Moist, tender coconut cupcakes are piled high with coconut cream cheese buttercream. These coconut cupcakes are a must-bake!
Coconut Cupcakes
My mother-in-law makes the best coconut cake. I know that’s a bold statement to say at the beginning of this blog post, but it’s just absolutely true, and it’s the inspiration for these cupcakes! I was never really a huge fan of coconut-flavored anything (except maybe virgin pina coladas that I fell in love with as a 12-year old in Hawaii). I was happy for things to stay that way too, until I tried my mother-in-law’s famous coconut cake.
She bakes it for my father-in-law’s birthday almost every year, so it’s definitely become a favorite in our homes. She has officially converted me to a coconut lover, and I’m soooo happy about it. This coconut cupcake recipe is an ode to my new love of coconut, and I hope you they convert you all to coconut lovers as well!
What are Coconut Cupcakes?
You’ll notice that these cupcakes are very similar to my classic vanilla cupcake recipe, but instead of vanilla I’ve studded them with lots of coconut flavor, both in the cake and in the frosting.
I know a lot of people say that coconut extract tastes artificial, but I think that’s really only if you use an excess amount. It’s very strong and potent, but if you use the right amount I think you’ll be happy with the results.
Equipment you may need…
- Stand mixer: this is the one I have and I love it! I’ve had it for years now and I’ve never had any trouble with it. You definitely don’t “need” a stand mixer for this recipe, but it sure does make life a lot easier.
- Muffin tin: this is a need, and probably one of the most-used items in my kitchen. I bake a lot of muffins & cupcakes (you can check them out here and here), so I put mine to good use. I love this one because the light color prevents things from burning.
- Cupcake liners: always good to have on hand
- Measuring cups/spoons: I’ve been linking these in all of my posts because I love them SO much! They are beautiful and look just like some other expensive ones on the market (but wayyy cheaper).
- Mixing bowls: I love these glass mixing bowls from Amazon. They’re especially perfect for food photography.
Ingredients for Coconut Cupcakes
- Unsalted butter
- Vegetable oil
- Granulated sugar
- Large egg whites
- Pure vanilla extract– you’re welcome to substitute the extract with vanilla bean paste, it’s a 1:1 ratio!
- Coconut extract
- All-purpose flour – all of my recipes are tested using King Arthur flours, so I recommend you use the same!
- Kosher salt – I use Diamond crystal kosher salt always.
- Baking powder
- Sour cream
- Coconut milk
- Cream cheese
- Powdered sugar
Tips for These Cupcakes
- Use room temperature ingredients. This is across the board for the whole recipe. It’s so important both with cupcake batter and when making a buttercream–room temperature ingredients are your friends. I like to set my butter and eggs out the night before so I don’t have to deal with getting them down to room temperature before I begin.
- Don’t over-fill the cupcake liners. If you over-fill these cupcakes, your batter will flatten out at the tops, and you won’t have those nice domed tops. I recommend shooting for 2/3-full, as I’ve found that to be the sweet spot for these.
- Use coconut milk. Anywhere you see coconut milk used in this recipe, you can definitely swap it out for regular milk. Buuuut, I highly recommend using coconut milk so we get that coconut flavor coming through 100%.
How to Store…
Store these cupcakes in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days. When ready to serve, let them sit at room temperature for about 2 hours so the frosting will soften up.
Thank you all in advance for supporting my blog, I am so grateful for each of you. If you make this recipe, be sure to tag me @sarahsdayoff so I can see them!
Love,
Sarah
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” -John 1:14-
Coconut Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Coconut Cupcakes
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp coconut extract
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup coconut milk
For the Coconut Frosting
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 (8-oz) block cream cheese at room temperature
- 5 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp coconut extract
- 2 to 3 Tbsp coconut milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; set aside.
- Beat butter, oil, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed 2 to 3 minutes or until color turns a pale yellow (use a large bowl and hand mixer or whisk, if you'd like to).
- Beat in egg whites, vanilla extract, and coconut extract.
- Stir sour cream and coconut milk in a liquid measuring cup. Alternately beat in dry ingredients and sour cream mixture (3 additions of dry ingredients, 2 additions of sour cream mixture), starting and ending with the dry ingredients.
- Scrape down the bowl, and beat 30 seconds more on medium speed. Divide batter between muffin cups, filling each about 2/3-full.
- Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until the cupcake springs back when you touch the top or a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Cool completely in pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
For the Coconut Frosting
- Add butter and cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Add vanilla extract and coconut extract. Beat additional 3 minutes.
- If desired, add 2 to 3 Tbsp coconut milk, 1 Tbsp at a time, in order to reach desired consistency.
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