Chocolate Caramel Coconut Cupcake

For cupcakes:
-In one bowl, sift dry ingredients together (sugar, flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, baking soda).
-In separate mixing bowl, add oil, eggs, milk, vanilla and coffee. Stir to combine.
-Add dry ingredients to wet mixture and beat until well mixed. Batter will be thin.
-Scoop into 2, 12-cup cupcake pans and bake at 350 degrees for 15-17 minutes. Do not over-bake. Cupcakes are done when an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
-Cool completely before filling and frosting.

For filling:
-Unwrap caramels and place in microwave safe bowl with half & half.
-Cook on high for 2-3 minutes or until caramels melt.
-Fill cupcakes by using a small paring knife to cut a cone of cake (1-inch across by 1-inch deep) out of the top. Trim off the pointy end of the cone, leaving a flat circle of cake. Set aside and repeat this process for all the cupcakes.
-Fill each cupcake with about 1 tablespoon of caramel mixture.
-Top off the filling with the flat circle of cake to plug the hole and keep the filling in place.

For frosting:
-Beat butter with electric mixer until light and fluffy (about 30 seconds).
-Add confectioners’ sugar, milk and coconut flavor. Mix on low speed until combined. Increase speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy (about 1 min).
-Add another tablespoon of milk if frosting is too stiff.

To toast coconut:
-Preheat oven to 325ºF.
-Spread coconut shavings on a rimmed baking sheet and bake, stirring once or twice, until golden, about 5 to 10 minutes. If toasting sweetened coconut, check and stir more frequently because the sugar can cause irregular browning.

Frost cooled, filled cupcakes. After frosting cupcakes, sprinkle with toasted coconut and drizzle with remaining caramel.