You know it is Spring when defensive Magpies swoop at you from the trees, protecting their eggs and their chicks. It’s a great test of speed, for your legs and the pram you’re pushing. If you saw that crazy woman running past your house waving a local gazette above her head while two magpies and their wild cronies ganged up and swooped down upon her, have pity. That woman was me. And while I ran hollering, pushing the double pram with one hand and waving a stolen newspaper with the other, my children chortled, absolutely overjoyed at the whole commotion.
Yes, it’s one of the few things I detest about Spring. But thankfully the new hoards of mangoes that have hit the markets tell me I am not to fear these walks for too much longer.
Summer is well on its way—and the mangoes are out, in perfect time to make these delightfully moist coconut mango cupcakes.
These mango and coconut cakes are packed with tropical flavours and they’re just perfect for a morning tea snack, or to pop in the lunchboxes. Even my toddlers approve of them, and they are not the easiest mouths to please. It is also a very quick and simple recipe that requires few ingredients, so it’s a win win all around for busy mums and housewives who have a lot to get around to.
You can fancy them up a little if you’re serving them to guests, by topping them with a small dollop of luscious vanilla buttercream icing and a sprinkling of toasted coconut. They also make fabulous breakfast muffins for those moments you need a quick fix as you’re dashing out the door. I know as mums, we all have more than enough days like these.
TROPICAL MANGO MUFFINS
For the muffins:
125g butter, room temperature
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 large mango, chopped, skin and seed removed
1 cup desiccated coconut
1 ¼ cup Self Raising flour
For the icing:
2 tbsp. butter, melted
2 cup icing sugar
1 tsp. vanilla essence
2-3 tbsp. water
¼ cup coconut, extra
Preheat the oven to 180 C. Place the butter and the sugar in a medium bowl and beat on high until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until just combined. Add the mango, coconut and flour and stir until just incorporated. Spoon tablespoons of the mixture into a greased mini muffin tray, and bake for 20 minutes, or until the tops begin to turn golden. Remove from oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes before removing to place on a cooling rack.
To make the icing, melt the butter in a medium bowl. Add the icing sugar and vanilla, and stir to combine. Add a little water at a time, until a thick, smooth paste forms. Place this mixture in a piping bag fitted with a large round nozzle, and pipe small amounts onto the centre of each cake. To roast the garnish of coconut, spread the extra coconut on an aluminium foil sheet under the grill of your oven. Watching carefully, set the grill to high for approximately one minute, and then remove the browned coconut. Sprinkle on the tops of the cakes if desired.
Makes approximately 30 mini muffins, or a dozen regular muffins.
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