Adventures in . . . Perfection

Ina Garten's Coconut Cupcakes are just perfection. Pictured above in mini form.

Here's the recipe, adapted to make 12 cupcakes + a handful of minis:

Preheat oven to 350. Remove 3 sticks butter, 3 eggs, ½ C buttermilk, and ½ package cream cheese from fridge. Line muffin pans.

Sift:
1 ½ C flour
½ t baking powder
½ t baking soda
¼ t salt

In another bowl:
Beat 1 ½ sticks butter and 1 C sugar on medium speed for 5 minutes.
Reduce speed to low; add 3 eggs, one at a time, scraping sides of bowl after each addition.
Add ¾ t vanilla extract and ¾ t almond extract.
Beat well until blended.

Add dry ingredients alternately with ½ C buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour. [dry ingredients, buttermilk, dry ingredients, buttermilk, dry ingredients.] Beat just until blended after each addition.

Add 3 ½ oz coconut, and beat until blended. Scoop into tins. Bake for 25 minutes.

Cream Cheese Icing

Beat:
4 oz (1/2 package) cream cheese, softened
6 T butter, softened
¼ t vanilla extract
1/8 t almond extract

Gradually add:
about 1 2/3 C powdered sugar, sifted