Need an impressive dessert for your next party? Put down that boxed yellow cake mix and instead, whip up these super-moist yellow coconut cupcakes that have an impressive cream cheese frosting and lots of toasted coconut on top!
Guys, I apologize for the MIA status I’ve had recently. This past week has just been one of those weeks: Monday night while assisting a ballet class for younger kids, I landed wrong from a big jump and got a nasty sprained ankle, which is still giving me a lot of pain. I also caught a nasty cold in the middle of last week: (stuffy nose and bad cough.) Combine all that with not sleeping well either, because of the pain in my ankle. Yes, on a scale of 1 to 10 of bad weeks, I would rate last week a 15. Here’s to hoping that this week is better and that I can find the motivation to get back into the kitchen to cook up some great recipes for you guys!
Shall we move on to the cupcakes? Yes, yes, and yes. These moist and fluffy coconut cupcakes have a story behind them: My older brother, Daniel and his wife, Jessica are coming up on celebrating their 4th wedding anniversary. When they got married, my mom made their wedding cake: A three-tiered yellow coconut cake with a cream cheese frosting. It was purely incredible.
We were talking about their wedding anniversary the other night when they were here visiting, and I offered to make their wedding cake in an easy-to-serve cupcake form. I was thrilled when Daniel and Jessica quickly agreed, and I got right to work in the kitchen.
A few tests later, and I came up with perfectly-moist, unbelievably fluffy, and coconut-y yellow cupcakes that put any boxed cupcake mix to shame. And the cream cheese frosting? I could eat it with a spoon. And I did.
Unlike a lot of coconut cakes that I’ve had the misfortune of eating, these cupcakes are not dense, tough, or dry. I’ve got no tolerance for cake like that. Instead, a moist, jam-packed coconut flavor shines through in every bite of these irresistible cupcakes that are crowned to perfection with a sweet and tangy cream cheese frosting and lots of toasted coconut.
The yellow cupcakes themselves are very simple to prepare: It’s just a simple yellow cake batter with coconut. Easy-peasy. Melted butter, sour cream, (leading factor in these cupcakes moistness!) 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk, (gives the cupcakes their pretty yellow color!) honey, vanilla, flour, baking powder, salt, and flaked coconut.
Bake your cupcakes at 350F 22-23 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
It only takes a few minutes for your cupcakes to cool, so while you wait it’s time to whip up some cream cheese magic!
Softened cream cheese, softened butter, a little bit of coconut sugar, a splash of vanilla, and a few drops of liquid Stevia get whipped to smooth and creamy heaven.
Piped to perfection over your now-cool moist and fluffy coconut cupcakes.
Topped with generous sprinkle of toasted coconut for a pretty finishing touch.
Bring these gorgeous cupcakes to any holiday get-together and watch them vanish. Or hoard them all to yourself like I do 😉
Yellow Coconut Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- CUPCAKES:
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup melted butter cooled slightly
- 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1-1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1 cup flaked coconut
- 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 drops liquid Stevia
Instructions
- Make the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350: Line a 12-cup muffin tin with muffin wrappers. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk sour cream, honey, melted butter, egg and egg yolk, and vanilla until smooth. In a medium bowl, combine flour, coconut, baking powder, and salt. Fold dry mixture into liquid mixture, gently stirring until smooth and combined.
- Fill muffin wrappers 3/4 full of batter. Smooth tops with a spatula. Bake cupcakes at 350F 22--23 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean or with moist crumbs sticking to it. Cool cupcakes in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
- Make the cream cheese frosting: Place frosting ingredients in a medium bowl. With a handheld electric mixer, beat frosting at high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Store frosting in refrigerator until ready to use.
- Pipe cream cheese frosting
Lisa Barton @ Vintage Celebrations says
Looks like a lovely recipe Sarah, and as we don’t have the variety of boxed cake mixes here in the UK that you do in the US then am pleased to see it’s a recipe I can follow too!
Sarah says
Thanks, Lisa 🙂
Jennifer S. says
I think these will taste similar to my favourite doughnut at the local coffee shop so I’m definitely going to be trying these.
Sarah says
Let me know how they turn out, Jennifer!
Alli says
I love coconut! Your cupcakes look heavenly.
Sarah says
Thanks, Alli!
Gloria // Simply Gloria says
I love the coconut on these gorgeous cupcakes! We all know how things can get… you are just awesome! Hope this week gets better! (=
Sarah says
Thanks so much for your kind words, Gloria 🙂
Cor says
Hey,in 3 weeks time it is my boyfriend’s bdarhity, will definitely make it.So, I was wondering, since I can’t find shredded sweetened coconut, can I instead use simply shredded dried coconued (that kind of that is on Rafaello)?
Sarah says
Shredded coconut would be a fine substitute.