Coconut Cupcakes

If you want a more intense coconut flavor, add a teaspoon or two of coconut extract. Try putting your coconut in a food processor or blender if you prefer a smoother-textured cupcake.

Ingredients

• 1 cup white sugar
• ½ cup applesauce
• ¼ cup butter softened
• 2 eggs, separated
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ¾ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ (13.5 ounce) can coconut milk
• 1 ¼ cups unsweetened shredded coconut

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 12 muffin cups or line with paper liners.
2. Mix sugar, applesauce, and butter together in a bowl.
3. Beat egg whites in a glass or metal bowl until medium peaks form. Lift your beater or whisk straight up: the tip of the peak formed by the egg whites should curl over slightly.
4. Stir egg yolks and vanilla extract into applesauce mixture; fold in egg whites. Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt until just combined. Beat coconut milk into batter until smooth, about 1 minute. Beat in shredded coconut for about 30 seconds. Pour batter into the prepared muffin cups.
5. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 20 minutes.