Coconut Cupcakes

Name: Coconut Cupcakes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 3/4 cups cake flour; 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature; 2 cups granulated sugar; 1/2 teaspoon pure coconut extract; 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 4 large eggs, room temperature; 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut milk from a can, (mixed before measuring); 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut; 8 ounces cream cheese, softened; 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature; 4 1/2 to 5 cups powdered sugar; 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 1/2 teaspoon pure coconut extract; 3 tablespoons unsweetened coconut milk from a can; 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut (more for sprinkling on top of cupcakes)

Jump To Recipe by Cindy @mycountrytable

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These Coconut Cupcakes are so moist and packed with coconut flavor. They’re finished with a delectable coconut cream cheese frosting, and they are perfect to announce the arrival of spring or Easter! They also make 24 cupcakes, so there are plenty to go around!

These moist and fluffy coconut cupcakes are simply loaded with pure coconut flavor, both in the cupcakes and the creamy frosting. They are perfect cupcakes for spring, Easter, Birthdays, or any occasion.

I love all flavors of cupcakes, and my favorites to make in the spring are these coconut cupcakes, vanilla cupcakes and lemon cupcakes. I like chocolate cupcakes too, but these are my favorites for spring.

Ingredients for cupcakes

Cake Flour – Cake flour is a lower protein flour, resulting in a fluffier cupcake. If you don’t have it, feel free to use all-purpose. It will simply result in a tighter crumb.

Baking Powder – A leavener needed for lift. Make sure your baking powder is still good. Click here to see how to check it.

Salt – A small amount of salt is used to balance out the sweetness.

Granulated Sugar – Make sure to cream the sugar with the butter until the mixture is creamy and no longer gritty from the sugar.

Unsalted Butter – Make sure to use unsalted butter and add the salt separate in this recipe. This will ensure you’re not adding too much salt to the recipe. Make sure the butter is room temperature.

Coconut Milk – Use full-fat coconut milk from a can. Don’t use the milk in a carton. It’s a thinner milk. The canned milk is thick and creamy. Make sure to mix it well before measuring it.

Pure Vanilla Extract – We only use 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla, since coconut is the main star here.

Pure Coconut Extract – We use 1/2 teaspoon of coconut extract. The coconut milk adds quite a bit of coconut flavor.

Eggs – Needed to bind the other ingredients together and add richness. Make sure to use large room temperature eggs.

Sweetened Coconut Flakes – Use sweetened not unsweetened coconut flakes. Some brands will have longer strands of coconut than others. If you want smaller pieces of coconut, add it to your blender and pulse it a few times.

How to Make Coconut Cupcakes

Whisk together the cake flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until the butter is light and creamy, about 30 seconds. Add the granulated sugar and mix on medium speed until the mixture is light and creamy, about 2 minutes.

Mix in the coconut and vanilla extracts. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Turn mixer to low, and add the dry ingredients alternately with the coconut milk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition, and don’t over mix the dry ingredients.

Fold in the coconut.

Using a large cookie scoop, fill the cupcake liners, no more than 3/4 full. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in one comes out clean. Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool.

Ingredients for Coconut Frosting

Powdered Sugar – Start with 4 1/2 cups and add more as necessary for the perfect piping consistency.

Cream Cheese – Use block cream cheese, not the spreadable kind in a tub. Make sure it’s softened to room temperature.

Unsalted Butter – Use unsalted butter and add the salt separately, to ensure you don’t use too much salt.

Coconut Milk – Add a wonderful pure coconut flavor. Make sure to mix it up with a spoon in the can before measuring it.

Sweetened Coconut Flakes – Use sweetened coconut flakes for the best flavor, not unsweetened.

Salt – Salt balances out the sweetness.

Pure Coconut Extract – A small amount is used along with the coconut milk for flavor.

Pure Vanilla Extract – A small amount is used, since coconut flavor is the star in this recipe.

How To Make The Frosting

Add the cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat the cream cheese on medium speed until it’s creamy with no lumps. Add the butter and mix on medium speed until the mixture is creamy and light, about 1 minute. Mix in the vanilla and coconut extracts and the coconut milk. Add the powdered sugar on low speed, one cup at a time, until the sugar is incorporated. The frosting should be a smooth and creamy and the perfect consistency for piping. Add a little more powdered sugar if needed for the perfect consistency.

Transfer the frosting (one half at a time) to a piping bag fitted with a decorating tip. Frost the cupcakes, and sprinkle additional coconut on top of each one as soon as you frost them.

Pro tips for this recipe

Make sure all refrigerated ingredients are at room temperature.
Measure the flour correctly. Loosely spoon the flour into a measuring cup and level off with a knife or weigh the flour.
Use a spoon or small spatula to mix up the coconut milk in the can before measuring it. It’s usually separated in the can.
If you only have one 12 count muffin tin, bake one batch at a time. The batter has baking powder in it. The baking powder will be activated twice, once when the wet and dry ingredients are mixed, and again when it becomes hot in the oven.
Don’t overfill the cupcake liners. Fill them 2/3 to 3/4 full. No more than 3/4 full, or you’ll end up with muffin tops on your cupcakes. If you fill them 3/4 full, you should end up with 24 cupcakes.
Don’t over mix the batter, or you’ll end up with tough cupcakes. Once you start adding the dry ingredients, only mix them long enough to incorporate them into the batter.
Don’t over bake. As soon as a toothpick comes out with just moist crumbs they are done.
Some brands of coconut have longer strands of coconut than others. If you like smaller pieces of coconut in your cupcakes, simple add it to a blender and pulse a few times.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Cream of Coconut instead of coconut milk in this recipe?

I don’t recommend. Coconut milk has a higher water content. Cream of coconut has a higher fat content, like butter. There is plenty of butter in this recipe. More added fat will result in greasy and heavy cupcakes, not light and fluffy.

Can I freeze these cupcakes?

Yes. I recommend freezing them without the frosting. Sometimes the butter and cream cheese will separate once frozen and thawed. If it’s already on the cupcakes, you can beat it to bring it back together. I suggest freezing the cupcakes for about 10 minutes on a cookie sheet, then placing them in a freezer bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw on a counter and frost.

Can I make these cupcakes in advance?

Yes. I don’t recommend making them more than 1 day in advance. They will stay fresh for up to 3 days in an airtight container on a counter.

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