Coconut Cupcakes

I make these a couple times a year, and every time it's a hit. I fell in LOVE with coconut cupcakes years ago when I used to work in Santa Barbara. My co-work Deb would make a batch a couple times each year and bring it in for all to enjoy. I really never even considered trying it, but everyone said I had to, even for someone who doesn't particularly like coconuts, I was an instant fan. Deb made her using Ina Garten's, aka Barefoot Contessa, recipe. Very good, calling for lots of sugar, butter and eggs = 774 per cupcake!

While listening to Good Food on KCRW (local LA NPR radio station), I heard about an interview with LA Times writer Noelle Carter about Auntie Em's. He even included the recipe in his article. So I gave that a try. Tastes pretty darn close to Ina Garten's. It calls for oil instead of butter and less eggs = 463 per cupcake. The recipe yields 18, but I always come out with 20. Mine are probably a wee bit less since I use low fat cream cheese for the frosting.