💬Featured Comment: "I just made these coconut cream cupcakes from Amy Cakes for guests this weekend and they are AMAZING! They look just like the photo & taste fabulous. The whipped cream topping makes them the perfect dessert for hot weather."--Karen S.
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⭐ An Easy and Delicious Bakery Recipe
My latest Amycakes Bakery recipe features tender, moist and buttery coconut cupcakes that are made even more decadent by a rich cream of coconut glaze. The best part? They're easy to make!
The made-from-scratch coconut cream cupcake batter comes together quickly by hand, no mixer necessary! They're frosted with a fluffy and quick stabilized whipped cream, then topped off with lightly toasted coconut flakes for extra texture and crunch.
📋 How to Make Them
Since these cupcakes use the Two-Bowl Method, no mixer is required and you can whip up the cupcake batter in less than 10 minutes. By using just two bowls, we'll be whisking the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then adding melted salted butter.
Once the cupcakes are baked, we'll poke holes in the cake and drizzle delicious Cream of Coconut onto each warm cupcake, so that it melts into every crevice. This is a similar method to my Lemon Cream Cake with Lemon Drizzle. The result is an ultra-moist and decadent cupcake that pairs perfectly with light and airy whipped cream.
🥥 The Flavors of Pure Coconut
These coconut cream cupcakes are made with pure coconut extract in the cake batter and whipped cream frosting. The natural and pure coconut flavor complements the buttery cupcake batter and cream of coconut.
I topped the cupcakes with desiccated coconut flakes--there is something so pretty and elegant about these flakes, and they really enhance the look of the cupcakes. You can also use coconut chips or shredded coconut. I love the flavor of Olive Nation Pure Coconut Extract and Desiccated Coconut Flakes. (Olive Nation has provided Amycakes Bakes readers with the code AB20 for 20% off on their website. They also sell it on Amazon).
Disclosure: Olive Nation has provided the discount code AB20 for Amycakes Bakes readers, and I make a small commission when the code is used on their website at no additional cost to you. I only promote products that I love, and Olive Nation is a company that I have ordered from since the beginning of Amycakes Bakery. Thank you for your support!
👩🏻🍳 How to Stabilize Whipped Cream Frosting
The fluffy whipped cream frosting melts in your mouth with hints of vanilla and coconut. Unlike traditional whipped cream, which can be prone to weeping and deflating, stabilized whipped cream frosting can be prepared hours before your event-you just need an electric mixer, and my favorite bakery secret ingredient, Instant Clearjel. The whipped cream piped onto your cupcakes will stay firm and stable for at least 2 days in the fridge.
The Secret Bakery Ingredient
This bakery recipe uses Instant ClearJel, a type of cornstarch that serves as both a thickener and a binder. It's often used by professional bakers in filling and pie recipes because it produces a smoother and glossier consistency than cornstarch, tapioca, or other starches. It also enhances moisture and texture in cakes and thickens and stabilizes frostings. For these reasons, I'm convinced all bakers should have Instant Clearjel in their pantry. 🙂
I first started using Instant Clearjel at Amycakes Bakery after researching the second ingredient in Instant Pudding Mix--"modified cornstarch". Since then, I have used it in nearly all of my bakery recipes including my Vanilla Almond Cake and Soft and Gooey Bakery-Style Cinnamon Rolls. The benefit of using it in these Coconut Cream Cupcakes is that they're amazingly light and moist with a soft texture, and the whipped cream frosting is thick and stable.
💭 Frequently Asked Questions
I haven't yet tested that (when I test substitutions for instant clearjel I include them within the recipe card, as seen in other recipes). However, in most recipes, you can use Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix in a 1.5 ratio to the instant clearjel in the cupcake batter (i.e. 3 tablespoon Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix for the 2 tablespoon Instant Clearjel in a 1x batch). For the whipped cream frosting, you can read about possible substitutions in my Stabilized Whipped Cream post.
This recipe is best suited in cupcake form. I plan to share a coconut cake version in the future!
Due to the whipped cream, these cupcakes will need to stay refrigerated in an airtight container until serving. They will also freeze well in an airtight container, as the instant clearjel keeps the whipped cream from weeping.
This recipe produces a fancy coconut cupcake that is surprisingly easy to make, even if you're a beginner at baking! I hope you give them a try and let me know what you think! 🙂
Thanks for Reading. ❤️
📖 Recipe & Step-by-Step Instructions
Easy Coconut Cream Cupcakes with Whipped Cream Frosting
Equipment
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 200 grams (1 ½ cups) All-Purpose Flour (I use Gold Medal)
- 1 ½ teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¾ teaspoon Salt
- 2 Tablespoons Instant Clearjel (A bakery ingredient you can use at home--see Note #1. Please make sure your clearjel is labeled as "Instant")
- 200 grams (1 cup) Sugar
Wet Ingredients
- 1 large Egg
- 2 Egg Whites
- ¾ cup Buttermilk
- ¼ cup Water
- ¾ cup(s) Vegetable Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Pure Coconut Extract (I use Olive Nation)
- 1 ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ¾ teaspoon Almond Extract
Other Cake Ingredients
- ¾ stick(s) (3 oz) Salted Butter
- 1 to 1 ¼ cup Cream of Coconut, stirred or shaken until smooth (Not to be confused with coconut cream. Cream of Coconut is sweetened and often found in the beverage mixer aisle. See Note #2.)
Stabilized Vanilla Whipped Cream
- 2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1 ½ teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 ½ teaspoon Pure Coconut Extract (I use Olive Nation)
- 75 grams (⅔ cup) powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Instant Clearjel (A bakery ingredient you can use at home--see Note #1. Please make sure your clearjel is labeled as "Instant")
Topping
- 2 cups Unsweetened desiccated Coconut flakes, Coconut Chips, or shredded coconut, divided (I use Olive Nation Desiccated Coconut. See Note #3.)
Instructions
Make Coconut Cream Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 335 degrees. Fill cupcake tins with 17 cupcake liners.
- Using a sifter or fine mesh strainer, sift the Dry Ingredients into a large bowl. Whisk the sifted ingredients until well blended.
- Combine Wet Ingredients in a separate large bowl and whisk until smooth and well-blended.
- Melt salted butter in the microwave (or over the stove) until just melted. Avoid overcooking.
- Pour Wet Ingredients into Dry Ingredients and whisk until incorporated. Pour Melted Salted Butter over batter and whisk until smooth and shiny.
- Using a 2-oz scoop or ¼ cup measuring cup, scoop batter into prepared cupcake tins. Allow tins to set for 5 minutes before putting them in the oven. This will give time for the instant clearjel to thicken the cake batter before it bakes, allowing for a better rise.
- Bake in the middle or top rack (avoid bottom rack) of the preheated 325-degree oven for 8 minutes. Without opening the oven, turn the temperature down to 300 degrees and bake for another 6-8 minutes. The cupcakes are done when a toothpick or small paring knife comes out mostly clean when quickly stuck in the cupcakes. Because these cupcakes are so moist, it is okay to see a couple of moist crumbs on your knife when you check the finished product for doneness. But any wet-looking crumbs mean they need more time in the oven.
- With a sharp paring knife, repeatedly poke the hot baked cupcakes all the way through to the bottom of the cupcakes. Poke each cupcake with cuts ¼ inch to ½ inch apart (I recommend watching the recipe video). Spoon or squeeze (if you are using cream of coconut in a squeeze bottle) a total of 1 Tablespoon Cream of Coconut on top of each cupcake while they are still warm, which will soak into the cupcakes. I find it the least messy to start by squeezing ½ Tablespoon Cream of Coconut mostly in the middle of each cupcake, then slowly and carefully spreading it with a silicone pastry brush over the cupcake. After it's melted into the cupcake, I'll go back to add an additional ½ Tablespoon Cream of Coconut on top of each cupcake, and then spread that in. By dividing it up, each cupcake will get the correct amount of Cream of Coconut with less drizzling down the sides of the cupcake liner.
- If you are frosting and serving them the next day, wrap the cupcakes in the cupcake tin and leave at room temperature overnight. You may also freeze the unfrosted cupcakes wrapped tightly in the cupcake tin up to a week in advance and they will stay very moist.
Make Stabilized Whipped Cream Frosting
- Whisk the Powdered Sugar and Instant Clearjel together. (Instant Clearjel must always be whisked with dry ingredients before adding to liquid to avoid clumping).
- Using a whip attachment and a stand mixer (preferred) or handheld mixer, whip the Heavy Cream, Pure Vanilla, and Pure Coconut Extract until stiff peaks form.
- Turn the mixer on low, and slowly add in the Powdered Sugar/ Instant Clearjel mixture until incorporated. The Instant Clearjel will thicken the whipped cream instantly, which is why we want to make sure the whipped cream is nicely whipped and fluffy before we add in our thickener. Refrigerate until using.
Make Toasted Coconut
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Spread one cup of coconut flakes onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake in the preheated 350 degree oven for around 2 minutes, or until just lightly golden around the edges. (Baking time will vary based on your oven and the thickness of the coconut. Watch towards the end of baking to avoid over-browning).
- Add one additional cup of untoasted coconut flakes and mix until blended. (I prefer the look and texture of toasted and untoasted coconut mixed together, but you can use all toasted or all untoasted if you prefer). Allow to cool.
Decorate and Serve
- I like to use 18" disposable pastry bags and a Round Cupcake Tip to pipe a medium-sized swirl of whipped cream on top of each cupcake. Gently rotate each cupcake and press the cooled coconut flakes into the whipped cream (as seen in the recipe video).
- Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- Read my article Instant Clearjel: a Magical Bakery Ingredient to see why I think this ingredient is worth having in your pantry. Instant Clearjel must always be whisked thoroughly with other dry ingredients before being added to wet ingredients to avoid clumping. (Make sure what you purchase is labeled as "Instant." Cooktyle Clearjel is a different product that does not work the same in cakes).
- I use Coco Real Cream of Coconut which comes in a squeeze bottle. Whichever brand you use, just make sure it is labeled as "cream of coconut" and not "coconut cream." Cream of coconut is often found in the beverage mixer aisle. Stir or shake your cream of coconut before using it.
- Feel free to substitute sweetened shredded coconut for the unsweetened coconut, but you may wish to decrease the powdered sugar in the whipped cream to ½ cup (56g) in a 1x batch.
Cindy says
OMG, these are divine! As with every cake and cupcake recipe I've made of yours. These are going to wow my family at the next birthday celebration. Thank you so much, can't wait to try the next recipe.
Amy says
I'm so glad you enjoyed the coconut cream cupcakes! They are one of my favorites, too! Thank you for taking the time to comment. 🙂
Tricia says
Amy, I have made many of your delicious cakes, cupcakes, and truffles in the past month since finding your website. You have resurrected my love of baking, and I thank you for that. I have put off making the coconut cupcakes because, well, I am not a big fan of coconut, and you had other recipes I wanted to try first. Today, I decided I was going to bake these cupcakes, and OMG, talk about a religious experience! Taste and texture wise, it was like biting into a creamy, yummy cloud. And I love the coconut flavor! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe as well as all of the others. My friends and family thank you too!!
Amy says
This really made my day, thank you so much for taking the time to comment, Tricia! So happy to hear you enjoyed them! 🙂
yakira says
Could this recipe be used to make cake pops?
Amy says
I usually make cake pops from cake instead of cupcakes, but I would think it would work fine for cake pops! You can crumble and smash the cake just like I do in my cake truffle recipe, it should be moist enough that you wouldn't need to add frosting!
Moop Brown says
Coconut is one of my favorite dessert flavors and so these cupcakes have my mouth watering and are definitely a recipe I want to try.
Julia says
These cupcakes were so moist and fluffy! The whipped cream frosting was my favorite, felt lighter than the canned frosting you get from the supermarket!
Matt says
Hello Amy!
I just made your banana layer cake recipe, and it was also my first time using instant clearjel. What a game-changer it is! The texture is absolutely amazing!!! Coconut is one of my favorite flavors / cakes, and so I'm really excited to make this recipe - which also, obviously, uses instant clearjel as well, so my question being; how can I translate this into a layer-cake recipe? I'm sure it's just an increase in ingredients/bake time, yes? (Also... can I add in a little sweetened shredded coconut to it as well?)
Thank you!!
- Matt
Amy says
Thank you, Matt, so happy to hear that you enjoyed the banana cake recipe and instant clearjel! 🙂 I have only tested this exact recipe as coconut cupcakes, as most of my vanilla-based cakes work best with the creamed method (like my vanilla almond cake) instead of the two-bowl method due to the cake texture. I hope to share a coconut cake recipe soon, though! But adding some coconut to the cupcake batter would work well!
Tammy says
These look so delicious! I love coconut cream...ahh wish I could reach into my screen and grab one!
Petro says
Coconut is one of my favorite, I can't wait to make these cupcakes! Sound so delicious!
veenaazmanov says
Looks light buttery and soft. Tempting presentation and perfect for a party too.
Kayla DiMaggio says
Such a wonderful recipe! I loved all the coconut flavors!
Jenny says
What a wonderful recipe! The coconut cream cupcakes look delicious! Thank you for your post; I will definitely make these.
Anna says
These were fantastic! I love how light and airy the sponge was, and that coconut cream is such a perfect addition! The only problem is once you've start eating them, it's so hard to stop!
Amy says
These don't last long at my house, either. 🙂 I'm so glad you enjoyed them, thank you!
Marta says
Perfect blast of coconut flavor in every bit!
Amy says
I'm so glad you enjoyed them, thank you! 🙂
Amanda Dixon says
These cupcakes were such a treat! They turned out so fluffy and moist and full of coconut flavor. So perfect for summer!
Amy says
Thank you so much for your comment, I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! 🙂
Kathryn says
These cupcakes are exactly what I was looking for! So delicious, moist and has the perfect amount of coconut flavor. Loved the whipped cream frosting too 🙂
Amy says
Oh good, so happy to hear that, thank you! 🙂