Lemon Coconut Cupcakes

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Celebrate Mother’s Day with these moist, fluffy and delicious Lemon Coconut Cupcakes featuring a zesty lemon curd filling on the inside, topped with swirls of lemon cream cheese frosting, and a sprinkle of coconut flakes.

I absolutely love these Lemon Coconut Cupcakes. Fresh lemon juice and zest create the perfect balance of sweet and tart with a moist, tender crumb. But no cupcake is complete without frosting! I topped them with my favourite lemon cream cheese frosting, a garnish of coconut flakes and lemon slices.

One year I wanted to make something special for my mother on Mother’s Day. I knew how much she adored both lemon and coconut flavours in baked goods. I thought what would be more ideal than pretty lemon cupcakes infused with coconut? That’s how these cupcakes came to be. Now my daughter started a tradition of making these cupcakes for me on Mother’s Day! A true lemony mother-daughter love story.

With Mother’s Day fast approaching, why not surprise your mother with these adorable cupcakes to show her how much you appreciate her? These easy-to-make sweet-tart cupcakes are light, airy and fluffy and will surely fulfill any mother’s dream!

Not only are they ideal for Mother’s Day but also perfect for other special occasions such as Easter, springtime, bridal showers or a summer gathering. I hope you’ll try them!

Why These Are the Best Lemon Coconut Cupcakes

• Super easy to make from scratch with simple ingredients and easy step-by-step instructions.
• Sweet and zesty with a perfect taste and texture, full of sunny lemon flavour and sweet coconut.
• Topped with the best easy to make lemon cream cheese frosting and garnished with flaked coconut.
• Prettier, fresher and better than any store-bought cupcakes and have more sentimental value.
• The ultimate Mother’s Day, Easter, springtime, bridal shower or summer gathering treat.

What You Need to Make Lemon Coconut Cupcakes

• Eggs - Use large room temperature eggs which will provide structure and stability to the cupcakes.
• Granulated sugar – Granulated sugar is white sugar and is a must to sweeten the cupcakes.
• Butter – Use unsalted butter softened to room temperature.
• Lemons – The star of the cupcakes is lemons and both the juice and zest are used in all elements of the recipe.
• All purpose flour – Use unbleached all purpose flour as it works best for these cupcakes and gives them the best “crumb”.
• Shredded and flaked coconut - Use unsweetened shredded coconut for the cupcakes and if desired flaked coconut for the topping.
• Baking powder & salt – Baking powder is the leavening agent and salt flavours the batter.
• Milk – Helps absorb the flour and is needed for the batter to become thick and creamy.
• Cream cheese – The main ingredient in the cream cheese frosting that crowns the cupcakes.
• Icing sugar – The second main ingredient in the cream cheese frosting to sweeten and stiffen it.

Step-by-Step Instructions

How to make the lemon curd filling

The curd recipe yields about 2 cups. You will have about ¾ cup of curd left over after filling the centers of the cupcakes. The curd keeps refrigerated for up to 5 - 8 days and you can use it as a snack, on toast, pancakes, crepes or yogurt.

• Place egg yolks, whole egg, sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice in a saucepan
• Whisk until completely blended
• Place over low heat while whisking constantly until thickened
• Remove from heat, add butter and whisk until the hot curd melts the butter
• The curd will be thick and smooth and will continue to thicken as it cools
• Transfer the curd to a jar or bowl, cover top surface with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 – 3 hours

How to Make the Cupcakes

• In a large mixing bowl beat the butter, sugar and lemon zest until creamy
• Add the eggs and beat again until smooth
• Gradually add the dry ingredients and milk alternately in batches
• Begin and end with flour, beating in between each addition, batter will be thick
• Spoon about ¼ cup batter into prepared muffin cups and bake for 16 – 20 minutes
• Let cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely

How to Make the Cream Cheese Frosting

• In a large mixing bowl add the cream cheese, butter, lemon zest and lemon juice
• Beat until creamy, while scraping down the sides
• Gradually add the icing sugar, beat and scrape down the sides
• Add the remaining icing sugar, beat and scrape down the sides
• A rich smooth consistency with no lumps should be achieved
• Transfer the frosting to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes

How to Assemble the Cupcakes

• Create a deep cavity in each cupcake by scooping out some of the centre with a spoon or knife
• Fill each cavity with about 1 tablespoon of the cold lemon curd
• Fill a piping bag with a decorative tip with frosting, or with a spatula, pipe or spread each cupcake with frosting
• Sprinkle shredded or flaked coconut and garnish each cupcake with a piece of lemon

Pro Tips For Cupcake Success

• Make the curd ahead - The curd can be made ahead at least 2 – 3 hours or a day or two ahead since it needs to chill and set in the refrigerator.
• Egg Whites – Save the egg whites from making the lemon curd, store in refrigerator for up to 2 days, use them for an egg white omelet or add to a frittata recipe.
• Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting – The frosting can be made a day ahead and refrigerated, just be sure and remove it from the fridge about 20 minutes before needed so it will be spreadable.
• Temperature of ingredients - Make sure the eggs, lemons, butter, milk and cream cheese are all at room temperature to ensure the smoothest batter.
• Filling muffin cups - For best results line the muffin tins with parchment paper liners and for consistent sized cupcakes, use a spring release ice cream scoop to fill muffin cups.
• Do not over bake - For moist, fluffy muffins bake muffins on the middle rack at the recommended temperature and time just until they are a pale golden colour and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Centers of cupcakes - Save the centers of the cupcakes that are dug out, they’re great for a snack and you can pair them with lemon curd and cream cheese frosting leftovers.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Many Lemons Are Needed to Make Lemon Coconut Cupcakes?

You will need at least 5 to 6 juicy lemons for this recipe for the zest, juice and garnish. You don’t want to skimp on the amount of lemon zest and juice in the recipe since lemon is the main flavour.

How do I Store Lemon Coconut Cupcakes?

The cupcakes can be refrigerated on a tray, uncovered, for at least 2 hours up to a few hours. To store cupcakes for more than a few hours and up to 3 days, store in the refrigerator in one layer in a deep airtight covered container that will clear the frosting. For best results and optimum flavour, remove cupcakes from refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving.

Can Lemon Coconut Cupcakes be Frozen?

Yes Lemon Coconut Cupcakes can be frozen! To freeze cupcakes arrange them in one layer in a deep airtight covered container and store in freezer for 1 to 2 months. To thaw frozen cupcakes, remove them to a rack to thaw at room temperature for 2 hours.

Variations

For an equally delicious citrus coconut treat, make these cupcakes with limes or oranges to replace the lemons.

If you love lemon recipes than you might also like these:

• Lemon Bars
• Lemon Madeleines
• Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
• Lemon Raspberry Bundt Cake

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