted

 

For the lime syrup

100ml lime juice

120g (1/2 cups) caster sugar

¼ teaspoon vanilla essence

Zest of 1 lime

 

For the Italian buttercream

175g (3/4 cup) caster sugar

75g (approx. 3) egg whites – this helps create a delicious creamy white and fluffy icing!

Pinch of cream of tartare

220g cold butter, chopped

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Edible gold glitter, of course!

 

Preheat oven to 160 degrees. Line ½ cup muffin tins with 12 x cupcake cases.

Place eggs, sugar and lime in the bowl of an electric beater and beat until pale and fluffy. Add salt and vanilla.  Place flour, baking powder, coconut and almond meal in a medium bowl. Set aside. Fold in cream until well combined. Fold in flour mixture until well combined. Fold in lime juice until well combined. Fold in butter until just combined. Spoon into cupcake cases and cook for 15-20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Meanwhile, to make the lime syrup, place lime juice, sugar, zest and vanilla in a small saucepan and bring to the boil over high heat. Strain into a small jug and allow to cool. Pour syrup over warm cupcakes. Allow to cool.

To make the buttercream, place the sugar in a small saucepan over medium high heat until the sugar dissolves. Simmer for approx. 2 minutes or until the liquid forms a soft thread when dripped from a spoon. Remove from the heat and set aside. Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in a clean bowl and whisk until just frothy. Gradually pour in the sugar syrup until well combined. Continue to beat for 8-10 minutes or until the mixture is cold. Add cubes of butter one at a time and whisk until well combined and glossy. Spoon mixture into a piping bag with a 1cm nozzle and pipe onto cup cakes. Dust with gold glitter.

And there it is, done and gold dusted!

Now dance, Happy Mardi Gras Sydney!

Post your own Mardi Gras Coconut & Lime Syrup Cupcakes on Instagram, and hashtag #momentum so we can take a look at your fabulous creations.

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