Coconut Cupcakes

Coconut Cupcakes

May 11, 2026

Ingredients:

For the Coconut Cake:

  • 1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 cup sugar 
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 3 egg whites
  • 1 tablespoon coconut extract
  • 1/4 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup canned coconut milk

For the Coconut Buttercream:

  • 2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 5 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons coconut extract
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/4 cup canned coconut milk
  • sweetened coconut flakes
  • marichino cherries, patted dry

Directions:

For the Coconut Cake:

  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line your cupcake pans with 16-18 liners and set aside. 
  2. Add the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and baking powder to a medium mixing bowl and whisk together. Set aside. 
  3. Separate your eggs. Set aside. 
  4. In a separate medium mixing bowl, whisk together the butter, vanilla extract, coconut extract, sour cream and coconut milk. Then whisk in the egg whites. Make sure the mixture is not still too warm from the melted butter before adding in the egg whites. Otherwise it may scramble them.
  5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Whisk together until just incorporated, you don't want to over-mix. 
  6. Divide the batter evenly among your prepared cupcake liners, filling 2/3 the way full. 
  7. Bake one pan at a time for 18 minutes each or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 
  8. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting. 

For the Coconut Buttercream:

  1. Add the butter to the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or you can use a hand mixer. Whip the butter for about 5 minutes on medium-high speed until light, fluffy and pale in color. 
  2. Add half of the powdered sugar and mix on low until fully combined. Add the other half and repeat. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. 
  3. Add the extracts and salt and mix until fully incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix in the coconut milk.
  4. Whip the buttercream on high for 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy. 
  5. If you want your cupcakes to look like the ones pictured, this is how to achieve that.If not, you can just frost them however you prefer. Add an even layer of the coconut flakes to a plate and set aside. Pipe a ring onto each cupcake, only lining the top edge. Dip the cupcake onto the coconut flakes, covering well. Pipe dollops into the center of each cupcake using the star attachment, as pictured above. You can top the dollops with cherries, but be sure to pat them dry first so they do not bleed on your pretty cake.
  6. Enjoy!

*Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to one week.

Makes 16-18 Cupcakes