Are adult funfetti cupcakes a thing? They should be! I turned these kiddie birthday cupcakes into a little something more. They are super moist and delicious, with a somewhat tropical flair. I mean–rum and coconut flakes?! What could be better? Sadly, I could only eat one since I used real butter in this recipe, but they were a hit with friends and family. How good would these be for a bachelorette party, or adult birthday party? They were as fun to make as they were to eat. To finish it off, I topped them with torched meringue. I love a good torched meringue–don’t you? You’ve got to try these before summer is over. Let’s eat.

Here is the recipe:

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Servings: 2 dozen cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 2 ¾ cups of cake flour, sifted 
• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 ¼ cup of granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup rainbow sprinkles
• ⅓ cup of coconut flakes
• 1 ½ Tbsp rum extract
• ½ tsp of salt
• 1 cup of milk, room temperature 
• 2 ½ tsp of baking powder
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 3 egg whites, for meringue
• ¼ tsp of cream of tartar, for meringue
• ¾ cup of granulated sugar, for meringue

Note: If you do not have cake flour, make a substitute by sifting one cup of all purpose flour that has been spooned in (not packed), leveled, then removing 2 Tbsp of flour and adding in 2 Tbsp of cornstarch. Do this step for each cup of all purpose flour.

Directions for the cupcakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
2. Line the cupcake tins with your favorite decorative liners and set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl of an electric mixer, add the butter and sugar. Beat on medium low speed until the mixture appears light and fluffy. This should take about 3 minutes.
4. Then slowly add in the eggs one at a time. Continue mixing for 2 minutes.
5. Next add the rum extract. 
6. Follow by adding the sifted cake flour, baking powder, coconut flakes, and salt. 
7. Finally add the milk and rainbow sprinkles. Mix until all the ingredients are well combined.
8. Scoop even portions of the batter into the cupcake liners. Be sure not to overfill them.
9. Place the cupcake pans on the center rack in the oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
10. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow them to cool for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, make the meringue.

Directions for the meringue:

1. First you must wash the mixing bowl of your electric mixer, then wash it again! It is very important that the bowl is free of any impurities. Dry the bowl thoroughly as well.
2. Add the egg whites and cream of tartar to the bowl and mix on medium speed. After a few minutes it should look foamy.
3. Then slowly add the sugar and beat until stiff peaks are formed. 

Note: You will need a hand held kitchen torch for final assembly.

Assembly:

1. Pipe or spoon the meringue over the top of each cupcake. 
2. Carefully torch the meringue until it turns golden brown. Do not leave the torch in one spot for too long. You want the meringue to brown, not burn. 
3. Add additional sprinkles or other decorative topping if desired. Enjoy!