Check out these semi-homemade Coconut Cream Cupcakes! Made from a doctored-up cake mix and topped with homemade buttercream frosting…easy AND delicious!
If you like coconut as much as I do, you’re going to LOVE these semi-homemade Coconut Cream Cupcakes with Homemade Buttercream Frosting!
Made from a doctored up cake mix and homemade buttercream frosting, these Coconut Cream Cupcakes are easy AND delicious!
When that craving for coconut cupcakes hits, coconut lovers will be so happy that they have this moist cupcakes recipe! If you’re a fan of coconut, you seriously can’t miss these cake mix cupcakes!
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Pin RecipeCoconut Cream Cupcake Recipe
One of my most favorite things to splurge on is cupcakes. I love all cupcakes! I also love cake, but having a cupcake is like having a perfectly sized portion of a piece of cake right in your hand.
Plus, it’s easy to eat, you get the perfect amount of cake and frosting in each bite and they’re just so darn cute! I have to refrain from making them often since they are so easy to just grab one as you’re walking by the counter. I end up eating way more than I should!
One of my favorite flavors of cupcakes is coconut! I love coconut anything, really. When I was growing up, my mom made the best coconut cake. And I wanted to take that same delicious taste and put into a cupcake form.
I’m pretty sure I accomplished that with these easy cupcakes!
You could make this Coconut Cream Cupcake from scratch (like my Coconut Cake), but I’ve found that doctoring up a cake mix provides the best flavor and consistency every time.
I use Duncan Hines cake mixes since they are Wilton approved. Did you know that MOST wedding cakes come from this box mix? I had no idea until I saw a local baker buying a ton at the store one day and then a friend of mine shared this secret from her cake making classes!
See…anyone can be an amazing baker with just a little practice and these cupcakes are about as easy as it gets!
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Ingredients for Coconut Cream Cupcakes
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- White cake mix – Any brand of white cake mix will work. I like to use Pillsbury Moist Supreme Classic White.
- All purpose flour
- Granulated white sugar
- Salt
- Water
- Vegetable oil or canola oil – Either type of neutral-flavored oil will work.
- Vanilla extract
- Sour cream – Be sure to use full-fat sour cream, not the low fat stuff. You want the extra fat to make the cupcakes creamy and rich.
- Eggs
- Coconut cream – You can often find this in liquor store or near alcoholic mixers. My local grocery store also carries coconut cream in cans near the Mexican food section. Be sure to grab coconut cream rather than coconut milk. Coconut cream is much sweeter and thicker.
How To Make Coconut Cupcakes Topped with Shredded Coconut
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Line the cupcake pan: Place cupcake liners in cupcake pans.
- Mix the ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together cake mix, flour, sugar, and salt.
- Beat: Add remaining ingredients and beat for 2 minutes, or until well blended.
- Fill the cupcake liners: Use an ice cream scoop to fill prepared cupcake tins- fill about 3/4 full.
- Bake: Bake for about 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cupcakes: Remove cupcakes to a wire rack to cool.
- Add the coconut cream: Using a chopstick or straw, poke several holes in each cupcake. Pour about a tablespoon of coconut cream into each cupcake.
- Cool and frost: Allow to cool and frost with my buttercream frosting using a 1m tip to create bakery-style frosted tops.
- Top with coconut: Top with sweetened coconut – patting down slightly so that it doesn’t fall off.
Quick Tip
I use my buttercream frosting and top it with sweetened coconut. I have to say that the frosting is key to an amazing cupcake! It’s not too sweet or heavy. My recipe always turns out the same which makes it the best go-to frosting for cupcakes or cakes!
How to Store Coconut Cream Cupcakes
Add the cupcakes to an airtight container and keep them stored in the fridge. They should stay fresh for up to 2 days. These cupcakes do need to be refrigerated because they are so dense and moist. They would spoil quickly if left at room temperature for more than a day!
FAQs
You can. I think adding a coconut cream cheese frosting would be super delicious as well. Anything that you think will pair well with the flavor of the cupcake batter is fair game to use! Add some powdered sugar to the top of the cupcakes as well!
These cool cupcakes are so good with the secret ingredient filling in the middle! Adding in the cream of coconut makes for the best coconut cake and cupcake flavor, ever. The first time you make these cupcakes, add the middle! It’s a wonderful recipe when you make it just like it calls for!
You bet! Just add the baked cupcakes to a freezer safe bag and freeze them for later. Once you unthaw them, you can then add the frosting fresh on top.
More Easy Cupcake Recipes
Coconut Cream Cupcakes with Homemade Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 Duncan Hines box white cake mix
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/3 cups water
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
- 1 teaspoon good vanilla extract
- 1 cup sour cream
- 3 large eggs
- 1 can coconut cream sometimes found in the alcohol section
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Place cupcake liners in cupcake pans
- In a large bowl, whisk together cake mix, flour, sugar and salt.
- Add remaining ingredients and beat for 2 minutes, or until well blended.
- Use an ice cream scoop to fill prepared cupcake tins- fill about 3/4 full.
- Bake about 18 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Remove cupcakes to wire rack to cool.
- Using a chop stick or straw, poke several holes in each cupcake. Pour in about a tablespoon of coconut cream into each cupcake
- Allow to cool and frost with my buttercream frosting using a 1m tip to create bakery style frosted tops
- Top with sweetened coconut – patting down slightly to so that it doesn’t fall off.
Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 2 sticks unsalted butter
- 5 cups confectioners sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- dash of salt
- 3-4 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute.
- Reduce the speed to low, slowly add confectioners, and beat until fully incorporated and smooth, about 3 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the paddle and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
- Add vanilla and salt. Mixing completely.
- Add milk one tablespoon at a time until it’s a smooth consistency. Turn mixer to high and beat until light and fluffy.
Video
Nutrition
Need to alter a recipe for other measurements? Try this free printable that shows you How Many Cups in a Quart, Pint or Gallon and other valuable ways to translate while you cook.
Simple but did not turn out. You would be better off just using a white boxed cake mix and following the directions. Cupcakes fell completely flat.
Added all remaining ingredients as per the directions….the recipe needs to have better instructions… was making these for a party tonight and don’t have the time to start all over….can’t serve them they way they are, very disappointed!
How much is two sticks of butter? All sticks are different —how many cups
1 cup.
Two sticks = 1 cup 🙂
You need to change instructions to read all ingredients except for the coconut cream I added all remaining ingredients as directed and had a very runny mix tried baking any ways and a cupcake they were not so I’ll try again without the cream in the mix, very upset for wasting all the ingredients
I love cake mix recipes and I cannot wait to make these coconut cream cupcakes! Pinned and thank you for the recipe!
The recipe was not very clear, inasmuch as it said to add remaining ingredients to batter and only after I had already added everything, it said to put cocunut cream in cupcakes. Cupcakes still turned out, however.
Can I make this coconut cake recipe in a 13×9 pan instead? Also , would like to add some fresh raspberries, will it work? Thank you, love this recipe!
Yes you can definitely make this recipe in a 13×9 pan! And we think fresh raspberries would be delicious 🙂
-From the All Things Mamma Team
Wish the recipe was a little more clear. Didn’t say anywhere to save coconut cream til the end. Just said to add “remaining ingredients to batter.” Ended up with enough runny batter for 50 cupcakes but sadly none were edible. Very annoyed.
I noticed comments re: coconut cream. Can you clarify how to implement this ingredient?
I use the Duncan coconut cake mix and a bit of coconut extract! Follow your 10 tips! They are amazing!!!!
Oops! And coconut pudding!!! Will be making for Easter!!
That sounds so good!! Thanks for sharing!!
I was wondering how to make this into a CHOCOLATE Buttercream Frosting?
It’s easy! I just add in about 1/4 cup of powdered cocoa to my powdered sugar and make like the recipe states. 🙂
My mom use to make a coconut cake that I never ate because I hated coconut at the time and then one day I tried her cake because I needed something sweet and I have been in love ever since. Must try these
My husband would just flip over these. He loves cake, but especially if it has coconut on it.
The icing didn’t turn out as solid as I expected. Did I do something wrong?
Well, my guess is that maybe your butter was too soft. I set mine out while I’m making the cupcakes so it’s not hard but not soft. Right in the middle. 🙂 Not sure if that was it, but worth checking next time. Let me know!
I’d use coconut oil instead of vegetable or canola.
Hi,
Did you use any coconut cream in the batter or just add 1 TBS. to each cupcake after they were baked?
Thanks!
Just to the cupcakes.
If you make this as a cake instead of cupcakes, would you still poke holes and pour in the cream throughout?
I just found this site bur love love love it already. I knew some of the things y’all posted like the 10 tricks of make box mix taste like scratch. I learned that from my grandma. But your buttercream icing recipe is the BOMB. I just love it. Very addictive. I too am a coconut lover. Anything I can put it in I do. Thanks for the post. Please post more.
Hi,
The recipe says to add the remaining ingredient to the cake batter, but do you save the coconut cream for the end, or do you add it in the batter?
Thanks !
About how many cupcake will recipe frost? ty for responding