Coconut Cupcakes with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

| Katherine Kallinis Berman & Sophie Kallinis LaMontagne
Serving size:24
Coconut Cupcakes with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

Cupcakes

  • 21/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 21/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 8 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 13/4 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 21/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 11/4 cup whole milk, at room temperature
  • 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a standard cupcake pan with twelve paper baking cups, or grease the pan with butter if not using baking cups.
  2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt on a sheet of parchment paper or wax paper and set aside
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a bowl with a handheld electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar for 3 to 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing slowly after each addition.
  4. Add the vanilla to the milk in a large liquid measuring cup.
  5. Add one third of the dry ingredients followed by one third of the milk, and mix thoroughly. Repeat. Stop to scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the last third of dry  ingredients followed by the last third of milk. Mix thoroughly. Using a spatula, gently fold in the shredded coconut.
  6. Scoop the batter into the cupcake pan using a standard-size ice-cream scoop until each cup is two-thirds full and bake for 16 to 18 minutes (start checking at 15 minutes), or until a toothpick comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

    Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

    • 4 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
    • 6 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
    • 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 4 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
    • 4 cup sweetened shredded coconut
    1. Combine the butter, cream cheese, vanilla, and confectioners’ sugar in a mixer and whip together at high speed until light and airy, approximately 3 to 5 minutes.
    2. Using a small offset spatula, apply a dollop (approximately 4 tablespoons) of vanilla cream cheese frosting on top of the cupcake and spread to the edges of the cupcake so that it is completely covered with frosting. Then sprinkle shredded coconut on top of the frosting so that it forms a “cloud” of coconut on top of the cupcake. Pat down and cover the frosting with shredded coconut.

    © Georgetown Cupcake, Katherine Kallinis Berman & Sophie Kallinis LaMontagne, Co-Owners, Georgetown Cupcake & Stars of TLC’s DC Cupcakes
    Recipe featured in Georgetown Cupcake’s cookbook: The Cupcake Diaries: Recipes & Memories from the Sisters of Georgetown Cupcake (HarperCollins)