Marissa's Gluten-Free Strawberry-Banana Coconut Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 0.5 cups unsalted butter , at room temperature
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 large eggs , at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract
• 1.5 cups gluten-free all purpose baking flour
• 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
• 0.25 teaspoons salt
• 0.5 cups coconut milk
• 1 pint strawberries , hulled and sliced
• 1 banana , sliced into 12 rounds

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

2. 2

   Beat butter in a bowl using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy; add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, to creamed butter mixture, beating well after each addition. Add coconut extract and mix thoroughly.

3. 3

   Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together in a separate bowl. Beat 1/3 of the flour mixture into creamed butter mixture on low speed just until incorporated. Add 1/2 of the coconut milk to butter-flour mixture and beat on low just until incorporated. Beat in 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by remaining coconut milk, ending with 1/3 flour mixture until batter is just mixed.

4. 4

   Spoon 2 tablespoons batter into each muffin cup; top with 1 strawberry slice. Spoon 1 tablespoon batter over strawberry layer; top with banana slice. Spoon batter over banana layer to fill muffin cup completely.

5. 5

   Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes.