Ina Garten coconut cupcakes from Food Network fold shredded coconut into a buttermilk batter and top each one with cream cheese frosting and more coconut. And the batch makes 18 to 20 cupcakes at approximately 480 calories each in about 2 hours and 5 minutes, since that includes cooling time.
Where the full-sized Barefoot Contessa coconut cake uses regular milk, these cupcakes swap in buttermilk for a tangier crumb. So each bite has a slight acidity that cuts through the sweet frosting, and the buttermilk reacts with the baking soda to give the cupcakes a lighter rise.
Filling each liner all the way to the top instead of the usual two-thirds is what gives these cupcakes their signature domed shape. And if you underfill them, the tops bake flat and there is not enough surface area for the frosting and coconut to sit properly.
Source: Ina Garten (Food Network)
Ina Garten Coconut Cupcakes
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy20
servings1
hour35
minutes480
kcalCreamed butter and sugar beat with eggs and both vanilla and almond extract before sifted flour alternates with buttermilk and 7 ounces of coconut fold in. Then each lined cup fills to the top, bakes at 325°F until golden, and cream cheese frosting with more coconut finishes every cupcake.
Ingredients
- For the cupcakes:
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
5 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk
7 ounces sweetened shredded coconut (from 14 ounces total, divided)
- For the frosting:
1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 1/2 pounds confectioners sugar, sifted
- For topping:
7 ounces sweetened shredded coconut (remaining)
Directions
- Preheat the oven: Heat to 325°F.
- Cream the butter and sugar: Then beat them on high speed in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs: Once fluffy, add the eggs one at a time on low speed, scraping down after each addition.
- Add the extracts: Then mix in the vanilla and almond extracts until well combined.
- Sift the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together.
- Alternate additions: Then on low speed, add the dry ingredients and buttermilk in 3 parts, starting and ending with dry.
- Fold in the coconut: Once just combined, fold in 7 ounces of shredded coconut with a spatula.
- Fill the liners: Then line muffin pans with paper liners and fill each one to the top with batter.
- Bake the cupcakes: Once filled, bake for 25 to 35 minutes until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan: After baking, let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
- Cool completely: Then remove to a baking rack and cool fully before frosting.
- Make the frosting: Once the cupcakes are cool, cream the cream cheese, butter, and both extracts on low speed.
- Add the sugar: Then add the sifted confectioners sugar and mix until smooth.
- Frost and top: Once smooth, frost each cupcake and sprinkle generously with the remaining coconut.
FAQs
Why does the recipe bake at 325°F instead of 350°F?
A lower oven temperature gives the cupcakes more time to rise evenly before the tops set and brown. And since each liner fills to the top, higher heat would crust the outside before the dense center bakes through.
So resist bumping the temperature to speed things up, because underbaked centers collapse as they cool. And start checking at 25 minutes, since oven temperatures vary and the range of 25 to 35 minutes is wider than most cupcake recipes.
Can I use regular milk instead of buttermilk?
Buttermilk reacts with the baking soda to give these cupcakes their lift, so swapping in regular milk changes the rise. And without that acid, the baking soda has nothing to activate, which leaves the crumb denser and flatter.
But if buttermilk is unavailable, add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar to a measuring cup and fill to 1 cup with regular milk. Then let it sit for 5 minutes, since the acid thickens the milk into a close substitute that activates the leavening the same way.
How far ahead can I make these cupcakes?
The unfrosted cupcakes store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day, or freeze wrapped individually for up to 2 months. And frost the morning of serving, since the cream cheese frosting needs to stay cool but the cupcakes taste best at room temperature.
For the full-sized layer cake version of this same recipe, the ina garten coconut cake uses regular milk instead of buttermilk and bakes in two 9-inch rounds. But the cupcake format works better for parties because each guest gets an individually topped portion.
Why does the frosting use 3 sticks of butter?
The 3 sticks of butter balance the full pound of cream cheese, so the frosting holds its shape on top of the cupcake without sliding. And less butter makes the frosting too soft and tangy, while more would mute the cream cheese flavor entirely.
But mix on low speed only, because whipping introduces air bubbles that make the frosting look rough instead of smooth. Since Ina’s method emphasizes mixing until just smooth, stop the mixer the moment the confectioners sugar disappears.
What other toppings work besides shredded coconut?
Toasted coconut adds a nuttier, deeper flavor and a crunchier texture than raw shredded coconut. And spreading the remaining 7 ounces on a sheet pan at 325°F for 5 to 8 minutes while the cupcakes cool gives you a toasted option with no extra effort.
For a different presentation, press chopped macadamia nuts into the frosting alongside the coconut for a tropical twist. And a drizzle of the lemon dressing from the ina garten roasted shrimp salad would not work here, but the orange zest in that recipe inspires a fun idea: fold a teaspoon of orange zest into the frosting for a citrus-coconut cupcake that stands apart at a bake sale.
