You will love how soft and airy these coconut cupcakes are! These coconut flavored cupcakes are so moist, and with the creamiest, fluffiest frosting on top, they are absolutely addictive. These cupcakes will quickly become your new favorite after your first bite.
These cupcakes are not overly sweet but are still a decadent treat. Coconut milk is mixed into the cupcake batter and in the frosting, so these cupcakes are brimming in coconut flavors. While these fresh flavors are wonderful for spring, you’ll want to make these year-round. Try my lemon cupcakes recipe, easy vanilla cupcakes, or chocolate cupcakes recipe for another delicious cupcake recipe.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Baking powder — make sure your baking powder is fresh and not expired. It’ll help lift the cupcakes.
Butter — when selecting butter, use unsalted butter as you will add measured salt to the batter. Also, make sure the butter is soft enough so when you press into it, your finger leaves a dent. It’ll be challenging to beat it into a smooth and creamy consistency if it’s cold.
Coconut milk — make sure you use canned coconut milk and not the cartons in the refrigeration section. The texture is different as canned coconut milk is thicker and creamier. I also do not recommend using light coconut milk as you want the flavor from full-fat coconut milk.
Coconut flakes — for the best flavor and texture, make sure to get the sweetened coconut flakes and not the unsweetened ones.
Cream cheese — make sure you use full-fat blocks of cream cheese to make this frosting. Do not buy the cream cheese sold in a tub for the frosting.
Powdered sugar — avoid swapping powdered sugar for another sugar. The fine powder will yield a smooth, non-gritty frosting. If you cannot find powdered sugar, here’s my guide on how to make powdered sugar.
How to Make Coconut Cupcakes
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the sugar and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
3. Beat in the vanilla, add the eggs one at a time, and beat until well combined before adding the next. Stop and scrape down the bowl as needed.
4. With the mixer on low speed, add some of the coconut milk.
5. Then, add some of the flour mixture to the batter. Continue alternating the coconut milk and flour mixture until the batter is combined.
6. Scrape down the bowl and stir in the coconut.
7. Fill the cupcake papers about three-quarters full and bake for 20 to 23 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for a few minutes, then remove and cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
8. Prepare the frosting by beating together the butter and cream cheese before adding the powdered sugar. Then, add the vanilla and coconut milk and beat until fluffy before transferring the frosting to a piping bag fitted and start frosting. Sprinkle coconut of the coconut cupcakes.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
- Avoid overmixing as you risk over-developing the gluten in the batter leading to tough and dense coconut cupcakes.
- Measure your flour correctly! Adding too much flour to the recipe is the most common mistake that will yield dry and dense cupcakes. The best and easiest way to measure flour is by using a scale. If you don’t have one, then fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off.
- The eggs should be at room temperature to incorporate evenly into your batter. If you forgot to take your eggs out of the fridge ahead of time, you could quickly bring them to room temperature by placing them in a large bowl and covering them with warm tap water for 5 minutes.
- Sift the flour if there are any lumps. Sift the powdered sugar as well for a smooth frosting.
- If the coconut milk has separated in the can, stir it back together before adding it to the batter.
- To add extra flavor and a crunchy texture to contrast the soft cupcake crumb, you can toast the shredded coconut before sprinkling it on top of the frosting.
- Using an ice cream scoop helps distribute the batter into the cupcake liners uniformly.
- If you only have one muffin pan, you can bake the cupcakes in batches.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I store these cupcakes?
You can store cupcakes for up to 3 days in an airtight container at room temperature. You can place them in the fridge if you want them to last for up to 5 days.
Are these coconut flavored cupcakes freezer-friendly?
I recommend freezing the coconut cupcakes without the frosting as the cream cheese can split. For best results, flash freeze the cupcakes on a baking sheet, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag, and freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw the cupcakes in the fridge overnight, bring them to room temperature, then frost before serving.
How to decorate these cupcakes?
You can decorate the cupcakes by adding the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip and pipe onto the cupcakes. Alternatively, you can use a spatula and spread the frosting directly onto the cupcakes.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this Coconut Cupcakes recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Coconut Cupcakes
Video
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Electric or stand mixer
- Muffin pans
- Piping bag and tip
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour (300g)
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups sugar 400g
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature (227g)
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup unsweetened canned coconut milk full fat (240mL)
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut (120g)
For the Frosting:
- ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature (170g)
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature (227g)
- 6 cups confectioners’ sugar (720g)
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened canned coconut milk full fat
- ½ cup sweetened shredded coconut (60g)
Instructions
For the Cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the sugar and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, and beat until well combined before adding the next. Stop and scrape down the bowl as needed.
- With the mixer on low speed, add in the flour mixture alternating with the coconut milk. Scrape down the bowl and stir in the coconut. Fill the cupcake papers about three-quarters full.
- Bake for 20 to 23 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for a few minutes, then remove and cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
For the Frosting:
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. With the mixer on low speed, gradually mix in the powdered sugar until combined. Add the vanilla and coconut milk and beat on medium-low speed until fluffy, about 1 minute.
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip and pipe onto the cupcakes. Sprinkle coconut on top of each cupcake. Cupcakes can be stored for up to 3 days in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes
- Avoid overmixing as you risk over-developing the gluten in the batter leading to tough and dense coconut cupcakes.
- Measure your flour correctly! Adding too much flour to the recipe is the most common mistake that will yield dry and dense cupcakes. The best and easiest way to measure flour is by using a scale. If you don't have one, then fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off.
- The eggs should be at room temperature to incorporate evenly into your batter. If you forgot to take your eggs out of the fridge ahead of time, you could quickly bring them to room temperature by placing them in a large bowl and covering them with warm tap water for 5 minutes.
- Sift the flour if there are any lumps. Sift the powdered sugar as well for a smooth frosting.
- If the coconut milk has separated in the can, stir it back together before adding it to the batter.
- To add extra flavor and a crunchy texture to contrast the soft cupcake crumb, you can toast the shredded coconut before sprinkling it on top of the frosting.
- Using an ice cream scoop helps distribute the batter into the cupcake liners uniformly.
- If you only have one muffin pan, you can bake the cupcakes in batches.
Gail says
These were so easy and are the BEST cupcakes I ever made! Def making again! Light, moist and super delicious! I used salted butter for cake and frosting.
Jen says
THESE ARE AMAZING! I’m a regular baker, and these are now in my top 5 desserts. The cupcake is moist and light, and the frosting is perfect buttercream. Everyone raved about them, and my nephew declared he must have these for a future birthday. My two notes: 1) toasting the topping coconut is a must and 2) if you spread the frosting instead of pipe it (piping is not a skill of mine), the frosting recipe can be reduced by at least 1/3. Delicious – thank you!