Coconut & Lime Cupcakes

My aunt always knows how to host a gathering, but this Easter, she’s really outdone herself! She just got a brand-new pool trampoline, and let me tell you, it’s already the star of the show. Before the day has even officially started, the kids are buzzing with excitement, peeking out the windows and asking, “Can we go in yet?” I have a feeling that trampoline is going to see a lot of action (and a lot of splashes).

And then there’s the food, because what’s a family gathering without something sweet?

This year, I’m bringing coconut and lime cupcakes, and I can’t wait to set them out on the table. They’re light, fresh, and full of flavor! A coconut cupcake filled with lime curd and topped with a rich coconut frosting! This is the kind of treat that feels just right for a warm Easter afternoon.

Ingredients:

Makes 18-20 cupcakes,

Start by making the lime curd since it needs to chill in the fridge for 2 hours.

For the Lime Curd

182g (3/4 cup) fresh squeezed lime juice

200g (1 cup) white sugar

5 egg yolks

2 whole eggs

1/8 teaspoon salt

85g (6 tablespoons) butter, room temperature

2 teaspoons lime zest

Method

1. Use a 2 or 3-quart non-reactive saucepan.

2. Place the eggs yolks, whole eggs and sugar in the saucepan and whisk until it is well blended. Stir in the lime juice and salt.

3. Cook the mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture is thickened and is 185 degrees F. It should coat the back of wooden spoon and leave a visible trail when you run your finger through it.

4. Remove the saucepan from heat and pour the lime curd into a strainer. Use a spatula to press it through.

5. Add the butter and lime zest and whisk until well combined.

6. Cover the surface of the curd with plastic wrap, gently pressing the plastic wrap onto the surface of the curd. Place it in the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours.

For the Coconut Cupcakes

340g (3 sticks) butter, room temperature

400g (2 cups) white sugar

5 eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

375g (3 cups) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

240g (1 cup) canned coconut milk

14oz sweetened shredded coconut (plus another 7oz to top the cupcakes)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and place cupcake liners in the muffin tin.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

3. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing in between and scraping down the bowl. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.

4. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Alternat adding the dry ingredients and the coconut milk to the batter. Mix until just combined. Fold in shredded coconut.

5. Fill each cup to the top with batter. Bake for 25-28 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely.

   
   

For the Coconut Frosting

227g (8oz) butter, room temperature

300g (3 cups) powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

118g (½ cup) canned coconut milk

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add all the ingredients and whisk it together until light and fluffy.

To Assemble:

1. Cut a small hole out of the top of the coconut cupcake. You can use a piping tip or a small sharp knife.

2. Fill the hole with the lime curd and frost the top with the coconut frosting. Dip the cupcake in the shredded sweetened coconut and top with more lime zest if you like.

These coconut and lime cupcakes were a total hit at my aunt's Easter pool party! They went great with her famous fried chicken wings, mac and cheese and baked beans! The kids ate them up in-between splashing cannon balls while my husband and I hung out in the shade under a pink umbrella. Easter, at its heart, is about renewal, hope, and new life. And honestly, what better picture of that than a backyard full of children playing, families reconnecting, and joy spilling over in the simplest ways?

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I sure hope you give my coconut and lime cupcakes a try this Easter season! If you want to stay in the loop on our cozy Made at Home life, subscribe to my monthly email list!

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