Ina Garten's Coconut Cupcakes

MAKES: about 24 cupcakes
PREP: 30 minutes
BAKE: 25 minutes

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
5 extra-large eggs, at room temperature*
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 (7-ounce) package sweetened flaked coconut, plus more for topping
Cream Cheese Icing (below)

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Insert paper liners into 24 muffin cups. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl at medium speed with an electric mixer 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; add eggs, 1 at a time, scraping sides of bowl after each addition. Add extracts, beating until well blended.

2. Sift together flour and next 3 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat just until blended after each addition. Add 7 ounces coconut, and beat until blended.

3. Fill each paper liner almost to the top with batter, and bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely. Frost with Cream Cheese Icing, and sprinkle with additional coconut.

*Remove eggs from refrigerator, and place in a bowl for 30 minutes.

Cream Cheese Icing

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 pound powdered sugar, sifted (about 3 1/4 cups)

Beat first 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth.