Transport your taste buds to the tropics with these moist and flavorful coconut cupcakes topped with silky coconut cream cheese frosting. Quick and easy to make, these cupcakes will have you dreaming of palm trees and ocean breezes.
Disclosure: Hamilton Beach is providing the hand mixer and stand mixer for this giveaway. I was given the same mixers for review. All opinions are my own.
Growing up, I went to the Philippines every summer to visit my grandmother. From roadside stands to backyard trees, fresh coconuts could be found everywhere. And, I would eat my weight in them every single trip.
Coconuts are very versatile, producing a variety of products: coconut oil, coconut vinegar, coconut milk, coconut water, etc. But my favorite way to enjoy coconuts- coconut cupcakes!
What makes these cupcakes special
- Triple Coconut Flavor: these aren’t your average coconut cupcakes that are simply flavored with extract. We’re layering coconut flavor! Coconut milk is used in the batter and frosting. Shredded coconut is folded into the batter and more toasted coconut is added as garnish.
- Fluffy Texture: Here’s a pastry chef tip- we separate the eggs and white the whites to soft peaks before folding them in. This creates a softer, airier batter.
- Hidden Surprise: I like to carve out a little cavity in each cupcake and fill it with a dollop of frosting before piping the top. It’s like finding sweet buried treasure in each bite.
Ingredients
These cupcakes get their flavor from coconut milk and toasted sweetened shredded coconut.
Canned coconut milk has a tad more fat because it includes coconut cream. Be sure to shake the can well, if not- you’ll end up with a thick layer of cream on top.
I don’t suggest using the boxed coconut milks found in the market along with almond milk and soy milk as those may be too watered down. You won’t get the same flavor and richness.
As pictured above, the eggs are separated in this recipe. In order to make the cupcakes a bit more fluffy, the egg whites are whipped separately and folded into the cupcake batter at the very end.
Equipment
While you can certainly make cupcakes by hand, it’s so much easier when you have mixer. I’ve partnered with Hamilton Beach to give one lucky reader a mixer set which includes this 6-speed soft scrape hand mixer and this 6-speed stand mixer.
Since I don’t like to whip egg whites by hand, this is where the hand mixer becomes my hero. While I have the rest of the ingredients mixing in the stand mixer, I can multi-task by whipping the egg whites at the same time. How easy is that?!
Hamilton Beach Hand Mixer
Plus, a hand mixer comes in very handy when you want to whip up a bowl of fresh whipped cream! I’m really liking my Hamilton Beach hand mixer. It’s so powerful and compact. And, I absolutely love the snap on storage case that neatly holds all the attachments.
I was quite surprised by the Hamilton Beach stand mixer as I’ve been using the same Kitchen Aid stand mixer for over 10 years. The stand mixer is quite strong. It can knead bread doughs with the same ease as cupcake batters.
Assembling Cupcakes
I like to hide a little frosting inside the cupcakes. It’s a nice sweet surprise!
Take a small round cutter and punch out a little hole on the top of the cooled cupcakes. Fill the hole with frosting and then pipe a large rosette over the hole to cover it up.
Honestly, I like to do this because it leaves me with a pile of cupcake cutouts to snack on while I’m decorating!
Serving Suggestions
With summer on the horizon, these coconut cupcakes are the perfect little tropical treat for your tastebuds. The coconut cupcakes are completely transformed with the addition of the coconut cream cheese frosting.
These are best enjoyed the same day the cupcakes are baked. Store leftovers in a covered container at room temperature for up to two days.
Coconut Desserts
Coconut Cupcakes
Ingredients
Coconut Cupcakes:
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour, (230 g)
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, (113 g) softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar, (210 g) packed
- 3 large eggs, separated
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup canned coconut milk, (180 g) full-fat, well-shaken*
- 1 cup dried sweetened shredded coconut, (85 g) lightly toasted
Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, (113 g) softened
- 4 oz cream cheese, (113 g)
- 3 cups powdered sugar, (340 g)
- 2 Tablespoons canned coconut milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch kosher salt
- ½ cup dried sweetened shredded coconut, (40 g) lightly toasted
Instructions
Coconut Cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 12 muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of stand mixer, cream butter and brown sugar until smooth. Add egg yolks and vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed until lighter in color and thoroughly mixed.
- Add half of flour mixture, then half of coconut milk. Repeat and mix until just combined. Add 1 cup of toasted coconut and fold to combine.
- Using a hand mixer, whisk egg whites to soft-medium peaks. Add half of egg whites to batter. Fold to combine. Add remaining half and fold until combined. Do not overmix.
- Divide the batter between prepared muffin tin. Bake for 18-20 minutes until toothpick inserted in center of cupcake comes out clean. Remove from muffin tin and allow to cool to room temperature on wire racks. Allow cupcakes to cool to room temperature before frosting.
Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat together butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add sifted powdered sugar. Mix until combined.
- Add coconut milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat on medium speed until frosting is smooth and creamy.
- Transfer frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Make little holes in center of cupcakes, if desired, and fill with frosting. Pipe frosting over hole to cover it up. Sprinkle remaining toasted coconut over frosting cupcake.
Notes
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!To enter giveaway leave a comment below. Tell me what you would make with your new mixer! [CLOSED]
Can’t wait to try these delicious recipes from The Little Epicurean…two mixers for twice the fun!