Basic White Cupcakes with Coconut Buttercream
Ever since I made the recipe for The Perfect Cake Mix Cupcake, I think I got the cupcake bug. I know that cupcakes are a trend right now and I’m starting to enjoy that trend. Cupcakes are fun and cute with built in portion control, that is if you can manage to eat only 1 or 2.
I recently checked out an old Southern Living magazine from the library, it was March of 2007. They had a few cupcake recipes in there and guess what? Tthey used a cake mix. I love the idea of using the cake mix and doctoring it up a little to make it even better.
I must tell you that this recipe for the Basic White Cupcakes with coconut buttercream was fabulous. This is now going to be they only way I’ll make white cupcakes. I love that the recipe called for a little almond extract. You don’t really taste almond, it just helps add to the whole flavor of the cupcake.
I also topped the cupcake for their recipe for Coconut Buttercream.
The recipe calls for cream of coconut instead of milk. Now, I used coconut milk the first time I made these. Honestly, at the time I didn’t know if there is a difference between cream of coconut and coconut milk. I now know there is a big difference between the 2. It did add a slight coconut flavor to the frosting, but I almost think if you want more of a coconut flavor you just just use regular milk and add a little coconut extract.
Southern Living topped their cupcakes with regular coconut. I did a few that way, but the rest I topped with toasted coconut. I love the flavor you get with the toasted coconut along with the crunch. Plus I liked how it looked on the cupcake, bringing out the golden color of the cake. These little morsels were scrumptious. You must give them a try. Too make sure I’m on the up and up with Southern Living and sharing their recipe, I have provided links below to the recipe on MyRecipes.com. Make sure to top with off with either the sweetened coconut of toasted coconut.
Here is what you need to make the
Basic White Cupcakes with Coconut Buttercream
- WHITE CAKE MIX
- BUTTERMILK
- BUTTER
- EGGS
- VANILLA
- ALMOND EXTRACT
- NON-STICK COOKING SPRAY
- LIGHT CREAM CHEESE
- POWDERED SUGAR
- CREAM OF COCONUT (FOUND IN THE BEVERAGE ISLE)
Basic White Cupcakes
Real Mom Kitchen
Ingredients
- 1 18.25-oz. pkg white cake mix
- 1 ¼ cups buttermilk
- ¼ cup butter melted
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- non-stick cooking spray
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Beat on low speed with an electric mixer just until dry ingredients are moistened. Increase speed to medium, and beat 2 minutes or until batter is smooth.
- Line 24 muffin cups with paper baking cups. Spray inside of baking cups with cooking spray.
- Divide batter evenly between baking cups, filling each two-thirds full.
- Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove cupcakes from pans to wire racks, and cool 1 hour or until completely cool. Makes 24 cupcakes.
Coconut Buttercream
Real Mom Kitchen
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter softened
- 4 oz. light cream cheese
- 1 16-oz. package powdered sugar (3 3/4 cups)
- ¼ cup cream of coconut found in the beverage isle
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a bowl, beat butter and cream cheese together until smooth and creamy. Slowly beat in half of the powdered sugar followed by the cream of coconut and vanilla.
- Beat in remaining powdered sugar until until smooth. Pipe on top of cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with toasted coconut.
Toasted Coconut
Real Mom Kitchen
Ingredients
- shredded coconut
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
- Place your coconut on a baking sheet of dish. Place in the oven for 2 minutes. Remove from oven and stir coconut around. Place back in oven for 2 minutes and you coconut should be ready. If not let it a cook a little bit longer, but be careful you can end up with burnt coconut really quickly.
These are the original photos from this post. The above photo was updated in April 2014.
MMMM, I'm gonna give this a try! I love "semi-homemade"!
Btw, cream of coconut & coconut milk are very different. The cream is creamier, sweeter,and thicker than coconut milk which has only a faint coconut flavor. (can vary w/brands as well) Hope that was helpful. 🙂
~ingrid
Oh my, I do adore coconut. These look simply superb.
Beautiful!!!
These do look delicious and I am sure that they are since they come from Southern Living. Cream of Coconut is much thicker than coconut milk. I used it a couple of years ago in a turkey burger and it is really hard to find around here, but usually you can find it in an ethnic foods aisle or by the specialty drinks, since it is used in pina coladas and such. Sorry for all that information, but I thought I would share since I have used cream of coconut before.
My dad would LOVE these!!!
These look great. Cupcakes are so easy to transport and serve. These sound great with the almond. I would definitey use the toasted coconut.
These look great. Cupcakes are so easy to transport and serve. These sound great with the almond. I would definitey use the toasted coconut.
I love toasted coconut! Great topping!
I love toasted coconut! Great topping!