Skinny Mini Coconut Cakes
Besides my dance recital in first grade, I didn’t wear mascara until college. Taking a shower feels like a huge pain to me. I skip legitimate clothing and wear a nightgown whenever I can get away with it. I exclusively wore pajama pants for the entire duration of high school and college.
So I’m probably not the person you should take beauty advice from?
OR AM I?
See, I think of it like this. If you get advice from someone who routinely puts time and effort into their appearance, they’re just gonna tell you to spend time and effort. But if you get advice from someone who routinely takes the super lazy way out, they’re gonna show you what gives you the most bang for your buck so you don’t have to bother with any of that effort business. Brilliant, right? I’m pretty sure that’s brilliant. Without further ado, here are the 5 simplest things you can do to look cute.
1. Get your eyebrows waxed. I think this is actually the single most significant thing I do for my appearance. Every few weeks I start feeling homely and can’t quite pinpoint why. Then I’ll notice the hibernating raccoons above my eyes. It’s amazing the difference a well-shaped brow can make. And a brow wax takes 5 minutes and costs $10 at my local nail shop — no need to go to fancy boutiques.
2. Wear good mascara, and take the time to apply it right. If getting your eyebrows waxed is the most significant trick on this list, applying excellent mascara is a close second. Right now you might just flick a brush at your lashes in the morning, but it’s worth slowing down a bit.
I start by curling my eyelashes with an eyelash curler. Then I apply Benefit’s They’re Real! mascara (though I also love regular ol’ drugstore Maybelline), starting at the lash base and wiggling the wand slightly back and forth as I brush out to the tips. I use the spiky end of the brush (held vertically this time) to pick out and elongate the lashes. Finally, I use a moist wipe to clean up any smudging. Pro tip: apply mascara to both sets of lower lashes before moving on to upper lashes. This way your top lashes won’t smudge against your lid while you apply mascara to lower lashes.
3. Exfoliate. I love facial cleansers with microbeads, sugar body scrubs, loofahs, and that weird foot-exfoliating-egg-thing. This thing. I love that most exfoliating can be done when I’m already in the shower anyway. That means with no extra work, I have really soft, clean skin. I sound like a commercial. But really, exfoliate all over and then climb into bed and tell me it’s not amazing.
4. Moisturize. Exfoliating and moisturizing are a match made in soft skin heaven. I keep a line-up of moisturizers for different body parts ready to go so it’s not a hassle to apply them after a shower. I slather on medicated chapstick, ultra healing body lotion, and a facial moisturizer with SPF.
5. Buy some good dry shampoo. YOU GUYS. Nothing is better for a lazy girl than dry shampoo. Think of it as extending the time between showers. You just spritz it on and rub it into your roots to have hair that looks like it was just washed. Except for cuter? Something about the slight oomph the spray gives my hair actually makes it look better than it does after a shower! I’ve taken to giving my hair a spritz of it even when it’s clean just to add a little body.
All dry shampoos are not created equal. I’ve used a ton of grocery store brands and haven’t been too thrilled with any of them. Recently I tried Batiste, though, and I’m in love. The scent isn’t heavy enough to knock out an entire office building like the previous ones I’ve tried. It’s also cheap and works so well! And I’m all about taking a five-minute bath instead of washing and drying my hair for an hour.
Bonus tip: If you’re feeding your body things that make you feel healthy and wonderful, you’re that much closer to looking healthy and wonderful.
I know many of you are honoring resolutions or just trying to eat in a balanced way, so I made you dessert! When you want dessert, these Skinny Mini Coconut Cakes are a better choice than many you can make. They pack all the delicious flavor of a coconut cake into a light, tiny package. Enjoy!
Please add your lazy girl beauty tips below!
One year ago: Spaghetti Squash Baked “Pasta” Boats
Two years ago: Clementine Curd
Three years ago: Red Velvet Cheesecake
Four years ago: Valentine’s Truffle Heart
Skinny Mini Coconut Cakes
Recipe by: SkinnyTaste
Yield: 24 mini cakes
These little cakes are the cute, light version of your coconut cake fantasy. The frosting is marshmallowy and the angel food cakes are fluffy, making this a cloudlike coconut dream dessert. Each cake comes in at around 120 calories!
Cake Ingredients:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2/3 cup cake flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 egg whites from large egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 cup coconut water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Coconut Meringue Frosting Ingredients:
4 egg whites from large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
about 1/4 cup of coconut water
1 1/2 cup shredded coconut, plus more for topping
Directions:
Make the cakes: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 muffin tins with cupcake liners. In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, cake flour, and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg whites, coconut water, vanilla extract, coconut extract, and cream of tartar on low speed until it’s foamy. Turn the speed up to medium and add the granulated sugar about 1 tablespoon at a time. Turn the mixer up to high speed and beat until the egg whites form medium peaks (SkinnyTaste says: “Don’t beat until the mixture is extremely glossy and stiff; it should be modestly glossy, but the very tips of the peaks formed when you dip your finger in should flop over just a bit.”)
Add the dry ingredients into the egg white mixture in two additions, folding each addition in gently. Be careful not to overmix.
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins, filling each well pretty close to the top. Bake for 18 minutes or until the tops are slightly golden. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and cool completely before removing from the pan.
Make the frosting: Place the egg whites with the vanilla extract and coconut extract in the clean bowl of a stand mixer. Stir the water and sugar together in a small saucepan over high heat. Bring this to a boil and cook until the syrup reaches 234 degrees F on a candy thermometer, about 4-8 minutes.
When the syrup begins to boil, start mixing the egg whites on low speed so they begin to get foamy. When the syrup is up to temperature, turn the egg whites to medium-high speed and very slowly drizzle the hot syrup into the whites. Beat until the frosting forms stiff glossy peaks, tossing in the salt to mix in along the way. Gently fold shredded coconut in to the frosting.
Assemble the cakes: Use a serrated knife or unflavored dental floss, cut each cupcake into two layers (I find the floss easiest: just wrap it in a loop around the cupcake and tighten until it cuts right through). Lightly brush the bottom layer of a cupcake with coconut water and top with about a tablespoon of frosting. Place the top layer on, piling another tablespoon of frosting on top. Top with extra shredded coconut. Repeat this for each cupcake. Serve immediately (the frosting is really best the day it’s prepared, but we enjoyed these the second day also).
21 Comments on Skinny Mini Coconut Cakes (and 5 beauty tips for lazy girls)
1Pingbacks & Trackbacks on Skinny Mini Coconut Cakes (and 5 beauty tips for lazy girls)
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[…] Skinny Mini Coconut Cakes (and 5 beauty tips for lazy girls) – Willow … http://willowbirdbaking.com/Skinny Mini Coconut Cakes (and 5 beauty tips for lazy girls). by Julie Ruble on January 20, 2014 · 18 comments. Skinny Mini Coconut Cakes (only 120 calories each!) Skinny Mini Coconut Cakes. Besides my dance recital in first grade, I didn't … […]
Amber - Loves Food, Loves to Eat
January 20, 2014 at 2:01 pm (11 years ago)I love these beauty tips!! I’m totally lazy when it comes to my beauty routine, and you’re absolutely right: eyebrows, mascara, and clear skin! Can’t wait to try the dry shampoo trick. And also… these cakes… OMG!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
January 20, 2014 at 2:24 pm (11 years ago)These sound like a total delight! Yum!
Brittany from CountingMyCupcakes
January 20, 2014 at 4:15 pm (11 years ago)These are so so cute! I would die for one right now. I also love your tips. I totally agree with your perspective on why advice from someone like you, who doesn’t wear makeup often, is even better than advice from people who go all out all the time. Low maintenance is so much better 🙂 And YES to eyebrow waxing being key! so true.
Jenny @ BAKE
January 20, 2014 at 4:44 pm (11 years ago)These sound delicious and I love your beauty tips! I’m all about eeking out as much time between hair washes as possible! it just takes so much effort to dry!
Sarah Toasty
January 20, 2014 at 5:43 pm (11 years ago)from a fellow lazy girl, ditto to all 5. although, my “beauty” routine is bb cream, a good mascara (sorry, tried yours and is not my fave), and the benefit high beam highlight since i’m about as pale as the coconut on those little cuties…
love the cakes and that you made everyone’s favorite cupcakes sandwiches lol
Kate c.
January 20, 2014 at 6:50 pm (11 years ago)Look up a company called Lush. I think that you’ll like it. Love the mascara tips, by the way!!
vanillasugarblog
January 20, 2014 at 8:19 pm (11 years ago)and why, for the love, do girls shave off their eyebrows?
what is up with that?
Trisha
January 20, 2014 at 9:40 pm (11 years ago)Eyebrow waxes are must for naturally bushy eyebr0wed women like myself. I feel so much better afterwards!
These coconut cakes are the cutest!
dina
January 21, 2014 at 9:33 am (11 years ago)they’re cute and look yummy!
Aysha
January 21, 2014 at 1:41 pm (11 years ago)These look so creamy and delicious! And perfect for the lazy girl like myself 🙂 And I absolutely loved your other tips and your little anecdote of solely pyjamas all through high school 😀
Nice to know there are others out there who will wear nightgowns whenever they can!
Kind regards from Denmark,
Aysha @ http://www.thecreativemuslimah.blogspot.com
Coco in the Kitchen
January 21, 2014 at 2:36 pm (11 years ago)Your beauty tips are so cute. I’ve never tried dry shampoo, but now I’m curious. Going to see how I do.
Love drug-store mascara – it’s my fav.
And, these li’l cupcakes look so yummy. I fwd’ed your link to some friends already!
PS-I have a great foodie giveaway, courtesy of Maille UK, going at the moment.
The mustard/vinegar flavours are not avail in the US. So it’s a real bonus.
Please stop by, leave a comment so I can enter your name in the drawing.
Amy | Club Narwhal
January 22, 2014 at 2:24 pm (11 years ago)OMG, dry shampoo is a total godsend! I don’t know what I was doing with my life before I started using it–washing my hair more regularly probably 🙂 These cupcakes look to die for, especially since I am ga-ga for anything coconut. Lazy girl beauty routines are the best!
fallconsmate
January 22, 2014 at 6:43 pm (11 years ago)forget fancypants exfoliants…a little salt or sugar (your choice) mixed in with your regular body wash (i keep mine in a little rubbermaid bowl) and you are GOOD to go.
i have chronic pain, so absolutely on the livivng in the comfy clothes. baby wipes can take the place of a full-on bath if you need to, although i am ALL about my jaccuzi tub. oh and forget the mascara…get those eyelashes DYED. seriously. or do them yourself (amazon has great kits) and you are good to go for a MONTH. my beauty routine: scrub with a wet washcloth (nothing but water), use a good astringent, moisturize. if i’m leaving the house? i use the bare minerals makeup, which takes all of five minutes for the base and finishing powder, eyeliner (cause i already dye the eyelashes), tinted lip balm. done, in less time than it takes TheEngineer to shave.
and OMG yes on getting the eyebrows waxed. mine aren’t overgrown, they just look BETTER shaped nicely.
the wee little cakes look WONDERFUL too!!
Cheryl
February 15, 2014 at 4:58 pm (11 years ago)Don’t have a clue why I could not get the meringue for the cake batter to whip up properly? Went through 2 dozen
eggs trying. I have never had a problem in the past making meringue, typically when you make meringue it’s
only sugar and egg whites so I was thinking the coconut water had to be the culprit. I’m no stranger to baking but this was absolutely a huge messy fail. Almost burned out my stand mixer trying to make it.
Julie Ruble
February 15, 2014 at 5:14 pm (11 years ago)Hi Cheryl! I’m sorry to hear that your egg whites didn’t beat up. Mine obviously did (with the coconut water) and SkinnyTaste’s obviously did (with regular water: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/05/sweet-light-angel-food-cupcakes-with.html), so I’m guessing the culprit was something else. Common issues beating egg whites: http://blog.kitchenmage.com/2012/07/old-cooks-tale-you-cant-whip-egg-whites-with-a-speck-of-yolk-in-them.html
Cheryl
February 15, 2014 at 5:28 pm (11 years ago)No I didn’t have any yolk in it, I know that any yolk at all will ruin it, the second batch I tried I started to make it like a regular meringue and my whites actually were whipping up like expected but as soon as I added the coconut water in was one flat mess 🙁
Julie Ruble
February 15, 2014 at 5:38 pm (11 years ago)Well, not sure why it worked for me and SkinnyTaste but not for you. If you’d like, you can substitute any angel food batter for this one.
Natalie L.
March 5, 2014 at 1:31 pm (11 years ago)Those are great tips! I totally agree with you that a well-shaped eyebrow makes all the difference–on days when I wear no other makeup, I always do my eyebrows (mine are sparse so they need some help from a pencil). For eyelashes, I recently discovered that heating the lash curler makes a surprising difference. Just aim a hair dryer at the curler for 10 seconds or so before you use it. Also, dry shampoo is a life saver!! I have been using L’Oreal Fresh Dust and it’s great, but I’ll have to check out Batiste.
culinarylabschool
January 13, 2019 at 4:46 pm (6 years ago)Thanks Julie for this great recipe and for quality advice, now I know how easy it is even easier to bake a cake, thanks to your advice 🙂
Sam Roberts
March 26, 2021 at 11:44 am (4 years ago)Thanks Julie for this great recipe and for quality advice, now I know how easy it is even easier to bake a cake, thanks to your advice 🙂