Coconut Cupcakes

These moist and fluffy coconut cupcakes with toasted coconut nests, are a coconut lover’s dream! Coconut almond cupcakes are topped with cream cheese frosting with a hint of almond and sprinkled with toasted coconut and a mini Easter egg or two. They are a delightful addition to any spring party. They are particularly lovely as part of an Easter dessert buffet. (This post was originally published on April 24th, 2014)

This coconut cupcake recipe, from Ina Garten, is always a hit. It makes a lot of cupcakes, so feel free to halve the recipe. Depending on the size of your cupcake tin, the recipe makes between 24 and 28. I love these robin’s egg blue cupcake wrappers. I like to decorate them with malted Easter eggs.

Tips for making these coconut cupcakes.

• As with all baking, make sure to read through the entire recipe first to ensure you have all the ingredients.
• Eggs, butter and cream cheese should be room temperature. Make sure to allow plenty of time before beginning.
• Weigh the ingredients! I always put both cups and weights in my recipes because so many of us grew up cooking with cups. In a professional setting and Europe, all bakers use a scale for accuracy. Measuring cups can vary in size. For the best results use a kitchen Scale! They are not expensive and take up very little room in the kitchen.
• The cream cheese frosting recipe makes more than you’ll need for 24-28 cupcakes, unless you like a lot of frosting.
• If you’d like to make these ahead, freeze them unfrosted. Defrost in the fridge the day before. They will stay fresh for a few days if well wrapped.

Ingredients for cupcakes

You’ll need:

• unsalted butter 
• sugar
• extra large eggs
• vanilla extract
• almond extract
• all-purpose flour. (Gluten free flour works very well!)
• Buttermilk
• Sweetened shredded coconut or coconut flakes

How to make perfect coconut cupcakes

Bring all ingredients to room temperature, weigh and measure everything before you begin. 

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
• With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.
• In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• In 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in 7 ounces of coconut.

• Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Divide batter, filling cupcake liners to the top.

• Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and a wire rack and cool completely.

Ingredients for coconut cream cheese frosting

• 16 ounces cream cheese room temperature
• 12 ounces unsalted butter room temperature
• 1 teaspoon  pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 24 ounces powdered sugar sifted
• 7 ounces sweetened shredded coconut toasted

Cream Cheese Frosting

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the confectioners’ sugar and mix until smooth.
• Frost each cupcake with cream cheese frosting then top with remaining coconut.
• Decorate coconut nests with candy Easter eggs or for a winter cupcake, silver jimmies.

Looking for more Easter recipes?

Bourbon Glazed Ham

Leg of Lamb with Fresh Mint Sauce

Roast Turkey

Bakery Style Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Marzipan Candy

Mini Cheesecake Bites

Coconut Cupcakes

Cynthia

These moist and fluffy coconut cupcakes with toasted coconut nests, are a coconut lover's dream! Recipe from Ina Garten.

5 from 42 votes

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 28 cupcakes

Calories 518 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Cupcakes

• 12 ounces unsalted butter room temperature
• 2 cups sugar (14 ounces)
• 5 extra-large eggs room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
• 3 cups flour (13 ounces)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 7 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 16 ounces cream cheese room temperature
• 12 ounces unsalted butter room temperature
• 1 teaspoon  pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 24 ounces powdered sugar sifted
• 7 ounces sweetened shredded coconut toasted

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
• With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.
• In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• In 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in 7 ounces of coconut.
• Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each liner to the top with batter.
• Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
• Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.
• Frost each cupcake with cream cheese frosting then top with remaining coconut.
• Decorate coconut nests with candy Easter eggs. (optional)

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupcakeCalories: 518kcalCarbohydrates: 57gProtein: 4gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 21gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 99mgSodium: 173mgPotassium: 128mgFiber: 1gSugar: 45gVitamin A: 881IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 47mgIron: 1mg

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