Coconut Chick Cupcakes

Directions

1. 1
   Make cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350F.
2. 2
   Line standard muffin tins with paper liners, and coat liners with cooking spray.
3. 3
   Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. 4
   With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter, sugar, vanilla-bean seeds, and zest until pale and fluffy.
5. 5
   Reduce speed to medium; add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
6. 6
   Reduce speed to low; add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk.
7. 7
   Beat in vanilla extract.
8. 8
   Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full.
9. 9
   Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
10. 10
    Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely.
11. 11
    Decorate cupcakes: Gently peel liners off cooled cupcakes.
12. 12
    Spread buttercream on top of a cupcake; invert onto a small dish.
13. 13
    Using an offset spatula, spread buttercream over sides of cupcake, then generously spread more over inverted bottom to create a dome shape.
14. 14
    Place toasted coconut in a bowl.
15. 15
    Holding cupcake dish at an angle over the bowl, press coconut into frosted top and sides of cupcake, letting excess fall back into bowl.
16. 16
    With kitchen tweezers, press 2 black licorice pieces into each cupcake for eyes.
17. 17
    Insert an almond for a beak.
18. 18
    Arrange 3 red licorice pastels on top for the comb and 2 at either side of base for feet.
19. 19
    Cupcakes are best served the same day they are decorated; keep at room temperature.