Coconut and rum are a winning combination that will give your regular vanilla cupcakes a new tropical twist! These Easy Coconut Rum Cupcakes are the perfect creamy and moist dessert to celebrate special occasions.
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Who doesn't love cupcakes? They are easy to make and customize and taste delicious. Think vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and so much more!
In today’s recipe, we pair coconut cupcakes with some booze - rum! Alcohol-infused cakes are becoming so popular on the blog and some reader favorites are this Coconut Raffaello cake, Bailey's cupcakes and Cognac cupcakes. For an alcohol-free alternative pair these cupcakes with citrus, lime, lemon, caramel or chocolate instead.
These easy coconut rum cupcakes are made with coconut milk, desiccated coconut, coconut flavoring, coconut rum, and coconut cream. They are packed with coconut goodness and flavor and are the perfect recipe for celebrations and special occasions.
Join me in celebrating Juneteenth with more than 30 other Black culinary creators. Juneteenth marks our country’s second independence day, signifying the final emancipation of those enslaved in the US announced in 1865. This year, we are celebrating "Freedom Day" by offering a delightful selection of mains, sides, desserts, and refreshing drinks that are perfect for backyard barbecues and summer gatherings with friends and family. Join us in honoring the legacy of progress and freedom by cooking and sharing these recipes. Additionally, you can easily follow each participant by using the hashtag #JuneteenthCookout2023 on Instagram. You can find a list of all recipes from the 2023 Juneteenth Virtual Cookout on the Eat the Culture website.
International and Caribbean
With roots in the African diaspora, these recipes represent a rich culinary tapestry. Influenced by African traditions, these dishes offer a vibrant fusion of flavors and ingredients. Recipes such as Afro-Caribbean-inspired Mango Scotch Bonnet Chicken Wings, the refreshing Zobo popular in West Africa, and Crispy Uda Pepper Shrimp featuring the Senegalese pepper showcase the diverse range of African culture.
- Dish It With Tisha -Mango Scotch Bonnet Wings
- Geo's Table - Jerk Pork Skewers
- We Eat At Last - Kachumbari
- We Eat At Last - Kashata
- We Eat At Last - Zobo
- Kerri-Ann's Kravings - Watermelon Coconut Jamaican Rum Punch
You can find a list of all recipes from the 2023 Juneteenth Virtual Cookout on the Eat the Culture website.
Easy Coconut Rum Cupcake Ingredients
- Unsalted butter: Use room temperature butter for this recipe because it is important in helping the cupcakes rise. You will also need unsalted butter for the frosting/buttercream.
- Caster sugar: Caster sugar is recommended for this recipe because it is fine in texture and creams easily with butter. Sift caster sugar.
- All-purpose flour: Use plain/all-purpose flour. Self-raising flour is unsuitable for this recipe because it already contains salt and rising agents. Sift flour before use.
- Baking powder: This helps the cake rise.
- Eggs: Use fresh, free-range eggs for this recipe.
- Desiccated coconut: This can be found at any supermarket or bakeshop near you.
- Coconut flavoring: This helps to intensify the coconut flavor and you can buy this at supermarkets or specialty cake stores.
- Coconut milk: For the best flavor, use full-fat coconut milk.
- Icing sugar: Sift the icing sugar before use to remove any lumps.
- Coconut rum: This is what makes the cupcakes coconut rum cupcakes. This should not be substituted unless you want alcohol-free cupcakes.
- Coconut cream: It is thicker than coconut milk and is great for making coconut frostings. Make sure it is chilled for the best results.
- Coconut flakes or desiccated coconut: For decorating.
Tips and Substitutions
- Room temperature: Ensure all the ingredients (butter, eggs, milk) are at room temperature. Using cold ingredients can affect the cake's rising.
- Cupcake texture: Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy on medium speed. This process incorporates air, making the cupcake light, fluffy, and well-risen.
- Baking powder: Check the expiry date of baking powder. Get a new pack if it has been opened for six months or more. Old baking powder affects cake rise.
- Sugar replacement: If you don’t have caster sugar, replacing it with granulated sugar is fine.
- Coconut rum: If you want a stronger alcohol flavor, poke holes into the cupcakes and pour coconut rum into each cupcake. Alternatively, you can leave out the alcohol altogether to make it kid-friendly.
- Frosting: To give these cupcakes a twist you can top them with Easy Cream Cheese Frosting, Best White Chocolate Buttercream or Easy Whipped White Chocolate Ganache instead.
How to Make Easy Coconut Rum Cupcakes
- First, preheat the oven to 160 C/ 320F. Line a 12-hole cupcake tin with cupcake cases and set aside.
2. Whisk flour and baking powder in a bowl and set aside.
3. In a bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the butter for 2 minutes and then add the caster sugar. Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy and light in color. This normally takes 2-3 minutes.
4. Next, add eggs one at a time, mixing until combined after each addition. Do not overmix. Once the eggs have been added in, add coconut flavoring.
5. Pour the dry ingredients, add coconut milk and then use a spatula or whisk to mix all the ingredients. Do not overmix. Make sure there are still a few lumps.
6. Using an ice cream scoop or a spoon, divide the cupcake batter into cupcake cases and bake in a preheated oven for 10-15 minutes.
7. Once the cupcakes are ready, remove them from the oven and leave them to cool for 10-15 minutes.
Coconut Buttercream Frosting
While the cupcakes are cooling down, make coconut buttercream.
8. In a clean bowl, beat butter for 1 minute. Then, add half of the icing sugar and beat for three minutes.
9. Add the remaining half of butter, coconut milk, coconut rum and beat again for another 3 minutes.
Tip: Adjust the amount to suit your desired taste. For alcohol-free buttercream, skip the rum altogether.
10. Add buttercream into a piping bag with a star nozzle to decorate the cupcake and pipe a swirl on each cupcake.
11. Top frosted cupcakes with flaked/desiccated coconut and serve these tasty easy coconut rum cupcakes as a dessert.
Recipe FAQs
There are three common methods to use for this. You can either use coconut flour, cornstarch or potatoes. Since you are using coconut milk for coconut frosting, the best option would be to use coconut flour to thicken the milk. This ensures the coconut flavor is still intact. Using cornstarch or potatoes might alter the flavor of the coconut milk and should be used when the flavor of coconut is not very important in a recipe.
To use coconut flour to thicken coconut milk, mix half of the coconut milk with coconut flour in a pan. Place the pan on the hob on low heat and add the remaining coconut milk. Bring to a boil.
Once boiled, leave to cool completely before using for the frosting.
To make desiccated coconut, you need to simply grate the coconut meat after removing the shell. Once you have grated the coconut milk, you will need to dry it out either in the oven, with a food dehydrator or in a sunny area (this works if you are in a tropical climate).
Using room temperature ingredients can help when trying to achieve light and fluffy cupcakes. The butter especially should be at room temperature because it will cream easily with the sugar and allow for air to be incorporated into the cake batter.
This leads to a cake that is light, fluffy and well risen.
More Delicious Cupcake Recipes
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Easy Coconut Rum Cupcakes
Equipment
- 1 Cupcake tray
- 1 mixing bowl
- 1 Hand whisk or stand mixer
- 1 Piping bag and nozzle
Ingredients
- 200 g unsalted butter room temperature
- 200 g of caster sugar sifted
- 200 g all-purpose flour
- 1.5 teaspoon of baking powder
- 200 g of eggs
- 4 tablespoon of desiccated coconut
- Coconut flavouring
- 2-5 tablespoon Coconut milk
Coconut Rum Buttercream
- 1.25 cups or 284 g of unsalted butter room temperature
- 2.25 cups or 511g of icing sugar sifted
- 4 tablespoon of coconut rum
- 3 tablespoon of coconut cream
- Coconut flakes or desiccated coconut
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 160C/320F. Add cupcake cases to a cupcake pan and set aside for later.
- Add all-purpose flour and baking powder to a bowl. Mix until well combined and set aside for later.
- Add unsalted butter to a bowl and whisk for 2 minutes. Then, add the caster sugar and whisk for another 3-5 minutes or until pale yellow.
- Continue to whisk the mixture and add one egg and coconut flavoring. Then whisk for a few more minutes or until the egg disappears. Repeat this step for the remaining eggs.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, add coconut milk and mix with a large spoon or spatula. Do not overmix the cupcake batter. Make sure there are still a few lumps.
- Scoop about 2-3 tablespoon of cake batter into each cupcake case and bake for 10-15 minutes.
- Once the cupcakes are ready leave them to cool.
Coconut Rum Buttercream
- Add unsalted butter to a large bowl and whisk for about 1 minute.
- Add half of the sifted icing sugar to the butter and whisk for 3 minutes. Then, add the remaining icing sugar and whisk for another 3 minutes.
- Finally, add 2-4 tablespoon of Coconut rum and coconut cream (depending on how strong you want the flavor to be). Whisk for 2-3 more minutes.
Decorate Cupcakes
- Add coconut rum buttercream to a piping bag with a star nozzle and decorate cupcakes as desired.
- Top each cupcake with coconut flakes or desiccated coconut.
Notes
- Sugar replacement: If you don’t have caster sugar, it is fine to replace it with granulated sugar.
- Coconut rum: If you want a stronger alcohol flavor then poke holes into the cupcakes and pour coconut rum into each cupcake. Alternatively, you can leave out the alcohol altogether to make it kid-friendly.
Bosum
Looking nice and deli, can not wait to try this out
Jen Sim
Enjoy!
Erika
I didn't make the cake, but I did make the frosting and it was delicious. Toasted coconut to top the frosting with. Amazing! Used a box chocolate cake with this frosting.
Jen Sim
Yum! I love the fact that you added toasted coconuts and I'm glad you enjoyed it.