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These Coconut Cupcakes with Lime Buttercream are the perfect way to say “Hello” to the warmer months of spring and summer!

A few years ago I had an event I was doing cupcakes for and the customer wanted something “light” and “summery”. I tend to think of “tropical” locations when the word “summer” is mentioned.

Let’s be perfectly clear… It has absolutely NOTHING to do with swimsuits and sunbathing! (Yeee-Gads! The mere thought!) It has EVERYTHING to do with food! Like pineapple, mangos, limes, and Coconuts!

I realize Coconut is a love or hate thing with absolutely no middle ground. You either love it…or ya hate it. I happen to ADORE it!

Thankfully so did the gal I was doing the cupcakes for. She was excited to have me make a coconut cupcake.

I wanted to find a light moist coconut cupcake recipe, and I did! I found the most AMAZING Coconut Lime Cupcake on My Baking Addiction. You can find the original recipe by clicking HERE! 

 I changed the frosting a tad. I love the original it’s just a little tricky, and I decided I wanted one that was a bit easier to make. 

How To Make Coconut Cupcakes with Lime Buttercream Frosting

This cupcake starts out with one Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe French Vanilla Cake Mix. I’m not a paid rep for Duncan Hines.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again…just stick with Duncan Hines when using cake mixes.

Preheat oven to 350 °F. Line cupcake pan with paper liners.

In the bowl of your stand mixer place the cake mix, 1 package of Instant Jell-O Coconut Cream Pudding mix, 1 cup of sour cream, 3/4 cup of vegetable oil, 4 eggs lightly beaten, and 1/2 cup (4 ounces) of good quality unsweetened coconut milk.

Beat for about 2 minutes on medium speed until well combined. Fold in 2/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut. I add one teaspoon of coconut extract! The original recipe doesn’t call for that, but I’m a LOVER of coconut!

Place about 3 Tablespoons of cake batter in lined cupcake tins. I use a large cookie scoop. It makes it so easy to fill the cups with less mess. This recipe will make 24 cupcakes, so you’ll need two tins.

Bake in preheated oven for 18–22 minutes or until the tops of the cakes spring back when lightly touched. You need to allow these cupcakes to cool in the tins for about 10 minutes.

They are so light and fluffy that you’ll squish their guts out if you try to remove them from the pans the minute they pop out of the oven. (You do not want coconut cupcake guts all over the kitchen counter! Lol)

Aren’t they the most beautifully rounded cupcakes! Allow them to cool completely before frosting.

While the cupcakes are cooling you can mix up the lime frosting! Like I mentioned above the original recipe comes with an absolutely delicious frosting recipe…it is a bit tricky and more complicated than my kicked up Buttercream frosting.

I leave it to you to decide which direction to go.  Today, I’m going to share mine with you.

In the bowl of your mixer and with the “whisk” attachment cream 1 cup of shortening and 1 cup of unsalted butter, until light and fluffy. Add confectioner’s sugar and continue creaming until well blended. (About 8 cups) I add the confectioner’s sugar 2 cups at a time.

Add 1/2 teaspoon salt. 2 teaspoons of coconut extract and 6 fluid ounces of heavy whipping cream. Blend on low-speed until moistened. Beat at high-speed until frosting is fluffy. If too thick add more whipping cream until you have the consistency you desire. At the end add in zest of two limes.

Note: This makes a LARGE amount of frosting! You may only want to make half this recipe depending on how much frosting you like on your cupcakes.

Place frosting into a piping tube and pipe onto the cupcakes. Garnish with toasted coconut and a lime slice.

The cupcake portion is so delicately light and moist! It truly melts in your mouth. The coconut flavor is subtle yet noticeable. The whipped coconut lime zest buttercream frosting is creamy and dreamy!

These little Coconut Cupcakes with Lime Buttercream are the perfect way to welcome in Spring! They’d be wonderful at a church Easter Egg Hunt or for a small neighborhood party.

I will warn you…you’re going to get RAVE reviews from everyone who has one and L.O.V.E.S. coconut! Ya may as well print out recipe cards in advance…OR…better yet…send them over here to my Nest! I’m always happy to share! Lol 😉

Here are some of my other Favorite Spring Dessert Recipes

• Easy Lemon Berry Angel Food Cake
• Easter Bonnet Cookies
• Easter Rice Krispie Treats
• Easy Coconut Cream Pie
• Fresh Classic Blueberry Pie

Happy Spring in a Cup! Hope you’re having a GREAT week!

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Yield: 24 cupcakes

Coconut Cupcakes with Lime Buttercream

Print

These Coconut Cupcakes with Lime Buttercream are the perfect way to say "Hello" to the warmer months of spring and summer!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes

Total Time 28 minutes

Ingredients

Cupcakes

• 1 (18 ounce) box Duncan Hines French Vanilla Cake mix
• 1 (3.4 ounce) package Jell-o Coconut Cream pudding mix (instant)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 3/4 vegetable oil
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 2/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Frosting

• 1 cup shortening
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 8 cups of confectioner's sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons coconut extract
• 6 fluid ounces of heavy cream
• zest of two limes

Instructions

Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cupcake pan with paper liners.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, or with the hand mixer in a large bowl, beat together the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, eggs and 1/2 cup of coconut milk. Beat for about 2 minutes on medium speed until well combined. Fold in the shredded coconut.
3. Using a large cookie scoop, distribute the batter between 24 muffin wells; about 3 tablespoons of batter per well.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 18-22 minutes until the tops of the cakes spring back when lightly touched. Allow cupcakes to cool inside muffin tins for about 10 minutes.
5. Remove cupcakes from muffin tins and allow to fully cool on a wire rack. Prepare frosting.

Frosting

1. Cream shortening and Butter until fluffy in your mixing bowl with the Whisk attachment. Add confectioner's sugar, 2 cups at a time, and continue creaming until well blended.
2. Add salt, coconut extract, and whipping cream blend on low speed until moistened. Add additional whipping cream if necessary (up to 2 ounces). Beat at high speed until frosting is fluffy and light. Fold in the lime zest.
3. Place frosting in piping tube and frost top of cooled cupcakes.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Wilton Icing Spatula, 13-Inch, Angled Cake Spatula
• 
  Wilton Rainbow Bright Standard Cupcake Liners, 300-Count
• 
  USA Pan (1200MF) Bakeware Cupcake and Muffin Pan, 12 Well, Nonstick & Quick Release Coating, Made in the USA from Aluminized Steel

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24 servings

Serving Size:

1 cupcake
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 465Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 307mgCarbohydrates: 62gFiber: 1gSugar: 51gProtein: 3g

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