Make the coconut cupcakes

• Cream the butter and caster sugar until pale and fluffy.
• Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract and coconut milk.
• Fold in the flour, baking powder and desiccated coconut until just combined.

Bake the cupcakes

• Divide the batter between the cupcake cases in the muffin pan.
• Bake at 180 °C until golden and a skewer comes out clean.
• Leave to cool completely.

Whip the coconut buttercream

• Beat the softened butter until smooth.
• Gradually add the icing sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
• Flavour with the coconut extract.

Form the chocolate coconut shells

• Line small foil moulds and coat them with the melted chocolate candy melts.
• Add a layer of melted white candy melts and let it set.
• Unmould the shells and score the outside with a craft knife to create the coconut texture.

Assemble the cupcakes

• Pipe the coconut buttercream onto the cooled cupcakes.
• Place a chocolate shell on top of each cupcake.
• Fill the shells with piping gel to look like coconut water.