Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 2 1/4 cups cake flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 1 cup coconut milk
For the frosting:
- 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup cocoa powder
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup coconut milk, plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 1 cup toasted coconut (see note above)
Directions
For the cupcakes:
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Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium high speed until well combined and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until well combined. Add the vanilla, almond extract, and coconut milk and beat until combined. On low speed gradually add in flour mixture, and mix until just combined.
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Use a spring-loaded scoop or spoon to divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin tin cups. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack.
For the frosting:
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In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Sift the cocoa powder and powdered sugar over the butter and beat on low speed until combined. Add the coconut milk and coconut extract and beat until on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, adding more coconut milk to thin the frosting as needed.
To assemble:
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Use an offset spatula to spread a thick layer of frosting over each cupcake. Sprinkle with the toasted coconut just before serving.
Recipe Notes
To toast the coconut, place about 1 cup of shredded unsweetened coconut on a parchment lined rimmed baking sheet and toast in a 350°F oven, turning a few times, for about 5 to 10 minutes, or until golden and fragrant.
From Sunset and The Little Red House
Can you use almond flour to create a more natural almond flavor.
I had lots of batter so filled each cup pretty full – cupcakes baked up over the rim – should I just have filled less or should this make more than 12?
I was recently gifted a new cupcake tin and the cavities are MUCH smaller than my two other brands of cupcake tins. I wish there was a designated size all the manufacturers used! If that’s the case then I would make more than 12. Can never have too many 😉
I don’t have coconut extract for the frosting. Should I use almond extract or hazulnut extract instead or just not use any at all. I want to make these today and your answer would be much appreciated, thank you so much! <3
Heyya Tessa!
Love your blog and find it so inspiring! thank you for sharing so much 🙂
My mamas birthday is coming up and I’m wanting to make coconut cupcakes with a lemon curd filling and a coconut frosting or vanilla with toasted coconut ontop. I was hoping you had a recipe for this but I didnt find one. Perhaps I could use coconut milk in place of the liquids in the cake portion and I’ve seen people use cold coconut cream whipped for a frosting. What do you think? thanks for your input and your great blog and youtube channel too!
I love this recipe – you are right that it is a nice change from the standard fare. I did make one change that turned out pretty well. I substituted the last 1/4 cup cake flour with approx 1/2 cup almond meal. I wanted to give it a stronger almond flavor and thought this might do the trick. It turned out great!
Canned or carton coconut milk?
Hi Dito:
Betty Crocker bags, boxes or cans have already made muffins or cake mixes so you do not want to use that. Use a flour (just like the regular flour) but it’s made for baking. like this one:
http://img.robinhood.ca/images/products/17/rh_product_418.png
I have tried this recipe and I loved it I did one batch with the almond extract and one without and I liked that one better. thank you so much for sharing I love your site I’m always checking out stuff here <3 🙂
This sounds awesome. One question, is it baking coconut milk in a can or more of a coconut milk that is more milk like?
Thanks!
Hi, I’m from Mexico and I wanna ask you something about this recipe, the flour that we are going to use for the cupcakes is the regular flour or some prepared like Betty Crocker?
I’m not sure what you mean by “prepared like Betty Crocker” but you will want to use regular flour, preferably cake flour.
I actually haven’t had time to read since Liam’s arrived. I wish I did! 😀 Hence, why the books are waiting for me in my nook library. Oh, and that book was actually recommended by Jenna from Eat Live Run. Looks good! Can’t wait to hear what you read next so I can add it to my list!
John Green is one of my favorite authors, everything he writes is great and The Fault in Our Stars is next on my list. Right now I’m reading Silver Linings Playbook, I saw the movie a couple weeks ago and the book is even better!
Yummy! I’m a huge fan of coconut milk, and I know it makes a great cupcake. The almond and chocolate along with it can only make it better! My book club is reading Gone Girl right now. I read it over the summer. It’s dark, but captivating.
I had never used coconut milk in a cupcake before – I was happily impressed. I think that’s the next book on my list. I’ve heard so many good things. Thanks for the reminder to read it!
Mmm, these sound phenomenal! The almond cake sounds absolutely wonderful. I love to read as well, and totally agree about the age thing. I read A Fault in Our Stars a few months ago and finished it in about 2 days (would’ve been quicker, but I was in Barcelona, lol!). I listened to it on tape with my dad and best friend as well on a road trip. We all cried! It’s a phenomenal book, definitely one of my more recent favorites. You’ll love it!
Oh no I anticipate a lot of crying in my future!!
They look so light and delicious! As for books, I’ve heard that How To Love An American Man is good. I have it waiting for me in my nook library. 😀
Have you had much time to read since you had Liam? That’s certainly an interesting title!
I *loved* The Fault in our Stars! I just started reading Defending Jacob by William Landy after hearing good things about it.
These cupcakes sound amazing, especially that chocolate coconut frosting!
Yay! I’ll have to check out Defending Jacob after I finish this one. The frosting is to die for 🙂
Mmm yum, these look and sound totally gorgeous!
I love coconut, but have never toasted it before! This is being put on the must list. Also, I’ve never made a frosting using coconut milk, but it sounds really good. That cupcake stand is so cute, I need one stat!