Coconut and lime is perhaps my favorite combo of all tropical flavors. The bright pop of lime against the soft coconut background always keeps me coming back for more. These Coconut-Lime Cupcakes will do just that, so you might want to double the recipe before they disappear! These cupcakes are perfectly tender and topped with a coconut and lime cream cheese frosting. In short: perfection!
Ingredients Needed
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
Cupcakes
- Boxed cake mix – Yellow or white. We like Duncan Hines.
- Eggs
- Vegetable oil
- Sour cream – Full fat is best.
- Vanilla extract
- Coconut extract
- Fresh lime zest
- Shredded coconut – Sweetened or unsweetened. Find them near the chocolate chips on the baking aisle.
Frosting and Garnishes
- Cream cheese – Full fat. Normally I say low fat is ok, but this frosting truly has better texture with full fat.
- Butter – Always use real butter if you can.
- Powdered sugar
- Fresh lime juice
- Coconut extract
- Lime zest – For garnish.
- Shredded coconut – For garnish. You can toast it first if you’d like!
How to Make Coconut-Lime Cupcakes
- You’ll start by making your cupcakes. Mix up a dry cake mix (disregard the ingredients and instructions on the package), a few eggs, some vegetable oil, sour cream, vanilla and coconut extracts, and the zest of one lime.
- That gets whipped up really well then you’ll gently mix in some coconut shreds, divide the batter among 24 cupcake liners, and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- To make the frosting, you’ll whip some cream cheese and butter until fluffy, then add powdered sugar, a little lime juice, and coconut extract and whip to combine.
- Once cupcakes are completely cool, frost with frosting and sprinkle a little shredded coconut and lime zest on for garnish.
Storing and Other Tips
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator (must be refrigerated for storage due to cream cheese frosting) and enjoy within 3-4 days for best results.
- Make sure you don’t overbake your cupcakes or they will be dry. Keep a close eye on them and check for doneness as soon as they look like they are getting close!
- If you’d like to toast your coconut before using as a garnish, spread coconut out on a baking sheet or oven-safe dish and bake for about 2-5 minutes, stirring every 30-60 seconds at 375°F until it reaches a nice golden brown. For more details see this How to Toast Coconut post.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Change up the add ins and extracts however you like. This is a great basic cupcake recipe. The same is true for the cream cheese frosting!
Definitely! For best results I’d recommend storing the cupcakes and frosting separately (frosting in the fridge because of the cream cheese). When ready to frost, set your frosting out for about 30 minutes to come to room temperature, rewhip briefly, and frost as desired.
The cupcakes themselves will freeze well. I would recommend making the frosting fresh when you’re ready to decorate and serve.
You bet! I don’t have baking times for you, but I would recommend using the times listed on the back of the cake mix box as a general guideline, then just keep a close eye on things and test for doneness with a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake.
Coconut-Lime Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 yellow or white cake mix we’re hopelessly devoted to Duncan Hines
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons coconut extract
- zest of 1 medium lime
- 1 cup coconut
Coconut-Lime Cream Cheese Frosting
- 3 8-ounce packages full-fat cream cheese softened (normally I’d say low-fat is fine, but in this case, it would be too runny)
- ¾ cup butter softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- juice of 1 medium lime
- 2 teaspoons coconut extract
Garnish
- sweetened coconut
- lime zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Disregard the instructions on the cake mix box. Line 2 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners and set aside.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer, combine all the cake ingredients except for the coconut: cake mix, eggs, oil. sour cream, vanilla and coconut extracts, and lime zest. Mix on low for 30 seconds or until all the ingredients are roughly combined and then mix on high for 3 minutes. Add the coconut and mix until just combined.
- Evenly distribute the batter among the lined muffin tin. Bake for 16-22 minutes or until a pick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean and the tops are very lightly golden. Be SURE not to overbake these cupcakes because they will taste stale. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
- While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the frosting. Combine the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl or the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer. Whip until light and fluffy. Add remaining ingredients and mix until well-combined. Transfer to a piping bag and swirl the icing over the cooled cupcakes. Garnish with a sprinkling of coconut and a little lime zest. Cover and refrigerate any leftovers. Makes 24 cupcakes.
Notes
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator (must be refrigerated for storage due to cream cheese frosting) and enjoy within 3-4 days for best results.
- Make sure you don’t overbake your cupcakes or they will be dry. Keep a close eye on them and check for doneness as soon as they look like they are getting close!
- If you’d like to toast your coconut before using as a garnish, spread coconut out on a baking sheet or oven-safe dish and bake for about 2-5 minutes, stirring every 30-60 seconds at 375°F until it reaches a nice golden brown. For more details see this How to Toast Coconut post.
Questions & Reviews
My mom used to make one years ago that was called a hot milk cake. I don’t remember the recipe or why that is called that but it makes incredibly moist layers. I believe she used some type of 7-minute frosting and sprinkled it all with fresh coconut. It was my favorite cake and I used to swear it was so good because my knuckles ended up in it from the wire grater used to shred fresh coconut. These sound amazing and I just happened to get a couple of limes at Trader Joe’s this week. I don’t normally keep them around because they seem to go bad so much faster than lemons and I end up wasting them. Maybe I bought these just for this recipe. Thanks!!
I fell in love with the coconut/lime combo after making your coconut lime banana bread! These sound AMAZING.
I love the combination of coconut and lime. I recently made Margarita cupcakes with a coconut cake and pineapple frosting, and loved it. I can’t wait to try this recipe. Thank you for sharing.
These look delish! I’m such a sucker for lime & coconut. I think a road trip for the ingredients just may be in my near future. 🙂
You’ll die. It’s like a bad horror movie.
🙂
No, that much time in the fridge just sucks the moisture out of them, but they need to be refrigerated because of the cream cheese frosting.
I make a coconut cake that is to die for….I brush coconut milk on the layers (3) and it makes it very moist and delicious. I use a cream cheese frosting and then top with toasted coconut. OMG..it is good!!
These look awesome, but I know I won’t like the frosting. 3 bars of cream cheese with only 3 cups of sugar? nope. I don’t eat cheesecake either, though! *gasp*
Anyway I’m thinking that a 7 minute icing would be marvelous with this! Is that one that you guys ever play with much? I would love some tips if you do!!
Yeah, it’s definitely a cream cheese-y frosting. If you want to use cream cheese but want one that’s sweeter, try the one from this carrot cake:
https://body-revolution.news/2011/05/carrot-cake-supreme/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> You could do the 7-minute frosting, too, but I do worry a tiny bit about adding the lime juice…that recipe is so temperamental that you never know what’s going to make things go south.
America’s Test Kitchen has an EXCELLENT coconut cake recipe. The frosting is alot of work but the cake itself- delicious! Not even close to being dry and the perfect amount of coconut flavor. Might be a good coconut cake to make for your husband’s next birthday (or the year after…)
I started drooling the moment I read “coconut lime”! I cannot wait to try these. Thanks for another amazing recipe!
Oh!! Coconut and lime are two of my absolute favorites too… these look amazing!