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Coconut Cupcakes are super moist, easy, and full of coconut flavor! There is coconut in the cupcake batter, the cupcake and in the amazing and fluffy coconut buttercream. These cupcakes will become your new favorite recipe!
Easy Coconut Cupcakes Recipe
If you’re a coconut lover like me, you’re always on the hunt for new and delicious ways to enjoy the flavor. Move over coconut cream pie: these incredibly coconutty coconut cupcakes are here! With a moist and soft crumb and perfect texture, they’re easy to make, bursting with coconut in every bite and you’re going to love them.
Ingredients Needed
- Sweetened Shredded Coconut: Also called angel flake, you’ll find it in the baking aisle.
- Canned Coconut Milk: This can be found in the Asian foods aisle – use full fat coconut milk.
- Coconut extract – amps up the coconut flavor of the frosting. You can also omit and just use vanilla extract.
- All the ingredients for these classic cupcakes: Flour, baking powder, salt, butter, granulated sugar, eggs. All basic ingredients, but the key to a delicious cupcake.
- My absolute favorite coconut buttercream frosting which is fluffy and SO GOOD.
How to Make Coconut Cupcakes
- Whisk salt, baking powder, and flour in a medium sized bowl. Set aside.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream sugar into softened butter until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then mix in vanilla extract.
- Add dry ingredients alternately with the coconut milk, mixing gently between each addition of the flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Stir in shredded sweetened coconut.
- Pour batter into prepared muffin pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before removing and frosting.
- To make the frosting, beat butter in a large bowl. Slowly beat in powdered sugar, salt and extracts. Add coconut milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. Frost cupcakes as desired, sprinkle with additional shredded coconut.
Favorite Frostings
You aren’t limited to coconut frosting. Here are some other favorites for these cupcakes:
Expert Tips
- You know your cupcakes are done baking when a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
- Use room temperature ingredients for the perfect moist texture and don’t over mix the batter once the dry ingredients are added.
- Fill the cupcake liner approximately 3/4 full for the perfect domed tops.
- You can store these cupcakes for up to three days at room temperature, or for up to five days in the fridge. In the freezer, they’ll last for up to two months.
FAQs
How do you store these cupcakes?
Store these cupcakes in an airtight container. They can freeze for 2 months!
Can I make these gluten free?
These cupcakes can be made with Gluten-Free 1:1 AP flour in an equal amount to the flour called for.
Easy Coconut Cupcakes Recipe
Coconut Cupcakes from scratch with an easy fluffy coconut frosting – this is the best cupcake ever.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 2 cups (248g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ (170g) cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1¼ (250g) cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup full-fat canned coconut milk
- ½ cup shredded sweetened coconut
For the Frosting
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups (452g) powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-4 tablespoons full-fat canned coconut milk
- Additional shredded sweetened coconut, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cupcake pans with cupcake liners.
- Whisk salt, baking powder, and flour in a medium sized bowl. Set aside.
- Using a hand mixer, cream sugar into softened butter until fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then mix in vanilla extract.
- Add dry ingredients alternately with the coconut milk, starting and ending with the flour, mixing gently between each addition. Mix until just combined. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl.
- Stir in ½ cup shredded sweetened coconut.
- Pour batter into prepared pans and bake approximately 12-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before removing and frosting.
- To make the frosting, beat butter in a large bowl with a hand mixer until smooth.
- Slowly beat in powdered sugar until crumbly. Beat in salt and extracts. Add coconut milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. Frost cupcakes as desired, sprinkle with additional shredded coconut.
Recipe Notes
- This recipe is different than the original, which used cake mix. Find that recipe here.
- Canned Coconut Milk can be found in the Asian foods aisle. You can substitute refrigerated coconut milk (a nondairy drink) but your result won’t be as coconut-y of a flavor.
- Be sure to use room temperature ingredients for the best cupcakes.
- Store cupcakes loosely covered on the counter or freeze in an airtight container.
Recipe Nutrition
Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 259kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 149mg | Sodium: 66mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 25g
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
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Last Updated on March 22, 2024
Oh my, coconut cupcakes are pretty much my fave ever! These turned out just gorgeous – and I have no idea why you think styling isn’t your forte. Your pics always look awesome to me! Wow, I love all of the wrappers, but I’m especially smitten with the cherry blossoms. So cute!
Thank you Ashley! Coconut and me are BFFs. And I want more of these cupcakes!
I can’t wait to try out these cupcakes. They look awesome and yummy!
Thank you Laura!
I totally go to Old Navy when I’m in the US and buy a sweater in every color so I have something to wear to work each day :-p I’m also totally a fan of using coconut milk in dessert.
I’m glad I’m not alone Kelly! Ha!
i absolutely love coconut and these triple coconut are to die for!! love the the sweet condensed milk addition 🙂
Thanks so much!
A SC milk filling is genius. I just want to eat one of these right now. Scott’s been putting coconut in oatmeal lately. Maybe I should try SC milk in my oatmeal? 🙂
That would get me to eat oatmeal… 🙂
Hannah – Black / White is my favorite and the cupcakes look amazing. Big coconut fans in this house!
Good thing I adore coconut!! These cupcakes are gorgeous, the wrapper is phenomenal and YOU my dear, don’t give yourself enough credit. I think you are a wonderful food stylist!
{Laughing inside} Thanks Trish! 😉
I LOVE coconut cake. Sadly no one else that lives here does.
I should probably move. Then eat coconut cupcakes, cause these look delish.
um. sorry, I didn’t think my first comment posted 😉
Ditto on the coconut haters. More for me! 🙂
I love, love, love coconut cake. Sadly, I’m the only one in my house who does, so I rarely ever get them.
Woe is me 🙁 These look amaze. Period.
I am 100% the same way with clothes!! Until I had a friend do a major overhaul of my sense of style. Now I’m still the same way, but with a teenie tiny bit of flare (read: some added clearance Target jewelry). Her overhaul didn’t really stick I guess. Love the cupcake liners. I want a skirt made out of them. I would sit under a shady tree in it and eat seven of these cupcakes.
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