Perfect Coconut Cupcakes (So Light And Fluffy)

Name: Perfect Coconut Cupcakes
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Cuisine: Australian
Ingredients: 50 grams (1/2 cup) desiccated coconut*; 115 grams (1/2 cup or 1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, roughly chopped; 150 grams (3/4 cup) caster sugar or granulated sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 large egg, room temperature; 210 grams (1 and 1/2 cups) plain flour or all purpose flour; 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder; Pinch of salt; 180 ml (3/4 cup) full fat canned coconut cream or coconut milk, stirred; 170 grams (1.5 sticks) butter, room temperature, roughly chopped; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 500 grams (4 cups) icing sugar or powdered sugar, sifted; 3-4 tablespoons full fat canned coconut milk or coconut cream, stirred; Coconut flakes, to decorate

Soft and sweet, these buttery Coconut Cupcakes are filled with toasted coconut and topped with swirls of creamy coconut buttercream frosting.

A plate of beautifully decorated Coconut Cupcakes on a white plate

Perfect Coconut Cupcakes 💙

Soft and tender coconut cakes filled with toasted coconut and topped with swirls of coconut buttercream. Can you even?!

If you love all things coconut and are still fond of the cupcake craze, you’ll fall madly in love with these cupcakes and their fancy pants frosting.

Perfect Coconut Cupcakes with swirls of creamy frosting on a blue background

Last year, I published my Coconut Cake recipe, and since then, I’ve been obsessed with coconut cake.

Seriously light and fluffy, with that rich nutty flavour permeating the whole cake, it rivals even the best chocolate cake.

But let’s be real. The magic is in that dreamy, creamy coconut frosting. I mean, just pass me a spoon and I’m done. All finished with a few crisp coconut flakes.

These pretty Coconut Cupcakes are perfect for celebrations like weddings, engagement parties, baby showers and the like. There’s something sort of magical about their cloud-like white appearance.

Why You will love these cupcakes

Full of coconut flavour
Use only everyday ingredients (with a few easy substitutions)
Simple to make yet they look SO impressive
Perfect for celebrations or parties

A small white bowl filled with crisp coconut flakes

HOW TO MAKE COCONUT CUPCAKES

Start by toasting desiccated coconut on the stove. Place coconut in a shallow frying pan on a low heat and stir occasionally until coconut turns golden brown. Set aside to cool slightly. If you don’t have access to desiccated coconut, you can use shredded coconut instead.
Ensure your butter is at room temperature. Begin by creaming together butter and caster sugar using an electric mixer. If you don’t have access to caster sugar, you can use granulated sugar here.
After a minute or two, the butter and sugar should be creamy and pale. It’s then time to add a dash of vanilla extract and an egg. Beat briefly just to combine and then scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Next, add flour, baking powder, salt and the toasted coconut. Remember plain flour is the same as all purpose flour.
And finally, add canned coconut cream – ensuring you’ve given it a good stir before adding. While canned coconut milk is not quite the same (it has a lower fat content), I have tested the recipe with both and either coconut cream or coconut milk are ok to use.
Beat on a low speed for 30 seconds or so until a creamy cake batter forms. Spoon out cake batter into a 12-hole muffin pan lined with cupcake liners. Bake cupcakes for approximately 18-20 minutes.

A white bowl filled with creamy coconut buttercream

Let’s talk coconut buttercream

We love buttercream here at Sweetest Menu. Earlier this year, I shared all my tips and tricks for making perfect vanilla buttercream.

But now there’s a new kid on the block: coconut buttercream. And it just might be my new favourite thing. It’s delightfully smooth and buttery – like a good frosting should be. But the addition of coconut cream makes it FULL of flavour with a lovely, thick texture – perfect for piping.

Tips for making smooth buttercream

Make sure your butter is at room temperature. You don’t want it fridge cold nor do you want it so soft it’s melty. You should be able to easily press it using your thumb and make an indent.
Sift your icing sugar. This is crucial to ensuring your buttercream is lovely and smooth. Also add the sugar in batches.
Add coconut cream sparingly. Because we are piping this buttercream, we want it thick enough to hold its shape. Add coconut cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until your buttercream is thick and smooth. It’s easy to add a little more coconut cream if it’s a bit thick, but hard to take it away! If your frosting is too runny, leave it in the fridge for 15 minutes or so to chill.

Commonly asked questions

What is desiccated coconut?

Desiccated coconut is dried coconut in small flakes. It is typically unsweetened. It is much finer than shredded coconut. It is not the same as coconut flour. If you don’t have access to desiccated coconut, you can use shredded coconut in this recipe.

What’s the difference between coconut milk and coconut cream?

Coconut milk and coconut cream are not the same. Coconut cream has a higher fat content and is therefore thicker in consistency and richer in taste. Coconut milk is thinner and more watery in comparison. While I prefer to use coconut cream (because of it’s creaminess) in both the cupcake AND the frosting, coconut milk does still work well.

Do I use sweetened or unsweetened coconut?

Here in Australia, our store bought coconut (whether it’s desiccated, shredded or flaked) is typically unsweetened. So that’s what I have used in this recipe.

MORE COCONUT RECIPES

A muffin pan filled with beautifully decorated cupcakes

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