Ingredients 🧺

Coconut Icing 🧊

• 1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 3 large egg yolks
• ¼ teaspoon table salt
• ¾ cup sweetened shredded coconut
• ¾ cup toasted chopped pecans or walnuts
• ½ teaspoon almond extract (Optional)

Cupcakes 🧁

• baking spray with flour
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa (such as Hershey's)
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso granules
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon table salt
• ¾ cup sour cream
• ½ cup canola oil or other neutral oil
• ½ cup whole buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature

Chocolate Frosting 🥶

• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• ⅓ cup powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
• ⅓ cup 60% cacao dark chocolate chips, melted, cooled slightly
• ⅓ cup heavy cream at room temperature
• ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions 👇

Coconut Icing 🧊

• 
  Combine evaporated milk, butter, brown sugar, sugar, egg yolks, and salt in a saucepan. Cook over medium-high, whisking constantly, until it coats the back of a spoon, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in coconut, pecans, and almond extract. Transfer to a medium bowl, and cool in the refrigerator, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until just chilled, about 1 hour.

Cupcakes 🧁

• 
  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners, and lightly coat liners with baking spray.
• 
  Whisk together flour, granulated sugar, cocoa, espresso granules, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until combined. Stir in sour cream, oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and eggs just until smooth. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups (about 1/3 cup batter each).
• 
  Place pan in preheated oven; immediately reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• 
  Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center of cupcakes comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes; transfer cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Chocolate Frosting 🥶

• 
  Place butter, powdered sugar, and cocoa in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, scraping down sides as needed, about 3 minutes. Stir in melted chocolate, cream, and vanilla until combined and smooth. Cover and chill until just firm, about 30 minutes.
• 
  Stir frosting, and spoon into a piping bag fitted with a Wilton #21 fluted tip. Pipe a circle around the edge of each cupcake. Spoon coconut icing inside each circle of chocolate frosting.
• 
  Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.

Cook's Note: Store cupcakes in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.