Lemon Curd Surprise Coconut Top Hats

Beautiful, tasty, cup cakes with a lemon curd filling. [when did buns become cup cakes??] Easy Peasy to make and fill. Old fashioned they might be, but I like that. I adapted this from an old cookery book, given over with an oven and handed to me by a friend. Everyone knows I collect old books.

The quantity below makes about 15 or 16 large buns.

You will need a large muffin tin, lined with cases. Pre heat your fan oven to 160C

6 oz of softened butter

8 oz caster sugar

3 large eggs

7 oz plain flour

2 teaspoonfuls baking powder

pinch of salt

1 teaspoonful vanilla extract

4 oz desiccated coconut

6 fl oz buttermilk

In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar, then add the eggs one at a time…. you all know the routine! Add the vanilla and the coconut, then beat in half the flour with half the buttermilk, mix well and repeat the the other half.

Spoon carefully into the cup cake cases, until about three quarters full. Bake until golden and firm to the touch, about 25-30 mins. Cool in the tin for a short while, then place on a wire rack and wait until cold.

Filling and topping

Good quality Lemon Curd - I used left over from the previous post.

vanilla butter icing [2 oz soft butter and 2 oz icing sugar, vanilla extract]

Using a small sharp knife, carefully cut around the centre of the top of the bun, making a little well and your top hat. Carefully leave the circular piece you have sliced beside each bun. Fill the wells with lemon curd, top with a dob of vanilla butter cream and place the top hats. Easy. Dust with a little icing sugar to finish off.

Yummo!!!

If you wish, you could use fresh whipped double cream. Also toast a little extra desiccated coconut to add to the cream, if you wish to add to the coconut theme. So many variations.