• 100 g large coconut flakes
• 180 g pineapple
• 2 large ripe bananas
• 250 g plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 60 g pecan nuts, chopped
• 175 ml sunflower oil
• 180 g soft light brown sugar
• 2 eggs

For the frosting

• 50 g butter, softened
• 50 g icing sugar
• 125 g full-fat cream cheese
• seeds of ½ vanilla pod or 1 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

• 12-hole cupcake tin
• hand-held electric whisk or stand mixer (optional)
• mechanical ice-cream scoop (optional)
• piping bag with 2cm nozzle (optional)

Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan 160°C/350°F/gas 4) and line the cupcake tin with twelve paper cases.

Put the coconut flakes on a baking tray and place them in the oven for 2–3 minutes, until the coconut flakes are going golden brown. Keep an eye on the flakes as they can catch pretty quickly. When they have changed colour, remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Roughly mash up the pineapple in a bowl, discarding excess juice, then mash up the bananas in another bowl.

Put the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, pecan nuts, sunflower oil, sugar, mashed banana, mashed pineapple and eggs into a large bowl and mix it together using a hand-held electric whisk or a stand mixer until it is all combined. You can also do this by hand using a wooden spoon.

Using a large spoon or mechanical ice-cream scoop, divide the combined mixture between the paper cases, using a spatula to ensure you get every last bit out of the bowl. Bake the cupcakes for 25–30 minutes, or until they smell baked and are springy to the touch. To check that they are cooked, insert a skewer into the centre of a cupcake – it should come out clean. Once baked, remove the cakes from the oven and leave them to cool down completely.

While the cupcakes are cooling, make the cream cheese frosting. Put the butter and icing sugar together in a bowl and beat well using a wooden spoon until light and fluffy. Add the cream cheese and vanilla and stir together just enough for it to be nicely combined. Don’t over-whisk it at this stage otherwise it can get a bit too runny. Spoon or pipe the cream cheese frosting over the cupcakes, and then sprinkle the coconut flakes on top making sure that they completely cover the frosting. Serve.