These delicious coconut cupcakes topped with tulip lollipops are perfect for Spring and Easter! They bake up fluffy and moist, with yummy coconut flavor.
- 1 1/2 c. Granulated Sugar
- 2 Sticks Butter, Divided, at Room Temperature
- 1 1/2 t. Coconut Extract, Divided
- 1 1/4 c. Canned Coconut Milk
- 4 Egg Whites
- 2 1/4 c. Cake Flour
- 1 Tbsp. Baking Powder
- 1/2 t. Salt
- 1 lb. Powdered Sugar
- 4-6 Tbsp. Heavy Cream
- 2 c. Sweetened Coconut Flakes
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 24 muffin tins with paper liners and set aside.
In a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the granulated sugar and 1 stick softened butter until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract and beat until combined.
In a large measuring cup, combine canned coconut milk and egg whites, whisking until combined. In a medium bowl, combine cake flour, baking powder, and salt, stirring to combine. With the mixer on low speed, add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the sugar and butter mixture and beat just until combined.
Add 1/2 of the coconut milk mixture, again beating until just combined. Continue adding flour and milk mixtures alternately until everything has been added to the large mixing bowl. Turn the mixer off and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Turn the mixer speed up to medium and beat the cake batter for 30 seconds.
Evenly divide the cake batter among the paper-lined muffin tins.
Bake the cupcakes for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Put the muffin tins on a cooling rack for 5 minutes, then carefully take the cupcakes out of the tins and allow them to cool completely on the rack before frosting.
Combine the remaining 1 stick of softened butter with the powdered sugar, the remaining 1 teaspoon coconut extract, and 4 Tablespoons heavy cream. Beat with an electric mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer or medium speed until fluffy.
If the frosting is too stiff to spread, add more heavy cream a little at a time until the frosting is a spreadable consistency.
When the cupcakes are completely cool, divide the frosting evenly among the cupcakes. It doesn't really matter if you do a neat job because you'll be covering the cupcakes in shredded coconut.
Pour the shredded coconut into a shallow bowl or dish. Immediately after frosting a cupcake, turn it upside down and dip the frosted top into the coconut. Flip the cupcake right side up again, and gently press the coconut down so that it looks neat and isn't sticking out all over.
Unwrap the Tulip-Shaped Ring Lollipops and stick a tulip on top of each cupcake, pressing it down as far as you can into the frosting.