Big Waves of Mango Coconut

This week's cupcake is a vegan mango cupcake with bits of candied mango inside topped with a coconut buttercream frosting and rolled in toasted coconut.  This cupcake has big flavors like being on the inside of a big wave in Hawaii.  It helped that "The Bruce Movie" was on in the background so there was a lot of big wave surfing that added some inspiration to the cupcake.

Mango! The mango isn't a real sweet flavor but a nice mild sweet in the cupcake and the candied mango pieces not only helped to enhance the mango flavor but also added a nice texture to the cupcake.  The buttery consistency of the frosting topped with the toasted coconut really brings it all together.  Imagine standing up a surf board, coming through through the barrel of a wave and being shot out of the other side into the blue water and sunshine.  We've never personally experienced surfing a big wave but from watching this in a movie and then eating this cupcake they seem to go hand in hand.

The recipe yields about 24 large cupcakes and about a dozen babies.  Preheat the oven to 350 and give those cupcake trays a lining.

Mango Cupcake


3 cups of flour (this week no self rising flour)
3/4 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cup of sugar (still using sugar in the raw)
2 cups of mango (feel free to use more if you like too much mango isn't a bad thing)
3 tsp vanilla
1 tsp coconut extract
1/2 cup of unsweetened almond milk
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Mix together dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt) and set aside.  Mix sugar, oil and almond milk for about a minute.  Add in dry ingredients a little at a time and add mango a little at a time switching off until everything is well blended.  Add vanilla and coconut extract and mix for another minute.  Scoop into cupcake tins about 3/4 full.

Coconut Buttercream Frosting


1 cup of butter (earth balance)
1 cup of vegetable shortening
3 1/2 cups of confectioner's sugar
1 1/2 tsp of coconut extract
dash of vanilla

Cream together butter and shortening.  Add sugar in 1/2 cups until well mixed and fluffy.  Add extract and mix for another minute.

For the toasted coconut we used shaved coconut.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spread thin layer of coconut on a baking sheet covered in foil.  Bake for about 10 minutes checking periodically for the coconut to brown.

Once the cupcake has cooled you can frost it and roll it in the toasted coconut.  You can be generous with the toasted coconut because it adds a really good flavor.  Just don't eat in all in the process of baking the cupcakes.

This cupcake will make you want to be in the tropics watching or if you are so inclined participating in some surfing activities.  What would make this cupcake better? Nothing, it is very delicious and has a nice balance of flavors.

Tip of the day: gas is getting expensive, walk more.

Until next time surfs up and get your bake on.  As always, sugar kisses and cupcake dreams.