Coconut Christmas cupcakes with soft vanilla coconut cupcakes topped with a light coconut white chocolate whipped ganache.
I created these coconut Christmas cupcakes to keep a holiday feel without heavy frosting, focusing on texture and balance.
The vanilla coconut base stays moist, while the coconut white chocolate ganache gives a smooth, stable finish that pipes cleanly.
Why you’ll love them
- Soft vanilla coconut cupcakes, not dry
- Light coconut white chocolate ganache, not overly sweet
- Perfect make-ahead cupcakes for Christmas and winter parties
Ingredients you need
- Butter: Unsalted butter, softened, for a smooth cupcake base.
- Sugar: Granulated white sugar for light, fluffy texture.
- Eggs: Large eggs, at room temperature.
- Flavoring: Vanilla extract, coconut flavor, and salt to balance sweetness.
- Coconut cream: Unsweetened coconut cream or coconut milk (or yogurt, buttermilk, heavy cream, or milk).
- Flour: Cake flour or all-purpose flour for a tender crumb.
- Leavening: Baking powder or baking soda.
- Coconut: Optional shredded coconut for extra texture.
- White chocolate: Quality baking chocolate (28–30% cocoa butter).
- Heavy cream: Full-fat heavy cream (30%+), divided, for a light whipped ganache.
Tips before you start
- Use room-temperature ingredients: Soft butter and eggs give a smooth, even batter.
- Mix gently: Stop as soon as the batter comes together to keep cupcakes light.
- Measure flour correctly: Spoon and level to avoid dense cupcakes.
- Check doneness: A toothpick should come out clean, not wet.
- Cool before frosting: Fully cooled cupcakes keep the ganache stable and neat.
How to make coconut Christmas cupcakes
This recipe use with my classic vanilla cupcake base, which I use for most birthday and celebration cupcakes.
Beat the softened butter and sugar on medium speed for about 3 minutes until pale and creamy.
Add the eggs, vanilla, coconut extract, and coconut cream, then mix for 1 minute until smooth.
Fold in the flour, baking powder, salt, and shredded coconut gently with a spatula until just combined.
Fill a lined cupcake pan evenly and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 15–18 minutes, until lightly golden and set.
Cool briefly in the pan, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
For the frosting, I use my coconut ganache recipe, which gives a light, creamy, and perfectly pipeable topping.
Heat the heavy cream until just boiling and pour it over the chopped white chocolate.
Stir until smooth, then add the cold heavy cream and coconut cream.
Chill for at least 4 hours (or overnight), then whip on medium speed for 2–3 minutes until thick and fluffy.
Pipe the coconut whipped ganache onto cooled cupcakes and finish with shredded coconut or a Raffaello.
Serve right away or keep chilled until ready to enjoy.
Serving suggestions
Serve these coconut Christmas cupcakes slightly chilled or at room temperature.
They’re perfect for holiday dessert tables, Christmas parties, or as a make-ahead treat during the festive season.
Recipe variations
- Chocolate coconut cupcakes: Use a chocolate cupcake base with the same coconut ganache.
- Raffaello-style: Fill the cupcakes with a small spoon of coconut cream or white chocolate ganache.
- Toasted coconut: Sprinkle toasted coconut flakes on top for extra flavor and texture.
- Mini cupcakes: Bake in mini liners and reduce baking time.
You can turn this recipe into a full dessert with my coconut cake.
Recipe Questions
Can I make these cupcakes ahead of time?
Yes. Bake the cupcakes one day ahead and frost them the day you plan to serve.
Do they need to be refrigerated?
Yes, because of the whipped coconut ganache. Let them sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before serving.
Can I use coconut milk instead of coconut cream?
Yes, but coconut cream gives a richer flavor and a more stable frosting.
Can I freeze these cupcakes?
Freeze the unfrosted cupcakes only. Thaw completely before adding the ganache.
More Cupcake Recipes
I hope you’ll love this recipe! If you try this recipe, feel free to leave a comment. It always helps. Happy baking!
Coconut Christmas Cupcakes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 cupcakes
Description
Recipe for coconut cupcakes, with a coconut flavored cupcake base and a coconut ganache (for 12 cupcakes)
Ingredients
Coconut cupcakes
- 100 g Butter - unsalted and softened
- 150 g of Sugar - granulated
- 2 Eggs - room temperature
- 1 tsp of Vanilla extract
- 135 g Coconut cream
- 150 g Flour - all-purpose or cake flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder - about 6 g
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- 30 g grated coconut - unsweetened
Coconut ganache
- 200 g white chocolate chips
- 120 g Heavy cream - full fat and hot
- 120 g Heavy cream - full fat and cold
- 100 g Coconut cream - full fat and unsweetened
Instructions
Coconut ganache
- The day before, place the finely chopped white chocolate in a large bowl.
- Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan until it simmers, then pour it all at once over the chopped white chocolate.
- Let it stand for a while, then mix with a spatula until the chocolate is completely melted (if there are still pieces of chocolate, place the mixture in a saucepan with a little water and melt in a double boiler)
- Then add the cold heavy cream and the coconut cream and mix again with a spatula to incorporate them.
- Blend with an immersion blender to smooth the ganache, then cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Coconut cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C and prepare a standard cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk the softened butter with the granulated sugar for 3 minutes until smooth and creamy.
- Add the eggs, vanilla extract and coconut cream and mix again for a good minute to incorporate.
- Finish by adding the dry ingredients, flour, baking powder, salt and shredded coconut and fold in with a rubber spatula just until the mixture is smooth.
- Fill the cupcake cases ¾ full with the mixture.
- Bake the cupcakes for 15 - 18 minutes. (Check for baking by sticking a toothpick into the center of a cupcake, if it comes out clean it's done)
- Let the cupcakes cool a bit before removing them from the pan and letting them cool completely on a wire rack.
Assembly:
- Take the cool coconut ganache out of the fridge and whip it with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 2-3 minutes until thick and creamy.
- Place the ganache in a piping bag fitted with a 1B tip or similar and decorate the top of the cupcakes with the ganache.
- Sprinkle a few coconut flakes on top and enjoy or place in the fridge.
Notes
Storage: 2-3 days in the refrigerator in a storage box or under a plastic wrap and up to 3 months in the freezer in a covered box.
Substitute coconut cream: In cupcakes, you can replace coconut cream with coconut milk, heavy cream, plain yogurt, buttermilk or simply semi-skimmed milk.
In the ganache, you can replace the coconut cream with the same amount of heavy cream to add to the hot ganache or mascarpone cheese to add when whipping the frosting.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
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