These are soft and fluffy coconut cupcakes that are filled with caramel (salted or unsalted, your preference) and topped with milk chocolate frosting and toasted coconut. Then topped off with more caramel and shredded coconut if you would like.
Ingredients:
- 1 and 3/4 cups cake flour, spoon & leveled*
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/4 cup unrefined coconut oil, solid (not melted or liquid)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 1/2 cup full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup canned coconut milk, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- salted caramel for filling, cooled for 30 minutes
Milk Chocolate Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature2
- 3 and 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 Tablespoons heavy cream or milk
- optional: toasted coconut for topping
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Line a second pan with 3-4 liners – this recipe makes about 15-16 cupcakes. Set aside.
Make the cupcakes: Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter and solid coconut oil together on high speed until smooth and creamy – about 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat on high speed for 2 minutes until creamed together. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the egg whites, vanilla extract, and coconut extract. Beat on medium-high speed until combined, then beat in the sour cream. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients until just incorporated. With the mixer still running on low, slowly pour in the coconut milk and shredded coconut until combined. Do not overmix. You may need to whisk it all by hand to make sure there are no large lumps stuck at the bottom of the bowl. The batter will be slightly thick with a few lumps of shredded coconut.
Pour/spoon the batter into the liners – fill only 2/3 full to avoid spilling over the sides. Bake for 19-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan to cool completely.
Fill the cupcakes: Using a sharp knife, cut a circle/hole into the center of the cooled cupcake to create a little pocket about 1 inch deep. This piece you removed will be the shape of a cone. Set it aside. Place about 1 teaspoon of caramel inside the cupcake– or however much will fit. Slice off the pointy end of the “cone” piece of cupcake you removed so that it can fit on top of the filling. Repeat with all cupcakes.
Make the frosting: With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy – about 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, salt, heavy cream, and vanilla extract with the mixer running on low. Increase to high speed and beat for 3 full minutes. Add up to 1/2 cup more confectioners’ sugar if frosting is too thin or another Tablespoon of cream if frosting is too thick.
Frost cooled cupcakes. I used the Wilton #12 round piping tip. Top with any leftover caramel and toasted coconut, if desired.
*If you cannot get your hands on cake flour, you can make a DIY version from all-purpose flour and cornstarch. Measure 1 cup of all-purpose flour. Remove 2 Tablespoons. Mix in 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch. This equals 1 cup of cake flour. I suggest doing this twice, mixing it all up in 1 bowl then removing 1/4 cup since you need 1 and 3/4 cups in this recipe.
