Years ago, my sister gave me a recipe to a delicious cake she’d made – a 3-layer vanilla cake with homemade lemon curd filling, cream cheese frosting, and then covered with coconut. It was DELICIOUS. I LOVE coconut, and adding the lemon to it was a perfect taste combo that I’d never experienced.
So this year for Easter, I was stoked to bust out this recipe. We were headed to a friend’s house with little kids, and I always feel like cupcakes are more exciting for kids than cake. So my creative juices started flowing…
The only thing I felt like I could improve on the original recipe was MORE of what I loved: I always wanted MORE coconut and MORE lemon flavor! So these cupcakes get a subtle boost of the coconut flavor by using coconut milk (which also makes them perfectly moist and fluffy!) and just a tad of coconut extract, and the frosting has some added coconut flavor from a few spoonfuls of coconut oil. Oh – and if you want to go crazy, I experimented by turning the lemon curd filling into a lemon cream filling (mixed the lemon curd with whipped cream) – and BAM! Perfection in a cupcake!
To me, this cake (and therefore these cupcakes) embody spring. I love making them for Easter or Mother’s Day. They’re a fresh, light flavor after a winter full of dense chocolate, pumpkin, and fudge (nothing wrong with that!).
When I brought them into work and was describing them to my co-worker, he said, “Those cupcakes sound like vacation!”
Vacation. Spring. Either way, sign me up!
If you’ve never made homemade lemon curd, don’t be intimidated – it’s SO easy! It’s a bit pricey if you buy it in the store, but once you’ve made it at home, you’ll realize how easy and affordable it as, and you’ll never need to buy it again!
And if you’ve never HAD lemon curd – PLEASE make it TODAY. Seriously. And don’t be scared – “curd” does not mean it’s “curdled” (ok, apparently back in the day it did…as I learned in my casual reading of curd history…).
You’ll only use about 1/3 of the homemade lemon curd in the cupcakes, so you can use up the rest by spreading it on toast (my favorite!), making trifle with it, filling crepes, or stirring it into plain yogurt.
As I mentioned, on a stroke of inspiration, I decided to try 2 different fillings for these babies. And I loved both of them way too much. For different reasons. If you use the straight lemon curd, you get this delightful punch of sweet, tart lemon, accompanied by the surrounding coconut flavors. If you mix in some whipped cream (confession: I used low-fat Cool Whip, thought I’m sure it would be exceptionally divine with freshly whipped cream), it totally brings out the perfect moist texture of the cupcake, enhances the coconut flavors, and adds the perfect level of sweet tartness from the lemon, without the lemon taking center stage. It’s really quite lovely.
But like I said – I loved them both. So whatever suits your fancy. Directions for both are included below. Enjoy!
Coconut Lemon Cupcakes with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
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Prep time:
Cook time:
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Serves: 24 cupcakes
A light coconut cupcake filled with a lemony cream, and topped with a coconut cream cheese frosting and shredded coconut. Spring in a cupcake!
Ingredients
- [b][u]Cake:[/u][/b]
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 eggs, separated
- 3 cups flour
- 1 Tbs baking powder
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp coconut extract[br]
- [b][u]Lemon Filling:[/u][/b]
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 cup boiling water
- 4 egg yolks, lightly beaten
- 2 tsp fresh lemon zest
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tbs butter
- (Optional: 1/3 cup whipped cream)[br]
- [b][u]Cream Cheese Frosting:[/u][/b]
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, softened (room temperature)
- 1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut (for garnish)
Instructions
- [b]First, prepare the lemon filling[/b] (make this a day ahead): Beat egg yolks in a bowl to combine; set aside. Combine sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan; whisk in 1 cup boiling water. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until sugar and cornstarch dissolve (about 2 minutes). Gradually whisk about one-fourth of this hot sugar mixture into prepared egg yolks; slowly pour this egg mixture into remaining hot sugar mixture in pan, whisking constantly, until thickened (should be consistency of a thin pudding). Remove from heat. Add butter, and stir until it’s completely melted and incorporated. Whisk in lemon zest and juice. Let cool at room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap and move to fridge to cool completely. If desired (and I really recommend you try this!), mix 1/2 cup of the lemon curd with 1/4 – 1/3 cup of whipped cream (fresh or store-bought), and use this lemon cream to fill the cupcakes![br]
- [b]To make the cupcakes:[/b] Preheat oven to 350 degrees.[br]
- Beat butter at medium speed until fluffy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.[br]
- Combine flour and baking powder in a separate bowl; add to butter mixture alternately with coconut milk, beginning an ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla and coconut extract.[br]
- Beat egg whites at high speed with electric mixture until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of egg whites into the batter. Gently fold in remaining beaten egg whites just until blended. Spoon batter into muffin tins lined with muffin liners.[br]
- Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into center of a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from oven. Cool completely.[br]
- [b]To prepare the frosting:[/b] Beat butter, coconut oil, and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended. Stir in vanilla.[br]
- [b]To prepare cupcakes:[/b]Using a small, sharp knife, cut an inverted cone out of the center of each cupcake. Place a spoonful of the lemon filling into the hollow center until it reaches the top of the cupcake. Frost with cream cheese frosting, and sprinkle with shredded coconut.[br]
- [i]Note: If not serving immediately, refrigerate cupcakes. Best if allowed to sit for 15-30 minutes at room temperature before serving. Can be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 5 days.
- [/i]
I want one! Now!
Oh. Yum. This may need to happen for Mother’s day this week.
In the recipe when you say coconut milk, what kind of coconut milk? Carton, canned etc.?
I’ve used both, but for easy I usually use it from a carton of the drinkable variety, not the canned variety for cooking/baking.