Prep Time : 15 + 15 Minutes | Cook Time : 20 Minutes | Total Time : 1 hour | Difficulty : Easy
This is another one of those recipes that has been knocking around forever that I really should share and it’s another one from my Nannie! I love coconut, some others in this household are not so keen on it, so more for me!
Over the next few weeks there will be some healthier recipes while I do my form of Junk-free June where I look for healther homemade alternatives. My best gal is giving it her all and I thought it was a good chance to clean up and reset a bit for the winter when it’s really easy to slip into some bad habits using the weather as an excuse. Don’t worry, it’s not for long and there will still be delicious things to share and try around here!
Preheat the oven to 180C (350F). Line a regular cup muffin pan with paper cases and set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat until well combined and fluffy.
Whisk the flour, baking powder and coconut together in a bowl. Add half the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and fold together until mostly combined. Add the milk, coconut essence and vanilla extract and fold until almost mixed. Add the remaining dry ingredients and fold one last time until just combined. The mixture will be quite thick.
Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups. The large OXO Good Grips scoop is the perfect size.
Bake for 20 minutes until the cakes are slightly golden and spring back when pressed gently in the centre. Rotate the muffin pan halfway through baking to ensure even cooking.
Let the cakes cool slightly in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
While the cakes are cooling, make the buttercream. Put all the buttercream ingredients in a bowl and beat with a hand-held or standing electric mixer until smooth and fluffy – three to five minutes. To make the toasted coconut flakes gently heat coconut flakes in a dry frying pan until they just start to colour.
Tip them onto a cold plate as soon as they are golden as they will burn quickly.
Pipe or spread the buttercream on the cupcakes – there should be just enough for 12. Top with toasted coconut flakes.
I’m pretty proud of how far my cupcake swirl piping has come.. all you gotta do is practice! You should start right now with these light summery beauties!
Coconut Cupcakes + Lemon Vanilla Buttercream
Prep Time : 15 + 15 mins | Cook Time : 20 mins | Total Time : 1 hour | Difficulty : Easy | Makes : 12 cupcakes
Fluffy coconut cupcakes topped with luscious lemon + vanilla buttercream.
Ingredients:
For the cake:
- 8 tablespoons (115 grams) butter
- if using unsalted butter add 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (110 grams) sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup (45 grams) desiccated coconut
- 1 cup (140 grams) all purpose flour
- 1 + 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon coconut essence
For the buttercream:
- 1 + 2/3 cups (250 grams) icing sugar
- 6 tablespoons (85 grams) butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
To decorate:
- toasted coconut flakes
– If using metric cups, reduce volume measures by 1 tablespoon for every cup of dry or liquid ingredients –
Equipment:
- Standing or hand-held mixer
- 12 cup regular muffin/cupcake pan
- Optional: Piping bag and large closed star tip
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 180C (350F). Line a regular cup muffin pan with paper cases and set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat until well combined and fluffy.
Whisk the flour, baking powder and coconut together in a bowl. Add half the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and fold together until mostly combined. Add the milk, coconut essence and vanilla extract and fold until almost mixed. Add the remaining dry ingredients and fold one last time until just combined. The mixture will be quite thick.
Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups. The large OXO Good Grips scoop is the perfect size.
Bake for 20 minutes until the cakes are slightly golden and spring back when pressed gently in the centre. Rotate the muffin pan halfway through baking to ensure even cooking.
Let the cakes cool slightly in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
While the cakes are cooling, make the buttercream. Put all the buttercream ingredients in a bowl and beat with a hand-held or standing electric mixer until smooth and fluffy – three to five minutes. To make the toasted coconut flakes gently heat coconut flakes in a dry frying pan until they just start to colour.
Tip them onto a cold plate as soon as they are golden as they will burn quickly.
Pipe or spread the buttercream on the cupcakes – there should be just enough for 12. Top with toasted coconut flakes.
Cook’s Notes:
- If you don’t like lemon, switch out the juice in the buttercream for milk
- Keep a close eye on the coconut flakes while they toast – they will go from perfect to burnt in a flash
- To make this recipe up as a whole cake, double the recipe and bake in a round 8 inch pan. A double recipe of the buttercream should ice and fill a two-layer cake.
– These cakes are best on the day they are made, but are still good on day three –
© 2016 The Winsome Baker. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or link back to this post for the recipe.
These look awesome!
Thanks Jess!
It looks so heavenly. I am beginner when it comes to baking. Definitely i should try this one day. 🙂
I hope you do! If you have any questions you can always ask 🙂
Thank you Kearin. 😊