3tbspdesiccated coconut1 tbsp for the cake, 2 tbsp for sprinkling
1/2tspcoconut flavouringoptional - see notes
100mlcoconut milkfull fat is best here, and shaken well before opening
400gicing sugarsifted
Instructions
Preheat the oven to gas 4 / 180c. Slice one of the plums into slivers and lay on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with demerara sugar and while the oven warms up, bake for around 10 minutes until the sugar has melted and the fruit slightly cooked. Keep an eye on it making sure it doesn't burn though.
Meanwhile, cream the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy using an electric hand mixer. Beat in the two eggs.
Fold in the flour and 1 tbsp of the desiccated coconut together with the coconut flavouring or liqueur - if you are using this.
Divide the batter between the the papercases.
Cut the remaining two plums in half, then quarters (removing the stones) and then eighths. Dot plum pieces into the batter of each cake.
Remove the plum slices from the oven if you haven't already.
Bake the cakes on the middle shelf for 15-20 minutes until golden and springy to touch. (18 minutes is what works in my oven).
Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
In another large bowl, spoon the coconut milk over the icing sugar a little at a time, beating it into a smooth paste.
Once the cupcake bases are cool, spoon over the coconut icing and sprinkle over the remaining desiccated coconut. Arrange slivers of plum on top of that and serve.
Notes
If not serving to children, you could add a teaspoon of Malibu coconut liqueur to the icing in place of coconut flavouring - or omit completely.