Easy after-dinner recipes: Welcome the weekend with cupcakes

Ready for the weekend? Celebrate with cupcakes.

Coconut cupcakes: This billowy coconut cupcake is pretty irresistible. The cake has a hint of almond and a light buttermilk tang. There’s tender, shredded coconut baked into the cake too. And the frosting -- it’s a cream cheese frosting with butter mixed in, both airy and creamy and finished with a sprinkling of more shredded coconut on top.

This Galician dish combines white fish fillets (use something like cod or halibut) with potatoes, garlic, onion and notes of bay leaf and pimenton for a simple yet flavorful meal. - See more at: https://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dailydish/2012/06/dinner-tonight-galician-fish-stew.html#sthash.iHU8eKd9.dpuf
Red velvet cupcakes: The Hotel del Coronado’s red velvet cupcakes are rich and chocolatey, yet with a nice hint of tang from the cream cheese frosting. The landmark hotel was happy to share its recipe, which comes together in about an hour.

RECIPES: 99 easy dinner ideas in about an hour or less

Vanilla cupcakes: With a light crumb and bright vanilla flavor, this is one cupcake that doesn’t need to rely on a ton of decoration to be a hit. Joan’s on Third shared its recipe for cupcakes that are easy to make and are sure to be a hit at home.
You can find all of the recipes below.

And for more ideas, click through our easy dinner recipes gallery and check out our Dinner Tonight page, devoted to recipes that can be made in an hour or less. Looking for a particular type of recipe? Comment below or email me at noelle.carter@latimes.com.

MORE RECIPES: 99 ADDITIONAL easy dinner ideas in about an hour or less

AUNTIE EM’S COCONUT CUPCAKES

Total time: 45 minutes, plus cooling time for the cupcakes

Servings: Makes 1 1/2 dozen cupcakes

Note: Adapted from Auntie Em’s Kitchen in Eagle Rock.

2 1/3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup buttermilk

3 eggs

2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided

2 teaspoons almond extract

1 1/3 cups sugar

1 3/4 cups shredded sweetened coconut, plus extra for decorating the frosted cupcakes

1/2 pound cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) butter, at room temperature

3 1/3 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1. Heat the oven to 325 degrees. In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking soda and salt and set aside. Separately, in a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the oil, buttermilk, eggs, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, the almond extract and sugar. Using a hand mixer or in a stand mixer, on low speed, slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until smooth, and being careful not to overmix. Gently fold in the coconut.

2. Place 18 paper muffin cups into muffin tins. Fill each cup with a generous one-fourth cup of batter, so that it comes three-fourths up the side of each cup. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove the cupcakes to a rack and allow to cool completely.

3. For the frosting: Beat the cream cheese on low speed until smooth; scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the butter and continue mixing on medium speed until smooth. Scrape down the bowl again. Add the powdered sugar in three additions at low speed, mixing each addition until just combined. Scrape down the bowl again. Add the remaining teaspoon vanilla and mix on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.

4. Frost each cupcake with 3 tablespoons frosting and sprinkle with extra shredded coconut. The cupcakes will keep for 2 days.

Each serving: 475 calories; 4 grams protein; 55 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 27 grams fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 66 mg. cholesterol; 288 mg. sodium.

HOTEL DEL CORONADO’S RED VELVET CUPCAKES

50 minutes, plus cooling time. Makes 2 dozen cupcakes

Cream cheese icing

3/4 cup butter (1½ sticks), softened

1 pound cream cheese, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon lemon oil extract

In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, cream the softened butter. Add the cream cheese and beat, scraping the bowl once or twice, until fully incorporated but still a little stiff. Add the sugar and beat until somewhat fluffy and spreadable. Beat in the vanilla and lemon oil, being careful not to overmix. This makes about 4½ cups frosting. You may not use all of the frosting for the cupcakes; the remainder will keep, covered and refrigerated, up to 1 week (soften at room temperature and beat again before using).

Red velvet cupcakes

2 3/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon (12 ounces) flour

2 cups (14 ounces) sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (1½ ounces) cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

1 cup buttermilk

2 eggs

3/4 teaspoon red food coloring, or as needed to achieve desired color

1 teaspoon vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon coffee extract or strong coffee

Simple syrup (¾ cup sugar dissolved in 1½ cups water), optional

Prepared cream cheese icing

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with 24 paper liners.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder and cinnamon. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, vanilla and coffee extract or coffee. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet, stirring just until combined to form a smooth batter. Add additional food coloring if needed to achieve the desired shade of red.

3. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pans. Bake until the cupcakes are puffed and spring back when touched, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Remove the cupcakes and cool on a rack.

4. If desired, gently brush the tops of the cooled cupcakes with simple syrup to keep them very moist (the hotel places the syrup in a squeeze bottle and inserts the tip into the top of each cupcake to add a little syrup). Frost the cupcakes with the cream cheese icing and decorate as desired.

Each cupcake (without simple syrup): 405 calories; 4 grams protein; 40 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 27 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 52 mg. cholesterol; 28 grams sugar; 228 mg. sodium.

JOAN’S ON THIRD’S VANILLA CUPCAKE

Total time: 35 minutes, plus cooling time

Servings: 12

Note: Adapted from Joan’s on Third

Cupcakes

1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons (5.84 ounces) flour

1 1/8 teaspoons baking powder

Heaping 1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 pound (1 stick) butter, at room temperature

1 cup (7 ounces) sugar

2 eggs

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin cups with paper liners.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour with the baking powder and salt. In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir together the milk and vanilla extract. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, cream the butter. Gradually add in the sugar, beating until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

4. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, until fully incorporated. Beat in the flour and milk mixtures, alternating one-third of each at a time, until each mixture is fully incorporated and the batter is smooth.

5. Fill each muffin cup three-fourths full of batter. Bake the cupcakes until puffed, set and lightly golden, and a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 18 to 20 minutes.

6. Cool the cupcakes before frosting.

Frosting and final assembly

1/4 pound (1 stick) butter, at room temperature

5 cups (1 1/4 pounds) powdered sugar, sifted and divided

1/4 cup milk

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat the butter with one-half of the powdered sugar until combined. Beat in the milk and vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl, and beating until smooth.

2. With the mixer set to low speed, gently beat in the remaining sugar until combined. Increase the speed and continue to beat until the frosting is light and fluffy. This makes about 2 1/2 cups frosting.

3. Frost each cupcake with a generous 2 tablespoons frosting.

Each cupcake: 456 calories; 3 grams protein; 75 grams carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 17 grams fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 77 mg. cholesterol; 64 grams sugar; 116 mg. sodium.

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