If you love coconut, these coconut cupcakes are a dream come true. Crafted with toasted coconut flakes, velvety cream of coconut, and coconut extract, these cupcakes celebrate all things coconut. Plus, this large batch recipe is perfect for parties and other celebrations. 

A close up of a finished Coconut Cupcakes that's garnished with toasted coconut.

It costs about $20.52 to make these cupcakes. The recipe makes twenty-four regular-sized cupcakes, which cost around $0.85 per cupcake. 

What You’ll Love About Coconut Cupcakes:

  • Delicious Coconut Flavor: These aren’t your average cupcakes. Imagine layers of toasted bliss, velvety coconut cream, and Coconut Swiss Meringue Buttercream. Indulge your deepest coconut desires.
  • Tender and Moist: These melt-in-your-mouth cupcakes are always a crowd-pleaser, and the combination of the moist cupcake and toasted coconut flakes offers a delightful textural contrast.
  • Unique: These cupcakes are different from your typical cupcakes and completely made from scratch. You’ll impress all your friends and family when you make these coconut cupcakes. 
  • Coconut Swiss Meringue Buttercream: This creamy and dreamy buttercream packs the perfect coconut punch.
Best Coconut Cupcakes with Coconut Swiss Meringue Buttercream

How To Make Coconut Cupcakes

Per Serving Cost: $0.85

Recipe Cost: $20.52

  • 1 large egg – $0.43
  • 9 large egg whites – $1.94
  • 1 cup Coco Reàl cream of coconut – $3.33
  • ¼ cup water – $0.00
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract – $1.36
  • 2 teaspoons coconut extract – $0.58
  • 2 ¼ cup cake flour – $1.94
  • 2 cups granulated sugar – $0.60
  • 1 Tablespoon baking powder – $0.22
  • ¾ teaspoon table salt – $0.01
  • 5 sticks & 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter – $9.31
  • ½ cup packed sweetened shredded coconut – $0.80

NOTE: The recipe prices are calculated by using grocery store websites. The recipe cost is calculated by the amounts needed for the recipe. The actual cost of the recipe will vary depending on what ingredients you already have. I updated the pricing for this recipe in February 2024.

All of the ingredients needed to make this recipe.

How To Make Coconut Cupcakes

***For complete recipe instructions and a recipe video, see the recipe card below.

  1. Combine egg whites, egg, coconut cream, water, vanilla, and extract.
  2. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  3. Add butter gradually.
  4. Add half the liquid mixture and beat until fluffy. Add the remaining liquid, scrape the bowl, then beat briefly.
  5. Scoop batter into paper-lined tins. 
  6. Bake for 20 minutes at 350°F, rotating halfway. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.
  7. Make the Coconut Swiss Meringue Buttercream. After warming the egg whites, sugar, and salt, beat until cool and glossy. 
  8. Gradually add the butter, followed by the extracts and coconut cream. Beat until well combined. 
  9. Finally, pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with toasted coconut. 

A picture collage showing how to make this recipe.

Coconut Cupcake Recipe Variations:

  • To make the entire recipe into mini cupcakes, cut the buttercream recipe in half.
  • To make mini cupcakes, follow the directions and use a 2-tablespoon scoop to scoop the batter into the lined mini muffin tins. Then, bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 10 minutes, rotating the tin halfway through baking.

Storage Tips:

STORE: Store cupcakes at room temperature for up to 3 days. 

FREEZE: If you have leftover Coconut Swiss Meringue Buttercream, place it in an airtight container and freeze. The buttercream will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months.

THAW: When ready to use it, thaw the buttercream in the refrigerator overnight. You’ll need to beat it for a minute before using it.

Coconut Cupcake Recipe FAQs:

What is the secret to moist cupcakes?

Use high-quality ingredients. Plus, be sure to use real butter! The ingredients make all the difference when making homemade cupcakes.

How do bakeries keep cupcakes moist?

After making the cupcakes, store them in an airtight container to keep them fresh and moist.

What is the difference between frosting and buttercream?

Both are similar in ingredients, with the main difference being butter. Frosting does not have butter, and buttercream does.

The finished Coconut Cupcakes on a countertop and on a cake stand.

More From Food Folks and Fun:

A close up picture of a Coconut Cupcakes on a wire rack.
4.70 from 10 votes

Coconut Cupcakes

Recipe Cost $ $20.52
Serving Cost $ $0.85
Prep Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
24 cupcakes
These coconut cupcakes are tender and packed with delicious coconut flavor coming from the cream of coconut, coconut extract, and toasted coconut. The frosting is a delicious and not-too-sweet Coconut Swiss Meringue Buttercream.

Ingredients
 
 

COCONUT CUPCAKES:

  • 1 large egg
  • 5 large egg whites
  • ¾ cup Coco Reàl cream of coconut
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon coconut extract
  • 2 ¼ cup cake flour 9 ounces, sifted
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoon table salt
  • 12 Tablespoon unsalted butter 1 ½ sticks, cut into 12 pieces, softened, but still cool

TOPPING:

  • ½ cup packed sweetened shredded coconut

COCONUT SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM:

  • 4 large egg whites
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • Pinch salt
  • 1 pound unsalted butter 4 sticks, each stick cut into 6 pieces, softened, but still cool
  • ¼ cup Coco Reàl cream of coconut
  • 1 teaspoon coconut extract
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Make Coconut Cupcakes:

  • Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees F—line 2 muffin tins with liners and set aside.
  • Beat egg whites and whole egg in a large measuring cup with a fork to combine.
  • Add cream of coconut, water, vanilla, and coconut extract and beat with a fork until thoroughly combined and set aside.
  • Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a stand mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment.
  • Mix on the lowest speed to combine, about 30 seconds.
  • With the mixer still running on the lowest speed, add butter 1 piece at a time, and then beat until the mixture resembles a coarse meal, about 2-2 ½ minutes.
  • With the mixer still running, add 1 cup of the liquid. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 45 seconds.
  • Add the remaining 1 cup of liquid in a steady stream with the mixer still running.
  • Stop the mixer, scrape down the bowl, and then beat on medium-high speed to combine for about 15 seconds.
  • Using a 4-tablespoon scoop, scoop batter into the prepared muffin tins and level the batter with an offset spatula.
  • Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 20 minutes, rotating the tins halfway through baking. ***Do not turn off the oven.
  • Cool the cupcakes in the pans for about 10 minutes, and then remove the cupcakes from the tins and move to wire racks to cool to room temperature.

Toast The Coconut Topping:

  • While the cupcakes are cooling, spread the shredded coconut on a rimmed baking sheet; toast in the oven until shreds are a mix of golden brown and white, about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring 2 or 3 times.
  • Cool the toasted coconut to room temperature.

Make Coconut Swiss Meringue Buttercream:

  • Combine the egg whites, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer, and set the bowl over a saucepan containing 1 ½-inch of barely simmering water.
  • Whisk the egg whites constantly until the mixture is opaque and warm to the touch and registers about 120℉ on an instant-read thermometer for about 2 minutes.
  • Transfer the bowl to the stand mixer and beat whites on high speed with the whisk attachment until it’s barely warm, registering about 80 degrees, and the whites are glossy and sticky for about 7 minutes.
  • Reduce the speed to medium-high and beat in the butter 1 piece at a time.
  • Beat in cream of coconut and coconut and vanilla extracts. Stop the mixer and scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
  • Continue to beat on medium-high speed until well combined, about 1 minute.

Frost and Finish:

  • Transfer the frosting to a 16-inch pastry bag with a large, round tip.
  • Frost the cooled cupcakes and sprinkle them with toasted coconut.

Video

Notes

This recipe makes 24 regular cupcakes, 48 mini cupcakes. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 305kcal | Carbohydrates: 34.38g | Protein: 3.57g | Fat: 17.29g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 270mg | Potassium: 73mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 24.04g | Vitamin A: 950IU | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1.3mg

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Recipe Rating




27 Comments

  1. Noel Lizotte says:

    I love toasted coconut! Yours looks so pretty!
    These cupcakes are a perfect spring time treat!

    1. Thank you so much! 🙂

  2. I can tell this is a really good recipe. Intense with coconut flavor. Definitely would like to try. Lovely presentation too.

  3. Oh my goodness! These cupcakes are divine!

  4. Heavenly! Never ever have I mixed baking ingredients in this order. I wasn’t confident it would turn out. These were as light and fluffy as you could ever get! The frosting was pillowy and delightful! My oven runs hot so I reduced my baking time by 5 minutes. My husband and all the kids raved over them! Great recipe! Thanks!