Coconut Cupcakes

Welcome to a taste of the tropics with these incredibly moist and flavorful Coconut Cupcakes! This recipe is a celebration of all things coconut, from the rich coconut milk in the batter to the sweet shredded coconut folded in. We've even added a delightful crunch with chopped walnuts, creating a perfect balance of textures. Topped with a simple, tangy cream frosting, these cupcakes are a wonderfully simple dessert that feels truly special. Whether you're a lifelong coconut lover or just looking for a new baking adventure, these cupcakes are sure to become a favorite.

Cooking: 35 minutes
Quantity: 6 Servings
Per serving
Calories: 224 kcal
Proteins: 3 g
Fats: 14 g
Carbohydrates: 21 g

Coconut Cupcake Ingredients

  • 50 g butter
  • 80 g granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 60 ml coconut milk
  • 80 g all-purpose flour
  • 45 g shredded coconut
  • 50 g walnuts
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

Ingredients for Decoration

  • 90 g heavy smetana (30% fat) (a high-fat sour cream)
  • 15 g powdered sugar
  • shredded coconut

How to Make Coconut Cupcakes

A bowl with cubes of softened butter ready for mixing.

Dice the butter.

A glass bowl with butter being placed in an oven to soften.

For example, place the bowl with butter in a warm oven for a minute.

A hand whisking butter and sugar together in a glass bowl.

Whisk the butter and add fine white sugar.


Dice the butter. If you take the butter out of the refrigerator in advance, it will reach the right consistency in about half an hour.

If the butter is cold, you’ll need to melt it using any convenient method. For example, place the bowl with the butter in a warm oven for a minute. The butter will instantly become soft and slightly melted.

Whisk the butter and add the fine white sugar. Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Close-up of a creamy butter and sugar mixture being whisked in a bowl.

Whisk the butter with sugar and vanilla for a few minutes.

Whisk the butter with sugar and vanilla for a few minutes. When the mixture becomes light and the sugar crystals have almost dissolved, you can add the remaining ingredients.

An egg being cracked into a bowl with the creamed butter and sugar mixture.

Crack in a chicken egg.

Pouring coconut milk from a measuring cup into the batter bowl.

Pour in the coconut milk.

Sifting flour and baking powder into the cupcake batter.

Add the wheat flour mixed with baking powder.


Crack in a chicken egg. It’s best to take the egg out of the refrigerator beforehand to let it warm up. A cold egg will cool the butter, which might cause it to curdle. This isn’t a major problem; just add a teaspoon of flour, mix, and everything will become smooth again.

Pour in the coconut milk. Whisk the ingredients together.

Add the all-purpose flour mixed with baking powder. Mix the wet and dry ingredients until smooth.

Adding a spoonful of shredded coconut to the cupcake batter.

Add the shredded coconut.

Add the shredded coconut. By weight, 40-50 g is enough, or if measuring by spoon, 3-4 tablespoons will be just right.

A spatula mixing shredded coconut into the batter in a glass bowl.

Mix the shredded coconut with the batter.

Adding chopped walnuts to the coconut cupcake batter.

Chop the walnuts and add them to the batter.

A muffin tin with colorful paper cupcake liners placed in each cup.

Place paper liners into the cups of a metal muffin tin.


Mix the shredded coconut into the batter.

Chop the walnuts and add them to the batter. Walnuts are an optional ingredient for coconut cupcakes, but a few nuts have never spoiled a baked good.

Mix the batter and portion it evenly into paper cupcake liners (about 60-65 g each). Place the paper liners into the cups of a metal muffin tin.

Golden-brown coconut cupcakes cooling on a metal wire rack after baking.

Take the cupcakes out of the oven and cool on a wire rack.

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Place the cupcakes in the preheated oven. After 2-3 minutes, reduce the temperature to 175°C (350°F). Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack. It’s important to let the cupcakes cool completely before decorating with frosting!

Frosting being applied to a cooled coconut cupcake, with shredded coconut sprinkled on top.

Spread the cream on the cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with shredded coconut on top.

For the decoration, whip cold heavy smetana (a high-fat sour cream) with powdered sugar. Spread the cream on the cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with shredded coconut on top.

And there you have it – beautiful and delicious Coconut Cupcakes ready to be enjoyed! These little treats are perfect for any occasion, from a quiet afternoon with a cup of tea to a festive party. They store well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days, or in the refrigerator for longer. For a fun twist, try toasting the coconut for the topping to bring out a deeper, nuttier flavor. We hope you love baking and sharing these cupcakes as much as we do. Happy baking!