Easy Caramel Coconut Cupcakes

These Easy Caramel Coconut Cupcakes are melt in your mouth coconut cupcakes that come popular by demand. Soft, fluffy, + extra moist, these cupcakes are bursting with bold toasted and sweet flavors in every bite. Topped with a creamy caramel buttercream and lightly covered in toasted coconut flakes, these cupcake are must during any season!

OK. So this just might be my first ever coconut flavored recipe. Am I right? Yes, I think I’m right.

If you’ve been an avid reader of Orchids + Sweet Tea, then you’re probably already aware of this fact. In my defense, I can say that it’s because coconut isn’t one of my favorite flavors to eat. I know. It’s pretty crazy BUT it’s true! Haha.

Honestly, my husband LOVES coconut flavors! In fact, he even eats shredded coconut flakes straight out the bag with no problem.

I, however, just don’t find coconuts to be an indulging flavor for me. Ok. Enough of that.

With this recipe however, I found myself enjoying at least one cupcake—-in it’s ENTIRETY!

I know. I was just as shocked. Surprisingly, it’s really good, even for the least coconut flavor lover. Of course, the caramel was a nice balance as well.

I can eat caramel for ever. Haha. Give me caramel anything and I just might consume the whole thing.

Caramel Lover Like Me?

This Caramel Apple Spice Cheesecake is the perfect Fall-inspired dessert with every bite. This cheesecake comes completely based with a thick tasty Pecans + Graham Cracker crust, a velvety delicious caramel cheesecake filling and a scrumptious caramelized apple spice glaze on top. Perfect for any day, family gathering, or any special occasion.

These Mini Salted Caramel Apple ‘Pie’ Galettes are absolutely decadent and bursting with the perfectly coveted salted caramel + apple flavor. Wrapped in a buttery, flaky crust and slight crunch from the brown sugar crumble; these galettes make for a great sweet treat or holiday dessert, not to mention the beauty from their open-faces. These are the perfect hand-held pies without a doubt!

These Mini Salted Caramel Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bites are the epitome of the best dessert treat ever! Not only are these little bites the perfect size, but they come packed with flavor that will leave you reminiscing on a nice slice of apple pie with a crunchy, sweet streusel topping. Let’s not forget the light homemade salted caramel drizzle that adds an even sweeter + salty taste to these cheesecake bites.

While, I haven’t made a ton of cupcakes since creating this blog, they have now been my newest focus! Excitingly, I have a great project coming up with Sprinkle Pop that involves cupcakes and I can’t wait to share it with you all! It’s specifically for Valentine’s Day, so I’m super ecstatic!

When it comes to these cupcakes, they really are easy to make and since the caramel sauce is homemade, you can still use the leftover sauce as a topping for other desserts!

Is Homemade Caramel Sauce Hard To Make?

Nope. Honestly, caramel sauce is super easy and requires minimal ingredients. The only thing that you should keep in mind is that it requires you to be careful with each step so that it turns out exactly as it should. Patience and timing is key.

All you’ll need: Brown sugar, unsalted butter, heavy whipping cream, and sea salt (just a pinch).

Love Cupcakes?

These Vanilla Cupcakes with Sprinkles are the best + most favorite cupcakes I’ve made. Soft, fluffy, + extra moist, these cupcakes are bursting with bold vanilla flavor in every bite. Topped with a creamy vanilla buttercream and generously covered in rainbow sprinkles, these cupcake are most certainly Spring ready!

TheseVegan Chocolate Cupcakes + Oreo Buttercream are what we call absolutely delicious! Not only are these cupcakes completely fluffy and moist, but they come fully decadent with a sweet chocolate flavor and topped with a beautifully tasty oreo cookie buttercream as well as a full oreo cookie for extra goodness. All vegan ingredients and easy to whip together.

These Vegan Banana Bread Cupcakes + SunButter Frosting are the ultimate definition of something perfectly sweet and nutty. These cupcake are a great balance between tender and fluffy, and 100% delicious! Made with a nicely whipped SunButter buttercream/frosting that comes nestled generously on top of each deeply flavored banana cupcake. All Vegan + Gluten-Free option available.

This Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes + Vanilla Buttercream recipe is the perfect way to indulge your sweet tooth without the dairy and other not so great ingredients. They are perfectly sweet, fluffy, and can be whipped together in the matter of a few short minutes.

Now, let’s dig right into this recipe shall we?

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and prep your cupcake pan with liners + spray.

In a bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, and sea salt.

In the bowl of an electric mixer (using a paddle handle attachment), beat together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for about 1-2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides as needed using a rubber spatula.

Add the eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla, reducing the speed a little at this point. Add in coconut extract.

Now, reduce the speed to low and slowly add in the dry ingredients. Next, add in the ‘buttermilk’ and mix until incorporated. NO OVER-MIXING!

Finally, fold in the chopped coconut flakes until well combined.

Scoop the batter into each cupcake liner (3/4 full) and bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean in the center.

Once done, turn off oven and keep cupcakes inside with the oven door slightly open for about 2 minutes before taking them out.

Let them cool COMPLETELY before frosting., about 20-30 minutes in a cool place.

Meanwhile, make caramel sauce (See Recipes Notes!).

For Caramel Buttercream:

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium-high speed until fluffy and light.

Reduce the speed to low-speed and add half the amount of powdered sugar and mix until incorporated. Add caramel sauce and vanilla.

Now, add in the remaining half of the powdered sugar and mix until fully incorporated and frosting is smooth. **NOTE: Add more powdered sugar or heavy cream (if too thick) until desired consistency is met if needed, 1 Tbsp at a time.**

Add buttercream frosting to fully cooled cupcakes, using a piping bag and drizzling with caramel sauce and sprinkles of shredded coconut, if desired. Repeat until all cupcakes are decorated.

Bon Appetit!

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If you choose to make these Easy Caramel Coconut Cupcakes or any other recipe from us, be sure to tag us on Instagram at #Orchidsandsweettea so that we can share the love!

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Easy Caramel Coconut Cupcakes

These Easy Caramel Coconut Cupcakes are melt in your mouth coconut cupcakes that come popular by demand. Soft, fluffy, + extra moist, these cupcakes are bursting with bold toasted and sweet flavors in every bite. Topped with a creamy caramel buttercream and lightly covered in toasted coconut flakes, these cupcake are must during any season!

Course: Dessert

Keyword baked, caramel, caribbean, classic, coconut, cupcakes, dessert, easy, healthy, holidays, homemade, plant-based, recipe, sweet, vegetarian

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 18 minutes

Total Time: 43 minutes

Servings: 12 Cupcakes

Creator Shanika | Orchids + Sweet Tea

Must-Haves:

Coconut Cupcakes:

• 1 cup Organic All-purpose flour (I use Bob's Red Mill)
• 3/4 cup Organic Cake Flour (I use Bob's Red Mill; See Notes!)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 4 Tbsps unsalted butter, softened at room temp.
• 3/4 cup organic pure cane sugar
• 2 large eggs (I use Organic Valley)
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil (See Notes!)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp coconut extract
• 1/2 cup Almond milk + 1 tsp lemon juice (See Notes!)
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut flakes, chopped finely

Caramel Buttercream:

• 4 cups organic powdered sugar
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temp.
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup caramel sauce, homemade (See Notes!)
• pinch of sea salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and prep your cupcake pan with liners + spray.

2. In a bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, and sea salt.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer (using a paddle handle attachment), beat together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for about 1-2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides as needed using a rubber spatula.

4. Add the eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla, reducing the speed a little at this point. Add in coconut extract.

5. Now, reduce the speed to low and slowly add in the dry ingredients. Next, add in the 'buttermilk' and mix until incorporated. NO OVER-MIXING!

6. Finally, fold in the chopped coconut flakes until well combined.

7. Scoop the batter into each cupcake liner (3/4 full) and bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean in the center.

8. Once done, turn off oven and keep cupcakes inside with the oven door slightly open for about 2 minutes before taking them out.

9. Let them cool COMPLETELY before frosting., about 20-30 minutes in a cool place.

10. Meanwhile, make caramel sauce (See Recipes Notes!).

For Caramel Buttercream:

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium-high speed until fluffy and light.

2. Reduce the speed to low-speed and add half the amount of powdered sugar and mix until incorporated. Add caramel sauce and vanilla.

3. Now, add in the remaining half of the powdered sugar and mix until fully incorporated and frosting is smooth. **NOTE: Add more powdered sugar or heavy cream (if too thick) until desired consistency is met if needed, 1 Tbsp at a time.**

4. Add buttercream frosting to fully cooled cupcakes, using a piping bag and drizzling with caramel sauce and sprinkles of shredded coconut, if desired. Repeat until all cupcakes are decorated.

5. Bon Appetit!

Tips | Notes:

FLOUR: If you don’t have cake flour, you can always just use all-purpose flour entirely instead. 

OIL: Instead of vegetable oil, you can also use Coconut oil, if preferred.

BUTTERMILK (DAIRY-FREE): Add Almond milk and lemon juice together in a measuring cup, stirring until combined. Let sit for 10 minutes or so.

CARAMEL SAUCE: You’ll need: 1 cup organic brown sugar, 6 Tbsps unsalted butter (cut into cubes), 1/2 cup organic heavy whipping cream, and a pinch of sea salt.

Directions: In a medium saucepan on medium-high heat, add the sugar and stir constantly until it melts into a dark-amber-like color and is fully liquid. Reduce the heat slightly and add in the butter, whisking constantly while it bubbles up and melts. Quickly add in the heavy cream and continue whisking until fully incorporated. Once it all boils for a minute or so, remove from heat and continue to whisk. Add pinch of salt and set aside for it to cool. **NOTE: caramel sauce will thicken as it cools**; Once fully cooled (about 20-30 minutes), add to buttercream and follow recipe.

STORAGE: Best kept if stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days (unfrosted) and 3-4 days when frosted. Also, can be frozen for up to 6 months when unfrosted and thawed.STORAGE (CARAMEL SAUCE): Leftover caramel sauce can be stored in a tightly sealed mason jar for up to two weeks. When ready to use, simply reheat sauce in the microwave at 15 second intervals until softened and at room temp.

Easy Caramel Coconut Cupcakes.