Coconut Cupcakes

Hello friends! Today we are making these super cute Coconut Cupcakes with macarons on top. They are super fun to make and colorful!

Make sure to watch the video on this page or on YouTube, showing you exactly how to make and decorate these Coconut Cupcakes.

I made these cupcakes because I moved to Florida less than 2 months ago, and I was testing out my oven so I made lots and lots of batches of macarons. I ended up making them in different colors and sizes, and filled them with Coconut Fudge. You can find the recipe for the Coconut Fudge Macarons here.

I used the macarons to decorate my birthday cake and also to decorate these Coconut Cupcakes.

You’ll also notice some have a little coconut ball on top, that’s a Beijinho (coconut brigadeiro) as it’s best known in Brazil, my home country. It is super easy to make, and it’s like a fudge truffle. Brigadeiros of all flavors are a staple at any Brazilian celebration. So I always tend to make some around my birthday lol.

You can find the full recipe for the Coconut Fudge here. Just a few ingredients, and very little time, and you can have yourself one of the most delicious fudgy treats you’ve ever tried!

The cupcakes themselves are very basic, and get most of their flavor from the coconut extract, and coconut milk.

Feel free to skip the coconut extract if you wish.

Can I use coconut cream instead of milk to make the coconut cupcakes?

Not the batter, but you can use coconut cream to make the frosting, instead of coconut milk. But for the cupcake batter you want to stick to coconut milk, either from a carton, or a can, it should say milk, and not cream.

The cream will be much thicker.

Do I have to use coconut extract?

No, you can skip it.

Click here to read 12 tips for making perfect cupcakes

Also check out my Troubleshooting guide for cupcakes.

For more cupcake recipes please visit here.

Thank you for reading!

Coconut Cupcakes

Camila Hurst

Hello friends! Today I will show you how to make these delicious coconut cupcakes, frosted with a simple Coconut Buttercream frosting.




5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 18 minutes mins

Total Time 48 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 14 cupcakes

Calories 230 kcal

Ingredients

  

Coconut Cupcakes

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 160 grams
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened 113 grams
• 1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
• 3 large eggs room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp coconut extract optional
• 1/2 cup coconut milk room temperature 120 ml
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut

Coconut Buttercream

• 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature 226 grams
• 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar 312 to 437 grams
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp coconut extract optional
• 2 tbsp coconut cream or milk

To decorate

• 1/2 cup shredded coconut

Instructions

 

Coconut Cupcakes

• Pre-heat the oven to 350ºF, and line 14 cupcake tins with cupcake liners.
• Next, sift or whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter at medium speed, for about 1 minute.
• Add the sugar and beat for another 1 to 2 minutes, until creamy and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing each egg until combined before adding the next.
• Add the vanilla extract and coconut extract if using, and stir to combine.
• Add the coconut milk in and mix.
• Now add the flour mixture and the shredded coconut to the bowl and mix to combine until the batter is smooth, lump free, and you see no more dry ingredients in.
• Pour the batter evenly onto the cupcake tins, filling about 2/3 of the way.
• Bake for about 18 minutes. Start checking if the cupcakes are baked at the 15 minute mark, and keep baking and checking as necessary.
• To see if the cupcakes are ready, gently press with your finger on top of the cupcakes, and if they spring right back, that means they are done baking.
• Let the cupcakes cool down before filling and frosting.

Coconut Buttercream

Coconut Buttercream

• To make the coconut buttercream start by beating the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer for a couple of minutes, until fluffy and creamy.
• Add the powdered sugar and mix on low to combine. Add the coconut milk, the vanilla extract, and coconut extract if using any.
• Mix for another minute or so at medium speed until the buttercream is fluffy and smooth. If the buttercream is too runny, add more powdered sugar to make it stiffer, and if it’s too hard, add a bit more coconut milk to make the buttercream softer and creamier.

To assemble

• Pipe the frosting on top of the cupcakes. I used a large round tip to pipe the frosting, and then immediately after piping, dip the frosting in shredded coconut. I decorated the tops of my cupcakes with Coconut Fudge filled Macarons and Coconut Fudge Truffles.

Storage

• Store the cupcakes in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.

Notes

Recipe for the Coconut Fudge (aka coconut brigadeiro) can be found here.

Recipe for the Coconut Fudge Macarons can be found here.

Keyword coconut, cupcakes