Island Inspiration Cupcakes

Coconut Passionfruit Cupcakes

My recent travels to Hawaii inspired me to make some tropical flavored cupcakes when I got home. I absolutely love all the wonderful fresh fruits that one can get in Hawaii - they just taste that much better there - so I decided on making cupcakes with Lilikoi also known as passion fruit. I paired it with one of my other favorite flavors, coconut.

I first made a coconut cupcake which was made with coconut flour, coconut milk and extract. Amongst other ingredients. The cake was light, moist and not overpowered by coconut flavor

Since I wanted both the coconut and lilikoi flavors to shine in this cupcake I made a lilikoi curd to fill the cupcake with. I brought back several cans and bottles of lilikoi juice, butter, jelly etc. So I made the curd with the juice. I used my apple corer to take a chunk out of each cupcake to fill them

I love using the apple corer. Makes an even hole each time for even filling

The curd was sweet and tart. Just like a ripe passionfruit. It has such a distinct flavor, by far one of my favorites especially for cakes and cupcakes

I frosted them with my version of passionfruit italiam meringue buttercream. It came out light, tart sweet and buttery. I could have eaten it with a spoon. I added a few sweetened coconut shavings as a garnish. These were super yummy and I will make again. I might have to go back to Hawaii for ingredients though, oh darn!!