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Coconut Cupcakes are moist, easy, and FULL of coconut flavor – they’re TRIPLE the coconut! Easy because of cake mix, they’re filled with coconut and frosted with coconut buttercream.
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Easy Coconut Cupcakes Recipe
A batch of easy triple coconut cupcakes is the key to any coconut lover’s heart. This super easy recipe is heavy on that light, airy flavor that only coconut can provide. Often, recipes made with coconut only give us a hint of that tropical flavor. If you’re craving a treat that just screams “coconut!”, you’re in luck.
These start with a boxed cake mix to make them super easy! They have tons of coconut flavor in the cupcake – plus I made a coconut filling and a coconut frosting. They’re TRIPLE the coconut flavor!
Ingredients Needed
- Flaked coconut – This is also called Angel Flake, and you get it in the baking aisle. It’s a sweetened shredded coconut.
- Sweetened condensed milk – We’re using this for the fillling. Be sure not to use evaporated milk.
- Boxed yellow cake mix – makes the cupcakes nice and easy – and moist!
- Milk – I like using refrigerated coconut milk, but you can use regular milk too.
- Coconut extract – amps up the coconut flavor of the cupcakes.
How to Make Coconut Cupcakes
- In a medium bowl, combine one cup of flaked coconut and sweetened condensed milk.
- In a large bowl combine the coconut milk, oil, eggs, and extract, mixing with an electric mixer for about thirty seconds. Then, ramp up the speed to “medium” for two minutes.
- Once the ingredients are combined, pour the cake batter into a muffin pan filled with paper liners to be about ¾ full. Then, scoop a teaspoon or two of the coconut mixture you made on to the tops of the cupcakes.
- While the cupcakes bake, you can start on the frosting. Use your hand mixer to beat the unsalted butter until it is smooth. Then, slowly begin to beat in the confectioners’ sugar, mixing until the butter and sugar mixture becomes crumbly. Finally, add three tablespoons of coconut milk and two teaspoons of coconut extract, mixing until the frosting becomes smooth. If your frosting still seems dry, add a bit more milk until you’ve achieved the desired consistency.
- Once the cupcakes have baked and cooled, you can frost them using a pastry bag or a spatula. Then, sprinkle a generous helping of shredded coconut on top!
Expert Tips
- You can store these cupcakes for up to three days at room temperature, or for up to five days in the fridge. In the freezer, they’ll last for up to two months.
- If you aren’t sure how to toast coconut, I’ve got the perfect method; check it out here!
- You know your cupcakes are done baking when a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
FAQs
The fattier your ingredients, the more most your cupcakes will be. Don’t skimp on the milk, oil, or butter!
In cake batter, oil wil keep your cake moister due to the fact that it is 100% fat, while butter is only 80% fat. This doesn’t mean that butter is a bad choice, but oil is often the more reliable one if you’re looking for that perfectly moist cupcake.
In this recipe, the cupcake bakes up and around the dollop of coconut, so all you have to do is plop it right on top of the cake batter before baking.
Easy Triple Coconut Cupcakes Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 2 cups (248g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ (170g) cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1¼ (250g) cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup full-fat canned coconut milk
- ½ cup shredded sweetened coconut
For the Frosting
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups (452g) powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-4 tablespoons full-fat canned coconut milk
- Additional shredded sweetened coconut, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cupcake pans with cupcake liners.
- Whisk salt, baking powder, and flour in a medium sized bowl. Set aside.
- Using a hand mixer, cream sugar into softened butter until fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then mix in vanilla extract.
- Add dry ingredients alternately with the coconut milk, starting and ending with the flour, mixing gently between each addition. Mix until just combined. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl.
- Stir in ½ cup shredded sweetened coconut.
- Pour batter into prepared pans and bake approximately 12-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before removing and frosting.
- To make the frosting, beat butter in a large bowl with a hand mixer until smooth.
- Slowly beat in powdered sugar until crumbly. Beat in salt and extracts. Add coconut milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. Frost cupcakes as desired, sprinkle with additional shredded coconut.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- Canned Coconut Milk can be found in the Asian foods aisle. You can substitute refrigerated coconut milk (a nondairy drink) but your result won’t be as coconut-y of a flavor.
Recipe Nutrition
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Last Updated on February 9, 2024
These sound fabulous! I’m planning to make them this week. I’m just confused about what kind of coconut milk is used in the recipe. Is it canned coconut milk or the beverage kind in a carton? The canned kind has a high-fat content and there is oil in the recipe so I assume it’s the beverage kind. I can’t tell if you have adjusted the recipe for the higher fat content and used the canned coconut milk though. I don’t want them to end up greasy.
I used the kind in the carton for this recipe.
when you say add coconut milk to the cake mix how much coconut milk because you already using one cup of coconut milk to set aside with the condensed milk mixture so I’m not sure how much coconut milk am I adding to the cake mix or am I replacing water with coconut milk of what it saying
I’m pretty sure you’re supposed to mix coconut flakes with sweetened condensed milk, not coconut milk. The coconut milk goes in the cupcake batter.
This tastes good, I love the filling and the toppings, everything is just perfect!
Hi Dorothy! Can’t wait to make these beauties! You mention adding coconut extract in the instructions, but no amount is given in the ingredient list. How much should I add? BTW I love your blog!
Ooops! I meant the coconut extract used in the cupcake batter not the filling.
Triple coconut cup cake idea is really marvelous and the richness of coconut made this first choice for me on Easter. I love to make this at my bakery shop. Thanks for sharing such a delicious recipe.
hey girl- these cupcakes look so yummy! Y’all have a great week!
Love these cupcakes! Definitely trying them this week for a bbq. Just wondering if the filling can be added after baking instead of baking it with the cupcakes?Â
Yes you can! When it’s inside the cupcake before it bakes some of the extra liquid kind of bakes off so they’re not runny inside. I can’t remember how dense the coconut mixture is so once you mix the 2 cups coconut with 1/2 cup SCM, you might want to add more coconut if it seems at all runny. But since there’s nothing that needs to be baked in that mixture you’re good to go with adding it after!
Hi Dorothy, I was wondering if white cake mix could be used instead of yellow? I wasn’t really sure because off the sweetened condensed milk.Thank you.
You should be able to! The SCM is for the filling, not in the cupcakes. Enjoy!
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