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High-Altitude Coconut Cupcakes

Coconut Cupcakes

Servings 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup melted butter
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 3/4 cup full fat coconut cream
  • 1 cup coconut chips toasted

For the frosting:

  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 6 tbs. flour
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1 cup full fat coconut cream
  • 1 cup softened butter
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract or paste

Instructions

For the cupcakes:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, melted butter, and canola oil until combined, and then mix in the egg and vanilla extract. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. In another small bowl, stir together the buttermilk and coconut cream. Stir the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture into the egg mixture in alternating additions, starting and ending with the flour mixture. You want to mix well between each addition until everything is just combined. Gently fold in the toasted coconut flakes with the last addition of flour, reserving a handful of flakes for decorating.
  3. Evenly divide the batter between the 12 muffins cups. The batter should fill the cups about 3/4 of the way. Bake the cupcakes for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out mostly clean. Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting:

  1. After you put your cake in the oven, it’s time to cook your flour paste for the frosting so it has enough time to cool. In a small saucepan, whisk together the sugar, flour, and salt. Then whisk in the coconut cream. Cook this mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly, until you get a thick paste. Then transfer the mixture to a heat-safe bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. This mixture needs to be completely cooled and at room temperature before you proceed with the frosting- don’t skip cooling it down, it’s very important here!
  2. Once your cupcakes and your flour paste are cooled, place your butter into a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Beat the butter until it is very light and fluffy, about 5-8 full minutes in a stand mixer, or slightly longer if you’re mixing with an electric hand mixer. Beat in the cooled flour paste mixture and the vanilla extract. Continue to beat the mixture until it becomes light, fluffy, and smooth, which may take 3-5 minutes. It should be very light and creamy. Frost your cupcakes as desired, top with reserved coconut flakes, and serve!