Cupcakes are amazing because there are endless varieties and ways to make them. Coconut cupcakes are a staple in so many cookbooks and kitchens because when Spring and Summer come around, they’re quite high in demand. My family loves coconut so I wanted to come up with a recipe that I could share with them, and I hope you share this one with yours as well!

This recipe makes 12 cupcakes.

1 Cup Granulated Sugar

1 ¾ Cup Cake Flour

1 ½ Tsp Baking Powder

½ Tsp Baking Soda

½ Tsp Salt

½ Stick Unsalted Butter at Room Temperature

¼ Cup Vegetable Oil

1/3 Cup Sour Cream

2 Large Room Temperature Eggs

2 Tsp Coconut Flavor

1 Cup Shredded Unsweetened Coconut

2/3 Cup Milk

For the Frosting:

2 Sticks Unsalted Butter at Room Temperature

¼ Tsp Salt

3 Tsp Vanilla Extract

2-3 Cups Confectioner’s Sugar

Shredded Coconut for decoration

Directions:

1.     Preheat your oven to 350 Degrees F and line a cupcake pan with liners. 

2.     In a large bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

3.     Add the butter and mix on medium speed until the mixture is the texture of breadcrumbs. 

4.     In a separate bowl, combine the oil, sour cream, eggs and coconut flavor. Add this mixture to the dry mixture on low speed until just combined. 

5.     Add the shredded coconut and milk and mix on low speed until just combined. 

6.     Fill the cupcake liners about ½ way full, then bake for 12-14 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a rack to cool completely. 

7.     For the frosting, mix the butter in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on medium high speed for 3-4 minutes until pale and very light. 

8.     Add the salt and vanilla and combined. Scrape down the bowl with a spatula. 

9.     Add the confectioner’s sugar ½ a cup at a time, fully incorporating each addition before adding the next. 

10.  Pipe the frosting on top of each cooled cupcake then press a generous amount of shredded coconut on top of each one.  

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.