coconut and cherry cupcake

Ingredients:
cupcakes:
50g cocoa powder
175g plain flour
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
225g caster sugar
175g unsalted butter
80ml milk
80 ml cherry wine
chocolate sauce
1 batch of chocolate ganache frosting

cherry filling:
1/4 tin sweetened condensed milk
1 cup desiccated coconut
1/2 cup chopped glacé cherries
2 tbsp cherry essence, wine or liqueur

coconut sprinkled:
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1 tsp red food dye

choc cherry coconut bark:
400g dark cooking chocolate
coconut sprinkles
1/2 cup chopped glacé cherries






method:
preheat the oven to 180 degrees c.

red coconut sprinkles: to make simple add shredded coconut and a couple of drops of red food dye into a zip lock bag and shake around to colour the coconut. spread out onto a baking tray and bake on a low temp for 10 minutes or until they appear dryer than when they went in.

cherry coconut filling: combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix until combined. cover and set aside.

choc cherry coconut bark: to make cherry coconut bark simply melt your chocolate in a microwave for 20 seconds at a time. mixing each time until chocolate is smooth. line a baking tray with baking paper and use a knife to spread out the chocolate as thin as you can get it, sprinkle with the chopped cherries and coconut sprinkles. pop in the fridge to let it set and harden

cupcakes:
add all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, mix in the butter until it reaches a crumbly, sand like texture. add eggs, cherry wine and milk into a jug and whisk together well. add milk/egg mixture to dry ingredients in a slow steady stream whilst the mixture is on low. make sure you scrape down the bowl each time you add an ingredient to make sure everything is mixing well. scoop into cupcake pan filling about 3/4 of the way. bake for 20 minutes. to check if they are done simply add a skewer and if they come out clean they are done. once they are done let them cool down completely

to assemble your cupcakes, core them in the centre with a apple corer and fill with the cherry coconut mixture. fit the end of your piping bag with a star tip and pipe your cupcakes in a donut swirl. top with shards of cherry coconut bark