Coconut Key Lime Muffins

I normally do not post any of my muffin recipes but I made a choice to share this one with all of you! I was walking through the market trying to decide what muffin flavor to go with my "muffin of the week" for the local bookstore and I stumbled across Key Limes! That was it I thought and with the weather being so beautiful I felt it would be great to make something a bit tropical! I already had coconut and coconut milk in the pantry so I was all set and off to the kitchen I went. This is a first run recipe and I hope everyone will try it and let me know if it is a keeper.

Coconut Key Lime Muffins
(makes 12 jumbo muffins)

Ingredients:

4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
1 stick butter, at room temperature
3 eggs
1 cup coconut cream
Zest of 12 key limes (reserve 2 tablespoons for sprinkling sugar)
3 tbsp Key lime juice
1 cup whole milk
2 cups shredded coconut (toasted)

 

 For Sprinkling:4 tbsp sugar
2 tablespoons of key lime zest

For the glaze:Remainder of the coconut cream
1 tbsp of the sprinkling sugar

Directions:

Preheat the oven at 375 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil and spread the shredded coconut. Place in the preheated oven and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from oven when the edges start to turn brown, then toss the coconut together and let cool.

Zest all 12 key limes and juice. (takes a little while because they are small and not as easy to handle as a regular lime….And these little babies have seeds, so when juicing them put over a small strainer).

 

Meanwhile, Stir together flour, baking powder and baking soda; set aside.

In large mixing bowl, beat 1 ½ cups granulated sugar and butter. Add eggs; beat 1 minute.

Slowly add flour mixture, coconut milk and whole milk, alternately to butter mixture; add lime juice and key lime zest. Beat on low speed until smooth (do not over beat). Add half of the toasted coconut and mix gently into the batter.

Grease muffin tins with butter and fill each muffin cup three-fourths full with batter.

Mix together the sugar and lime zest and sprinkle evenly on top of each muffin (reserve 1 tablespoon for glaze) and bake for approximately 30 min. (Jumbo Muffins), if using smaller muffin tins cook for about 20 minutes. Just check and see if the muffin top is set.

Meanwhile add the remainder of the coconut milk in a sauce pan with a tablespoon of the key lime and sugar mixture. Heat until it comes to a soft boil. Drizzle over the muffin tops then sprinkle with toasted coconut.