Vegan Recipe: Lime-and-coconut takeover

Spring disappeared temporarily, so why not go for a lime-coconut cupcake-party in yo mouf' until the sun comes back? I mean, look at that beauty up above! Martina Martinez shows you how to do the delicious.

Before you think, Another cupcake?, take a closer look at this one. See the half-nude beau—or belle, whatever rocks your boat—juggling coconuts and limes under the sweltering skies and luxuriant trees of the tropics? Well, this is that inside a paper liner. Sweet and tangy and precious-looking. If there were one cupcake apt to take over the world, this one would get my vote.


Stuff you'll need:
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup soy milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp coconut extract
1 tbsp grated lime zest
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 cup coconut


For the icing:

1/2 cup shortening (Blesk-Malinda Baker's Fat by Natural works well despite its dubious name. You can get it in any of those bio stores.)
1/2 cup margarine (Avoid softening the margarine by leaving it out of the fridge. That won't work with icing.)
3 cups confectioner's sugar (Yes, that's three cups.)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp grated lime zest
1 cup flaked coconut
thin slices of lime


As usual, preheat the oven to 170C and line the cupcake pan with liners. In a bowl, mix the oil, sugar, coconut milk, soy milk, vanilla, coconut extract and lime zest. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and mix till smooth. Add in the coconut, and mix. Let bake for about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile get your icing gear out. Beat the shortening with the margarine until what might qualify as fluffy. Add the sugar and beat some more. Now, just add the lime juice, zest, and vanilla, and beat to combine. Chill until the cupcakes are completely cool, then heap the frosting onto them. Spread the coconut flakes onto a plate and roll your cupcakes around in it. Decorate with lime slices, and tadah! (Oh, do keep them refrigerated for aesthetics' sake.)