Soft and fluffy coconut cupcakes are perfect for spring and summer! Top with coconut cream cheese frosting and a sprinkle of toasted coconut for best results. Recipe includes a how-to video!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Pronounced coconut flavor that we especially love during spring and summer! These coconut cupcakes would make a fantastic Easter dessert or Mother’s Day dessert (if your mom likes coconut, that is!).
- Fast and easy to decorate compared to a traditional layered cake, but still just as impressive and pretty.
- Moist and tender crumb that stays moist even after storing in the fridge, which you will need to do if you make the frosting included here. Speaking of frosting…
- The delectable coconut cream cheese frosting pairs SO well with the cupcakes! During testing, we tried a buttercream-based and a cream cheese-based frosting, and cream cheese was hands-down the winner. I do include a few other suggestions below too!
Soft and oh so fluffy, these are a cupcake alternative to my beloved coconut cake. they are flavored with real coconut and just a touch of vanilla. My favorite part may just be that creamy and perfectly tempered, not too sweet coconut frosting though–yum.
I’ll walk you through every step of the way so you end up with perfectly moist, bakery-worthy cupcakes, no matter your skill level. Let’s get started!
Ingredients
- Butter and oil. While I used all oil in my lemon blueberry cupcakes, a combination of oil and butter worked best here (if the recipe looks familiar, it’s actually closely modified from my vanilla cake!). Any neutral oil will work (I like avocado, but canola and vegetable oil work, too!). I haven’t actually tested this recipe with coconut oil, but suspect it would work if it’s melted first.
- Coconut milk. Make sure to use a can of full-fat coconut milk and shake it VERY WELL before opening. You could substitute this for buttermilk or even regular milk if needed, as the bulk of the coconut flavor here really comes from the extract.
- Cream cheese. Just like with my classic cream cheese frosting, you must use brick-style, full-fat cream cheese for this frosting. Anything else (spreadable or low-fat) will be too soft, and your frosting will be runny as a result.
- Coconut extract. While we are using coconut milk in the cake itself, coconut extract is crucial for the strongest and best coconut flavor. We’ll use this in both the cake and the frosting.
- Toasted coconut. This is optional, but a sprinkle of toasted coconut on top of the cupcakes adds a lovely contrasting crunch and pretty look. I used unsweetened flake coconut, but shredded would be fine too as would sweetened.
SAM’S TIP: Set your eggs out ahead of time along with your butter and cream cheese so they can all come to room temperature. If you forget, I do have a trick to quickly bring eggs to room temperature.
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Coconut Cupcakes
Make the cupcakes
- Beat the butter, oil, and sugars together with an electric mixer until combined and creamy.
- Stir in the eggs and both extracts, then set the bowl aside while you combine your dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
- Add the dry ingredients and coconut milk to the butter mixture in alternating parts, stirring with a spatula (this is important–do not use a mixer) after each addition until just combined. Do NOT over-mix, or your coconut cupcakes will be dense and dry!
- Portion the batter into a lined cupcake tin (a spring-loaded ice cream scoop works nicely for this!) and bake. Keep a close eye on your cupcakes in the oven and use the toothpick test to check for doneness. Let the cupcakes cool in their pan for about 5 minutes before removing to cooling rack; this prevents the wrappers from becoming soggy!
Make the frosting/decorate
- Beat the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until smooth and lump-free.
- Add the sugar gradually, mixing in each addition until completely combined before adding the next; I usually add roughly 1 cup at a time. Stir in the extracts.
- Pipe or spread over the cooled cupcakes. I used an Ateco 848 tip to frost the cupcakes in these photos and in my video below. Decorate with coconut if desired, then enjoy!
SAM’S TIP: If you plan to completely dunk the tops of your cupcakes in shredded coconut, don’t worry about making the frosting look pretty. It will be totally hidden by the coconut, so just make sure it’s even.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Ermine frosting (can be made with coconut milk!), lemon cream cheese frosting, or my favorite chocolate frosting would all be tasty here as well.
Yes! Because of the frosting, these cupcakes will need to be stored in the fridge where they will last for up to four days. Make sure you store them in an airtight container so they stay fresh!
Sounds tasty! Lemon curd, pastry cream, or even my raspberry cake filling would make great fillings for coconut cupcakes. To do this, follow the filling instructions for my Boston cream cupcakes!
If you try this recipe, I would love to know what you think!
Enjoy!
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Coconut Cupcakes
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (57 g) unsalted butter softened
- ¼ cup (60 ml) neutral cooking oil avocado canola, or vegetable
- 2 large eggs room temperature preferred
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon coconut extract
- 1 ½ cups (188 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- ⅔ cup (160 ml) coconut milk
Frosting
- 6 oz (170 g) cream cheese softened
- 6 Tablespoons (85 g) salted butter softened
- 3 cups (375 g) powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon coconut extract
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Recommended Equipment
- 12-count muffin tin
- Large scoop (for portioning cupcake batter)
- Ateco 848 piping tip (to decorate as shown in the photos and video)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line a 12-count muffin tin with paper liners. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the sugar, butter, and oil until creamy and well-combined.¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar, ¼ cup (57 g) unsalted butter, ¼ cup (60 ml) neutral cooking oil
- Add eggs and extracts and stir batter on low-speed until well combined.2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon coconut extract
- In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.1 ½ cups (188 g) all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon table salt
- Alternate adding the flour mixture and the coconut milk to the butter mixture, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Gently stir together with a spatula after each addition until just combined (there may be some small lumps in your batter but all flour should be absorbed – take care to not over-mix).⅔ cup (160 ml) coconut milk
- Evenly divide batter into prepared muffin tin.
- Transfer to center rack of 350F (175C) preheated oven and bake for 17-19 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Allow cupcakes to cool in their tin for 5 minutes before carefully removing to a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
Frosting
- Combine cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl and use an electric mixer to beat on low-speed until smooth, creamy and lump-free.6 oz (170 g) cream cheese, 6 Tablespoons (85 g) salted butter
- Gradually add powdered sugar, about one cup (125g) at a time, mixing well between each addition until sugar is thoroughly combined.3 cups (375 g) powdered sugar
- Add coconut and vanilla extract and stir to combine. Spread or pipe frosting over cooled cupcakes½ teaspoon coconut extract, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Notes
Storing
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.Decorating
I used an Ateco 848 tip to decorate the cupcakes in these photos and video.Toasted coconut
Follow my tutorial on how to toast coconut to add some on top the cupcakes for decoration!Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
JoJo
This turned out really well. I thought the frosting was a tad too sweet but otherwise the coconut flavor was sublime.
Sam
I’m glad you enjoyed them, JoJo! 🙂
Fatima
Just made them today.
They were delicious and light, also the coconut flavor is not overpowering. Everyone loved them.
Sam
I’m so glad they were such a hit, Fatima! 🙂
Tracy
TEAM COCONUT!!! Nice video! Will definitely give these cupcakes a try.
(Love your new studio kitchen!)
Sam
Thank you so much, Tracy! I hope you love them! 🙂
Ivy
These look delicious! I love coconut! I would make them but I just don’t have a cup cake tin 😞. Planning to get one soon.
Sam
I hope you love them, Ivy! 🙂