Airy and moist coconut cupcakes with a fluffy 7 minute frosting and coconut topping are delicious and easy to make. They're perfect for Easter or any spring occasion! (dairy-free)

closeup of a coconut cupcake on a white cake stand with other coconut cupcakes.

My grandpa's favorite cake was always a light, moist coconut cake with 7 minute frosting topped with coconut. I've shared the recipe on the blog, but to make things even easier for those who may be intimidated by a layer cake (or who want fewer servings) I've turned it into coconut cupcakes! After much testing (and many frustrating fails), I have finally perfect these cute coconut cupcakes. They're the perfect little spring treats.

Why You'll Love These Coconut Cupcakes

If you're a coconut lover, you'll adore these cupcakes. They're super light, moist and tender thanks to coconut oil and cake flour, with a light coconut flavor. Topped with a fluffy, marshmallow-like frosting and coconut flakes, they're naturally dairy-free and easy to make. They are so tasty and great for Easter and other spring gatherings!

How To Make Coconut Cupcakes with 7 Minute Frosting

9 image collage showing steps for making coconut cupcakes.

Make the Cupcakes

Cream the coconut oil and sugar until light and fluffy. It may take a little bit. If it clumps up, keep mixing, it will get fluffy.
Add the eggs, vanilla and coconut extract and mix well.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Alternate adding flour and coconut milk to the batter, starting and ending with the flour. Mix until just combined.
Scoop into a lined cupcake tin, filling cups ⅔ of the way full. Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes. Mine take 22 minutes.
Cool completely before frosting.

three image collage showing 7 minute frosting in a stand mixer, a spoon placing frosting onto cupcakes, and a hand dipping a cupcake into a bowl of coconut.

Make the Frosting and Top with Coconut

Make the 7 minute frosting using these directions.
Frost cupcakes by spoon a generous blog of frosting onto each cooled cupcake.
Turn frosted cupcakes upside down into a bowl of coconut to coat each with coconut. Turn right side up and place on a cooling rack for just a bit to let the icing firm up.

Pro Tips For The Most Delicious Coconut Cupcakes

Use room temperature ingredients for the most even mixing.
The coconut oil and sugar mixture may take a little bit to get fluffy. If it clumps up at the beginning, that's ok, just keep mixing.
After adding the flour, mix just until blended. You may need to stop and stir with a rubber spatula to make sure there are no pockets of flour at the bottom or around the edges.
Cool cupcake completely before frosting, or the frosting may slide off.
The frosting will firm up as it cools. It's best to frost the cupcakes right after making the frosting.
I don't recommend making these in advance, as the frosting gets hard and crunchy on the outside as it sits. They're best served the day they are made.
Leftovers can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container.
I've noticed that the sugar from the coconut flakes is what turns a little crunchy. If it bothers you, you can use unsweetened shredded coconut.

two coconut cupcakes with a cake stand of cupcakes and a bowl of frosting in the background.

Ingredient Substitutions

The cake flour is what makes these cupcakes super light and tender. It really makes a difference. But you can use all-purpose if you have to. Use 1 cup of all purpose flour and add ¼ teaspoon baking soda.
Do not use full fat coconut milk. It's too much fat for the flour to hold together. (Don't ask me how I know.) You can substitute buttermilk in a pinch.
If you don't want to make the 7 minute frosting, you can also frost these with regular white frosting. They're also delicious with chocolate frosting!

Can This Recipe Be Made Into A Whole Cake?

Yes! Find the recipe for a layered coconut cake here.

overhead view of a coconut cupcake with 7 minute frosting with a cite taken out on top of a bowl of coconut.

More Coconut Recipes You'll Love

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the comments!

Coconut Cupcakes with 7 Minute Frosting

Print Recipe

Airy and moist coconut cupcakes with a fluffy 7 minute frosting and coconut topping are delicious and easy to make. They're perfect for Easter or any spring occasion! (dairy-free)

Author: Kaleigh
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooling Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 70 minutes
Yield: 12 cupcakes 1x
Category: dessert
Method: baked
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

½ cup unrefined coconut oil, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp coconut extract
1 cup + 2 tbsp cake flour, sifted
¾ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp fine sea salt
½ cup light canned coconut milk (see notes)
½ recipe 7 Minute Frosting
1 cup shredded coconut

Instructions

Heat oven to 350°F. Line a standard sized cupcake tin with paper or silicone liners.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream the coconut oil and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
Add eggs, vanilla and coconut extract and mix well.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together into a bowl.
Alternate adding the flour and coconut milk, starting and ending with flour, in 3 additions. Mix until just combined.
Scoop batter into cupcake liners, filling ⅔ of the way full.
Bake 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out with just a couple of moist crumbs. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.
Make the 7 minute frosting.
Immediately after making the frosting, top each cooled cupcake with a blob of frosting.
Dip frosted cupcakes into a bowl of shredded coconut to coat the tops with coconut.
Turn right side up and place on a cooling rack let the frosting firm up just a bit.
Store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

The cake flour is what makes these cupcakes super light and tender. It really makes a difference. But you can use all-purpose if you have to. Use 1 cup of all purpose flour and add ¼ teaspoon baking soda.
Do not use full fat coconut milk. It's too much fat for the flour to hold together. (Don't ask me how I know.) You can substitute buttermilk in a pinch.
Use room temperature ingredients for the most even mixing.
The coconut oil and sugar mixture may take a little bit to get fluffy. If it clumps up at the beginning, that's ok, just keep mixing.
After adding the flour, mix just until blended. You may need to stop and stir with a rubber spatula to make sure there are no pockets of flour at the bottom or around the edges.
Cool cupcake completely before frosting, or the frosting may slide off.
The frosting will firm up as it cools. It's best to frost the cupcakes right after making the frosting.
I don't recommend making these in advance, as the frosting gets hard and crunchy on the outside as it sits. They're best served the day they are made.
I've noticed that the sugar from the coconut flakes is what turns a little crunchy. If it bothers you, you can use unsweetened shredded coconut.
If you don't want to make the 7 minute frosting, you can also frost these with regular white frosting. They're also delicious with chocolate frosting!