Lemon Coconut Cupcakes

cupcake cut in half to show lemon filling

Print Recipe

These moist and delicious scratch-made coconut cupcakes are filled lemon curd.

Prep Time45

Cook Time20

Total Time1 5

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, Southern

Keyword: coconut cupcakes with lemon filling, cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and lemon curd filling, Easter

Servings: cupcakes

Calories: 300kcal

Author: Katie

Ingredients

Cake

1 cup softened butter 2 sticks
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs separated
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon coconut extract
1 pint lemon curd

Frosting

1 8 ounce package of cream cheese, softened
½ cup butter softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch salt
2 cups sweetened flaked or shredded coconut

Instructions

Prep for baking. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) with the rack in the center—line 2 cupcake trays with paper liners.
Mix wet ingredients with sugar. Cream butter in an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the sugar and beat for 3-4 minutes more until fluffy and light in color. Then, add egg yolks, one at a time, blending well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Remember to add the vanilla and coconut extracts and mix until combined.
Add dry ingredients. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate large mixing bowl. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture one cup at a time, alternating with the milk. Start and end with the dry ingredients.
Beat and add egg whites. Beat egg whites with a handheld electric mixer in a medium bowl until soft peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the cake batter using a rubber spatula until combined. Do not overmix. Use a cookie scoop or spoon to scoop the cake batter into the prepared cupcake trays, filling each liner about 2/3 full.
Bake. Bake for 18-22 minutes, switching the trays halfway through baking, until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool in the trays for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before filling and frosting.
Fill cupcakes. Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, fill them with lemon curd using a piping bag. Alternatively, remove a small portion from the center of each cupcake with a knife or cupcake corer and spoon in the lemon curd.
Make the frosting. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter together until fluffy. Add vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until incorporated, then at medium speed until fluffy.
Add coconut. Frost the cooled cupcakes with the cream cheese frosting. Roll the frosted cupcakes in a plate of sweetened flaked or shredded coconut.

Notes

Make sure all your refrigerated ingredients (butter, eggs, cream cheese) are at room temperature before you start to help them mix more smoothly and evenly.

You can increase the amount of the vanilla extract and omit the coconut for an equally delicious outcome.

Gently add the whipped egg whites into the batter for light and airy cupcakes. Avoid overmixing to maintain their volume and light texture.

Fold in the whipped egg whites. These cupcakes are light and airy, and that's due in part to the whipped egg whites. If you overmix them when adding them to the batter, they'll lose their volume, and your cupcakes won't be quite so light.

Alternatively, you can prepare this recipe as a layer cake. It will yield enough batter for 3 (9-inch) round cake pans.

Make sure that the pans are thoroughly greased and floured. Layer the lemon curd between the cakes, frost the top and sides, and press the coconut onto the frosting.

Nutrition