Yep, another coconut recipe. This coconut ice cream and coconut cream pie are completely delicious, but they don’t use fresh coconut! These cupcakes are ultra moist and bursting with coconut flavor. As much of a hassle it is to break open a coconut and cut the flesh out, the resulting fresh coconut cupcakes are SO worth it!

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coconut cupcake with bite taken out of the side this recipe

I don’t know what it is, or why I’m so obsessed with coconut lately. I think because the pie and the ice cream went so well right away, I had to do the cake thing. Which…resulted in not only coconut cupcakes, but coconut frosting to go on top of those cupcakes. Oh, and then the leftover cupcakes were transformed into cake pops (coming soon!)

Fresh Coconut

Not for the faint of heart. At least if you’ve never done it before. A positive attitude really helps, though! My grocery store sells these β€œEZ-Crack” coconuts, which are NOT accurately marketed. Nothing EZ about cracking one. There are plenty of awesome YouTube tutorials on how to safely break open a coconut and get the flesh out. You’ll need a heavy, sharp knife, (I used my cleaver) a towel, and a smaller sharp knife (I use my paring knife) to get the flesh out.

If you’re not wanting to do all that, then you can either get fresh coconut chunks to pulse in a food processor, or you can just use sweetened shredded coconut. The cupcakes will be delicious either way, but you really do gain moisture and get a nice flavor from the fresh coconut. I really recommend tackling this!

white plate of coconut cupcakes

Flour to use

Be sure to use bleached cake flour for these. We want a soft and tender texture with a good rise – these coconut cupcakes will melt in your mouth! While you can use unbleached cake flour or even all purpose if you can’t get cake flour, just know that the final texture and rise will be different than using the bleached cake flour.

Even more coconut…

Comes from substituting full fat coconut milk when we’d normally use whole or buttermilk, and a good measurement of coconut extract in addition to the vanilla. Coconut milk usually comes in a can at room temperature, but if yours is refrigerated, make sure to bring it up to room temp before you use it in these cupcakes.

Frosting

One of my most favorite buttercreams I have ever made. The tang of the cream cheese + the coconut is SO GOOD! Once the cream cheese and butter are completely creamy and combined, add the powdered sugar and everything else. Leave the mixer on low UNTIL the powdered sugar has had a chance to soak into the butter and is no longer loose in the bowl. THEN you can ramp up the speed and beat it until it’s fluffy. If you don’t use low speed first, you’ll end up in a cloud of powdered sugar.

Have you ever inhaled powdered sugar? It burns. Just a rumor I’ve heard. Also it’s awful to clean up when it looks like a winter wonderland in your kitchen.

coconut cupcake with toasted flaked coconut on top
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white plate of coconut cupcakes

Fresh Coconut Cupcakes

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  • Author: Megan
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 24 minutes
  • Total Time: 49 minutes
  • Yield: 36 cupcakes 1x
  • Category: Dessert, Cake & Cheesecake
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American
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Description

Ultra moist and bursting with fresh coconut flavor, these cupcakes are for serious coconut lovers only.

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the coconut cake:

  • 2 3/4 cups bleached cake flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup fresh shredded coconut (fresh frozen also works)*
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
  • 6 large egg whites, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 tsp coconut extract
  • 1 cup coconut milk, room temperature

For the coconut cream cheese frosting:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 8 oz full fat cream cheese, room temperature
  • 5 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 TB heavy cream or coconut milk
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp coconut extract
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

  1. Make the cupcakes. Preheat the oven to 350F/176C, and line two 12 cavity cupcake/muffin pans with cupcake liners. Combine the cake flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and shredded coconut in a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside. Add the butter and granulated sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer, and use the paddle attachment to beat until pale and fluffy, no less than 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.Β 
  2. Add the egg whites all at once, and beat on high speed until completely combined. Add the sour cream, vanilla and coconut extract and beat once more until well blended.Β 
  3. Add a third (roughly) of the flour/shredded coconut mixture to the butter/sugar in the mixer and beat on low speed until you begin seeing batter streaks again, about 10 seconds. Add a third of the coconut milk. Repeat twice until both the flour mixture and coconut milk have been added. Do not overmix. Give the last addition of coconut milk about 5 seconds before you shut off the mixer. Use a spatula to gently finish folding everything together until the batter is smooth. It will be slightly thick.
  4. Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 full and bake for 22-24 minutes. You will have some batter leftover. Set it aside until you remove the first round of cupcakes from the oven, then re-line the pan with cupcake liners and fill with batter as needed. You should end up with around 36 cupcakes.
  5. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
  6. Make the buttercream.Β Clean the stand mixer bowl and add the cream cheese. Beat for 2 minutes and then scrape down the bowl. Add the butter and beat for an additional 2 minutes until creamy. Scrape down the bowl again before adding the powdered sugar, coconut milk or cream, vanilla and coconut extracts, and salt. Mix on low speed until all of the powdered sugar has been mostly incorporated, and then increase the speed to beat on high for 2 more minutes.Β 
  7. Frost the cupcakes with buttercream, and garnish with toasted shredded coconut, if desired. Leftover cupcakes can be stored either at room temperature for 2 days or up to a week in the fridge. Cupcakes will freeze indefinitely.

Notes

*sweetened shredded coconut may also be used.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 frosted cupcake
  • Calories: 300
  • Sugar: 28.9 g
  • Sodium: 141.2 mg
  • Fat: 16.3 g
  • Saturated Fat: 10.7 g
  • Trans Fat: 0.1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 37.2 g
  • Fiber: 0.3 g
  • Protein: 2.5 g
  • Cholesterol: 38.7 mg

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