Alas, the last weekend of the summer is upon us. Sigh.

In celebration of the Labour Day long weekend, I decided to whip up a batch of summery cupcakes.

Nothing quite says summer to me like the taste of mango. For this recipe, I used mango puree in the batter as well as in the icing. To finish, I garnished them with some shredded coconut. So prepare yourselves, because these cupcakes pack a tropical punch.

However you choose to celebrate this long weekend, I hope you enjoy it!

Wishing you sweet satisfaction,

Anita

Mango Cupcakes:

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup canola oil

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup mango puree

1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pan and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, combine oil and sugar. Whisk in one egg at a time. Add mango puree and vanilla.

4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, folding them in using a spatula, until just combined. Careful not to over mix or the cupcakes will turn out dense. (Darn gluten! )

5. Fill cupcake wells 3/4 full and bake for 20 to 22 minutes. Allow to cool completely before icing.

Mango Buttercream:

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter, unsalted, room temperate

3-4 cups icing sugar

3-4 tsp mango puree

Directions:

1. Using a stand or hand-held electric mixer, whip butter until it becomes pale yellow. (A couple of minutes.)

2. Add icing sugar, 1/2 cup at a time. Alternate adding the mango puree.

3. Whip until light and fluffy. You can play around with the consistency by adding more puree or icing sugar, depending on your taste.

4. Fill piping bag and swirl onto cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle with shredded coconut. Enjoy!!