Coconut Cupcakes
Soft and fluffy coconut cupcakes are flavored with coconut three ways and topped with a creamy coconut buttercream frosting. Top them with toasted coconut for even more texture and flavor!
If you’re a fan of coconut desserts, rest assured that these coconut cupcakes deliver plenty of pure coconut flavor. The cupcake batter is infused with a combination of canned coconut milk, coconut extract, and sweetened shredded coconut.
By using a combination of the three, the cupcakes are packed with coconut flavor without tasting artificial. To keep things simple, I also topped these with my favorite coconut frosting that I shared earlier this week.
These homemade cupcakes are also perfect for Easter and other springtime gatherings. They’re so soft, fluffy, and delicious – I guarantee everyone will love them!
What You Will Need
I won’t go into detail about every ingredient needed to make the coconut cupcakes and frosting, but I’ll quickly review the key items you’ll need to have on hand.
- Canned Coconut Milk: Make sure to use full-fat canned coconut milk for this recipe. Thai Kitchen unsweetened coconut milk is my personal favorite!
- Coconut Extract: You’ll add 1/2 of a teaspoon to both the cupcake batter and the frosting. Do not add more than the recipe calls for, otherwise your cupcakes may wind up tasting artificial.
- Sweetened Shredded Coconut: Optional but highly recommended for adding pure coconut flavor and extra texture to the cupcakes. Sweetened shredded coconut is commonly found in the baking aisle.
- Cake Flour: Contains less protein than all-purpose flour, which makes for softer and fluffier cupcakes. If you don’t have any, I have a post showing how to make homemade cake flour using cornstarch and flour.
- Egg Whites: This recipe calls for just the egg whites. You can either discard the yolks or use them in my key lime pie bars, German Chocolate cake frosting, or small batch chocolate chip cookies.
How To Make Coconut Cupcakes
- Cream together the butter and sugar: I like using my stand mixer to cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. This will take a few minutes, so be patient!
- Add the dry ingredients and wet ingredients: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, vanilla extract, and coconut extract. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter and sugar in two additions, alternating with the coconut milk mixture. Make sure to only mix in each addition until just combined, you don’t want to over mix the batter.
- Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form: You must do this in a separate, clean mixing bowl otherwise the egg whites won’t stiffen up properly.
- Finish the batter: Gently fold the egg whites into the cupcake batter, followed by the shredded coconut. Make sure not to over mix the batter at this point, you don’t want to deflate the egg whites.
- Bake the cupcakes: Divide the batter between 16 to 17 cupcake liners and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting the cupcakes.
- Make the frosting: Use a stand mixer or a handheld electric mixer to beat the butter until smooth, then mix in the powdered sugar in two additions. Add the coconut milk, vanilla extract, and coconut extract and continue mixing until fully combined. Once the frosting is all mixed together, add it to a piping bag and use it to frost your cupcakes.
Recipe FAQ’s
Yes, if you don’t want to add the shredded coconut to the cake batter you may omit it.
No, you must use full-fat canned coconut milk for this recipe. It’s much creamier than coconut milk that’s sold in a carton and has a stronger coconut flavor as well.
If you want to make an entire cake, I suggest following my coconut cake recipe instead.
Absolutely! The unfrosted cupcakes can be made up to two days in advance and stored in an airtight container on your counter. The frosting can also be made two days ahead of time and stored in the fridge. Frost the cupcakes before you plan on serving them.
Or, frost and assemble the cupcakes and store them in an airtight container in the fridge. Place the cupcakes on the counter an hour or two before serving so that they can come to room temperature.
Baking Tips
- Canned coconut milk will sometimes separate in the can. If needed, pour it into a large mixing bowl and whisk until well combined before measuring out what you need.
- Coconut extract is incredibly potent, so don’t add more than the recipe calls for. If you do, the finished cupcakes will taste strongly of artificial coconut which isn’t what you want.
- I used the Wilton 1M piping tip for the frosting. If you’re new to decorating cupcakes, I have a full tutorial on how to frost cupcakes.
- If you love coconut, top the finished cupcakes with toasted coconut for a little extra flavor!
Coconut Cupcakes
Ingredients
Coconut Cupcakes
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened (115 grams; 1 stick)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
- 1 ½ cups cake flour spooned & leveled (170 grams)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup canned full fat coconut milk at room temperature (120 ml)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon coconut extract
- 3 large egg whites at room temperature
- ¼ cup sweetened shredded coconut optional (25 grams)
Coconut Buttercream
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened (230 grams; 2 sticks)
- 3 cups powdered sugar (360 grams)
- 2 to 3 tablespoons canned full fat coconut milk at room temperature (30 to 45 ml)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon coconut extract
Optional Topping
Instructions
- To make the coconut cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two 12-count muffin pans with 16 to 17 cupcake liners.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the butter on low speed until smooth, then slowly mix in the granulated sugar. Once all of the sugar is added, increase to medium speed and continue mixing for another 3 to 4 minutes or until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk the cake flour, baking powder, and salt together until well combined.
- Combine the coconut milk, vanilla extract, and coconut extract in another large mixing bowl or measuring cup and stir until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter and sugar on low speed in two additions, alternating with the coconut milk mixture (begin and end with the dry ingredients). Mix in each addition until just combined, making sure not to over mix the batter.
- In a separate clean mixing bowl, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks. Fold half of the egg whites into the batter, then fold in the remaining egg whites until just combined. Gently fold the shredded coconut into the batter.
- Divide the batter evenly between all of the cupcake liners in the prepared pan, only filling each one about half of the way full.
- Bake for 16 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then carefully remove the cupcakes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the coconut buttercream: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the butter until smooth.
- Mix in half of the powdered sugar on low speed. Then mix in the remaining half of the powdered sugar until fully combined.
- Add the coconut milk (start with 2 tablespoons and add a little more if needed), vanilla extract, and coconut extract and continue mixing on low speed until everything is well combined, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes.
This sounds great, I found this recipe whilst making your vanilla pudding and looking to use up the egg whites. Would it work as a loaf?
I haven’t tried it, but I think it would be okay to bake it in a loaf pan.
Turned out so good, and the coconut flavor wasn’t overpowering at all
First I will say that I love Danielle’s recipes! I confess that I do have to alternate them because I am lactose intolerant but this particular recipe… I will admit that by reading how she made it has given me a few ideas on how to improve on the texture of my recipe. My Coconut Cupcakes originate from my Signature Coconut Pie. Took me years to perfect it and I’ve also made it to suite ones dietary needs. (Making taste just like the original not cardboard!) I’ve also made it crustless. Yet nothing beats the orginal! It’s just not one of my “Guilt-free” recipes. Also my crust is another that everyone loves. Which I’ve also made a “Guilt-free” version. I then decided, why not convert it into cupcakes? Which I call Coconut Pie-Cups. It wasn’t easy, on how to make a cupcake taste like a pie. The only problem I’m having is how to get the dryness out. The pie-cups are moist but I feel that when you get to the Coconut, that’s what make it dry. (I do use cake flour as well.) So, I’ll take some of Danielle’s recipe to heart and see how my recipe can maybe be solved. (Though it’s just me who feels something is wrong with it.) The new project is converting it to cookies.
Thank you, I’m so glad you’re enjoying the recipes! Hopefully this recipe will help you be able to improve yours!