Coconut Lime Cupcakes

I have become a cupcake addict. Lately all I think about are flavors and combination of cupcakes.  Since I came back from Hawaii, I have been fixated on the idea of a coconut lime cupcake. Last Wednesday night I pulled an all nigher and made 36 lime coconut cupcakes. I searched the web for a recipe and when I found none to my liking, I stuck with Ina Garten's Coconut Cupcake and made some alternations to it.

Coconut Lime Cupcakes
Adapted from Ina Garten's Coconut Cupcake
Makes about 3 dozen cupcakes

Ingredients:
Cupcakes:
3 sticks of unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups of sugar
5 extra large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon of pure almond extract
1/2 teaspoon of coconut extract
2 tablespoons of lime juice
zest of one lime
3 cups of flour ( I used 3 1/4 cup of cake flour)
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
1 cup light coconut milk (you could use buttermilk instead, but the coconut milk makes it really moist)
1 cup sweetened, shredded coconut 

Frosting:
1 stick of unsalted butter, room temperature ( I wanted more of an icing so I only used 3 tablespoons)
8 oz of cream cheese, room temperature
1-2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons lime juice (more to taste)
1 tablespoon buttermilk
zest of one lime
3/4 cup of sweetened,shredded coconut

Cupcake Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, zest and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla, almond and coconut extracts and mix well. Add the lime juice and mix well.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the coconut milk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in the coconut.

Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each liner 2/3 full with batter. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool and then  remove to a baking rack and cool completely.

Frosting Directions:
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract and the zest, mix well. Add buttermilk and lime juice and mix on high speed for 1 minute. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.

Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with the coconut.