Ina Garten’s Coconut Cupcakes are easy-peasy tender white cupcakes topped with the most insanely delicious coconut cream cheese frosting ~ it’s no wonder they were super popular at her famous Barefoot Contessa shop!
crowd pleasing coconut cupcakes
These classic cupcakes were crowd pleasers year after year in Ina’s Barefoot Contessa shop on Long Island, and I’m so not surprised. They’re easy to make and really there’s not a single bad thing I can say about them. The batter is easy to throw together and the cupcakes bake up with perfect little domes. The frosting is to die for, it has the tang of cream cheese without being overpowering. And who can resist big fluffy mounds of coconut?
grocery list for coconut cupcakes
- 8 ounces cream cheese ~ you want the brick style cheese, not whipped. I recommend the full fat version.
- 7 ounce bag of sweetened shredded coconut ~ you want moist sweetened coconut, I use Bakers Angel Flake.
- buttermilk ~ if you don’t keep buttermilk in your fridge, you should! It makes such a difference in baking.
pantry staples
- butter
- sugar
- eggs
- flour
- vanilla and almond extract
- baking powder and soda
- salt
- confectioner’s sugar
baking with coconut ~ choose the right kind!
The cake is tender and moist, and has half the bag of coconut folded into it. The frosting is topped with the other half, so there’s plenty of coconut presence. There are lots of different types of coconut (desiccated, shaved, flaked and shredded) and you want to be sure to buy the right type. I use Bakers Angel Flake. It’s sweetened flaked coconut that is quite moist.
TIP: If you’d like to top your cupcakes with toasted coconut, spread it on a microwave safe plate and microwave for 3 minutes, stirring after every minute, until it turns golden brown.
dress up your cupcakes
In honor of spring I baked the cupcakes up in some cute floral wrappers I found on Amazon. I keep all my decorative cupcake liners stacked in mason jars, it’s an old Pinterest hack that really works great to keep them organized and crush proof
FOOD STYLIST’S TIP: after baking and frosting, slip a second fresh muffin liner onto your cupcakes for a prettier look.
We found that the cupcakes fit perfectly into a coffee carrier ~ the perfect way to tote them to the office, or to a neighbor!
more coconut, please!
- Coconut Snowball Cookies
- Triple Coconut Pound Cake
- Thai Coconut Soup (tom kha)
- Our Favorite Salmon Coconut Curry
- How to Make Coconut Rice
- Creamy Fruit Salad with Coconut Dressing
- Pineapple Coconut Bars
Ina Garten’s Coconut Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 12 Tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla paste or extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 3 1/2 ounces sweetened coconut
cream cheese frosting
- 8 ounce block of cream cheese, room temperature
- 8 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 3/4 pound confectioner's sugar, sifted
- 3 1/2 ounces sweetened shredded coconut
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325F
- Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. I do this in my stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl between each one. Beat in the extracts.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add it to the mixing bowl, alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix just until combined, and scrape down the bowl. Fold in the coconut. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the mixing bowl to get everything incorporated.
- Fill 10 cupcake liners. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden browned and done through. You can test with a toothpick if you like. The tops should spring back when lightly touched. Let the cupcakes cool for a few minutes in the pan, then remove them to a rack to cool completely before frosting.
- To make the frosting cream together the soft cream cheese and butter. Add the extract and the sifted sugar and beat until fluffy. Frost the cupcakes generously and top with coconut.
Notes
- These are hefty cupcakes. If you are baking for kids you can make them smaller.
Nutrition
Can you substitute coconut cream for the buttermilk?
I think so, but I might use coconut milk instead, for a more similar consistency.
Love this – I usually make the full Ina recipe and its delicious but this is perfect for just a few. I ended up with 12 though! Thanks!
Glad you liked them Corey, thanks!
I have not made these cupcakes of Ina’s but after seeing your gorgeous shots of them I need to try them ASAP! I love your idea of keeping liners in a jar. Brilliant hack. Pretty liners too 🙂
Wow, these look so inviting I just want to bury my face in them, Sue! I love a good cupcake and can never have enough coconut. So pretty too!
Bring on the coconut, these cupcakes look like a dream! (and the Liberty prints are too cute!)
So true Sue who can resist a delicious coconut with mounds of coconut in top? We’re drooling over your beautiful photos! Thanks for sharing Ina’s recipe! Have a wonderful Mother’s Day this Sunday!
Another Ina lover! She’s the best! Have all her cookbooks, and have used many recipes. Most are bookmarked. But I love your recipes too and soooo enjoy your emails! People like you inspire me!
Thanks so much Theresa ~ I think I have all Ina’s books, too, and I keep them all together on a shelf right above where I sit at my desk, they’ve got the place of honor I guess. And I especially appreciate you saying you’re into the emails, because I’m always worried they might bug people 😉
Your post today, made me especially happy. So beautifully photographed, but I love cupcakes, icing and coconut….wonderful, and thank you!!!
That’s a lovely comment, thanks so much for taking the time to leave it Marilyn, you made me happy 🙂
I think I made these many years ago..you have inspired me to make again..love these photos AND the tip about storing the pretty liners..adorb.
… and I love that you did the math for us so we can have the down-sized recipe! Thanks!
Even downsized Ina never fails! And there was no way I was going to have 20 of these things in my kitchen ~ too dangerous.