Chocolate Coconut Cupcakes - 2 Ways!

I'm gonna start a rating system using a scale of 1 to 5. Look for it at the end of each cupcake post.
Here's how it goes:
Moistness: 1 being as dry as Arizona weather - 5 being perfectly moist and delicious
Tenderness: 1 being hard as a rock - 5 being light as air
Frosting: 1 being really gross - 5 being out of this world
(Keep in mind I'm very critical. You might say something is definitely a 5, but I'm a little more harsh and settle on a 4.)

First I feel like I need to say I'm sorry! I know I haven't had a poll in a while. It's mainly because I have 3 cupcake mixes I need to use up. This week I had fully planned on using one of them. That is until it actually became time to bake. I was really in the mood to bake from scratch! I skipped out on Cupcake Hero last month, but when I started seeing everyone's cocoa powder cupcakes I got really jealous! I wanted to use the cocoa I found recently at Ross. So I chose a recipe from Cupcakes Galore by Gail Wagman. The original recipe calls for the cupcakes to be filled with pudding and topped with whipped cream. I don't really like the idea of a "from scratch" cupcake that has to stay refrigerated (because they tend to dry out and get hard... not yummy). I looked in the freezer and decided to use up some leftover Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting (which I don't keep refrigerated once it's on the cupcakes because my mom never did and neither did my grandma and we're still kicking!). DON'T WORRY THOUGH! I did make 5 of them just how the book said too. The pudding in the middle really covers up the dryness they get when refrigerated. They are delicious straight outta the fridge! However, my cupcakes did turn out a little dry and hard even when they weren't refrigerated. I think it's due to the order of the ingredients that are mixed in. I added my own notes to the recipe to ensure that no one else will over mix theirs!

First, whisk the eggs and sugar. Mix in oil and dry ingredients.Add shaved chocolate, cocoa powder, coconut, and milk.

At this point it looks like brownie batter.

Whip egg whites to stiff peaks.

Fold meringue into chocolate coconut batter.

Fill cups 2/3 full and bake.

Cool cupcakes on wire rack.

Frost with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

and garnish with lightly toasted coconut.

Alternately, cut a hole from the center of each cupcake.

Fill each cupcake with pudding.

Top with whipped cream and garnish with whatever's laying around!

Chocolate Coconut Pudding Cupcakes
MAKES 12-14 CUPCAKES

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt, plus pinch for egg whites
3 eggs, separated
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil, plus 2 tablespoons
1 cup shredded coconut, plus 2 tablespoons for topping
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
4 ounces dark chocolate, grated
1/4 cup milk
Chocolate pudding (instant, ready­ made or homemade)
Whipped cream, for decoration
Powdered chocolate or cocoa powder, for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
3. With a whisk or a wooden spoon, mix egg yolks and sugar together. Add oil and then flour mixture, beating until batter is smooth (MY NOTES: Do not mix the flour completely in at this point; You will mix a lot in the following directions. In fact, I suggest stirring in the coconut, cocoa powder, and grated chocolate BEFORE adding the flour and milk. Remember, you still have egg whites to fold in). Mix in coconut, cocoa powder, grated chocolate, and milk and blend well.
4. Using an electric beater, beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff but not dry. Gently fold into chocolate batter.
5. Spoon batter into cupcake papers, filling about 2/3 full. Smooth batter with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle a little coconut over each cupcake. Cook for 10 minutes and then lower temperature to 300°F and cook for another 20 minutes (mine were done after only 12 minutes) or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool.
6. When cupcakes are completely cool, cut a circle or cone out of the top with an apple corer and heap chocolate pudding in it. Add a little dollop of whipped cream for decoration. Dust with powdered chocolate or cocoa powder.

Overall rating on a scale of 1-5
Moistness: 3 (Probably my fault)
Tenderness: 3 (Most likely my fault... I over mixed!)
Frosting: 4