Rosewater Surprise Heart Cupcakes With Coconut Frosting

These yummy cakes have a surprise heart baked right in the middle which will make your loved one smile this Valentine’s Day.

Rosewater heart cupcakes with coconut frosting

150g butter, softened

1 cup caster sugar

2 eggs

1 3/4 cups plain flour, sifted

2 teaspoons baking powder, sifted

3/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 teaspoons rosewater

1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon red food colouring

Coconut frosting

125g butter, softened

3 cups icing sugar, sifted

1 tablespoon milk

2 teaspoons coconut essence

Method:

Preheat oven to 180°C (conventional). Grease and line a slice tin or small oven tray with baking paper.

Place the butter and sugar in an electric mixer and beat for 5 minutes or until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour, baking powder, milk, vanilla and rosewater and beat until just combined.

Place 1/3 of the batter in a separate bowl and add food colouring until it reaches your desired colour. TIP: The more red the batter is the more contrasting it will be when you cut the cupcake open.

Pour the red batter onto the lined tin/tray and spread out to around 1.5cm thick. Bake for 10 minutes, or until almost cooked through. It’s okay if it’s a little doughy on the top still. Freeze for 20 minutes or until cold and firm.

Use a small (4-5cm wide) heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut 10 hearts from the red cake.

Line a muffin tray with 10 cupcake cases. Spoon a little of the remaining batter into the cupcake cases so they are 1/4 full. Place the hearts vertically in the middle of the cupcake cases, all facing the same way. This will help you to know where to cut them open later.

Fill the cupcake cases, around the hearts, with the last of the batter.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Cool on a wire rack.

To make the coconut frosting, place the butter, sugar, milk and coconut essence in an electric mixer and beat for 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Spread or pipe onto cupcakes.

Makes 10 cupcakes.

TIP #1: Use any leftover red cake trimmings to make truffles or cake pops. Or you could just eat it…..

TIP #2: Cheat and use a packet mix for the cupcakes, just add rosewater to the mix. Remember this will still only make 10 cupcakes as you lose a little mixture by cutting out the hearts.

Images and tutorial by emerald + ella. Cake stand and striped parchment paper from the emerald + ella store.

Ms Gingham says: Love is in the air and now also in our stomachs! Love it!

I’m Jane Howard, the girl behind emerald + ella – an online shop and blog which encompass a world of beautiful, eclectic things. I’m also a recipe writer, food stylist, vintage collector, New Zealander, married to an Aussie boy, aspirational crafter, wine drinker, pulled pork sandwich lover and basically just a girl who likes pretty bits and pieces.