Ina Garten’s Coconut Cupcakes

3.74 from 142 votes

Ina Garten's Coconut Cupcakes ~ these easy-peasy tender cupcakes are topped with the most insanely delicious coconut cream cheese frosting!

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Total Time50

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: cupcakes

Calories: 684kcal

Author: Sue Moran

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.

*Recipe lightly adapted from Ina Garten ~ it's in her Barefood Contessa Cookbook. I've halved Ina's recipe, because I didn't want 20 cupcakes around to tempt me.

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