Pina Colada Cupcakes (Easy Coconut Cupcakes)
Last Updated on January 20, 2024 by Allison Lancaster
These tropical Pina Colada Cupcakes are soft and moist, made with yellow box cake, luscious coconut milk, coconut flakes, and coconut extra for rich flavor! They’re topped with thick and silky coconut-flavored frosting, and topped with sweet maraschino cherries and a sprinkle of coconut for good measure! This is an easy coconut cupcake recipe you will love for years to come.
Table of Contents
Get ready for a delicious dessert with these adorable and incredibly easy Pina Colada Cupcakes! They’re a creative alternative to the classic boozy cocktail – perfect for all ages!
This recipe provides a great foundation for making as many substitutions and add-ins as you like. Feel like a boozy cupcake? Just add in some rum!
Stick around until the end of this post to discover more ways you can adapt these scrumptious easy coconut cupcakes.
If you’re looking for another easy coconut dessert recipe, you’ll love these:
- Coconut Cake From Scratch
- Coconut Milk Cake
- Coconut Snowball Cookies
- Italian Cream Cake from Cake Mix
- Cream of Coconut Poke Cake
Pina Colada Cupcakes Ingredients & Substitutions:
Yellow box cake – The box of yellow cake mix provides a tinge of yellow color to these tropical cupcakes, but you could use white boxed cake mix instead. For gluten sensitivities, be sure to select a gluten-free brand.
Coconut milk – This adds coconut flavor and richness to these cupcakes. Coconut cream or Sour cream could also be used.
Vegetable oil – Coconut oil or Canola oil can also be used. I love substituting coconut oil in this recipe for a deeper coconut taste!
Coconut flakes – These provide coconut flavor and texture to the cupcake batter and the frosting.
Eggs – Large eggs are best for this recipe. Allow them to reach room temperature before combining with the rest of the cupcake batter ingredients.
Coconut extract – Use high-quality coconut extract. It gives these easy coconut cupcakes that signature flavor! Vanilla extract can be used instead if you want a more subtle coconut flavor in these cupcakes. Rum or almond extract would also be delicious!
Coconut frosting – I’ve combined 2 cans of vanilla whipped frosting with coconut extract for the frosting on these pina colada cupcakes. Feel free to use any brand of vanilla whipped frosting. You can also make coconut buttercream or cream cheese frosting for these cupcakes.
Topping – Top each frosted pina colada cupcake with a maraschino cherry and a sprinkle of coconut. Get fancy and add a pineapple wedge and a cocktail umbrella to each tropical cupcake!
How To Make Pina Colada Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line the cupcake pan with paper liners.
- Combine the cupcake batter ingredients in a large bowl or electric mixer, and beat for 2-3 minutes on medium speed.
- Fill the cupcake liners about halfway and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove the baked cupcakes from the oven and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
- In the meantime, mix the whipped frosting with coconut extract in a medium bowl.
- Once cool, frost the cupcakes using a piping bag and frosting tip. Pipe the frosting from one edge of the cupcake into a circular motion along the outer edge, moving towards the center.
- Top each cupcake with a cherry and sprinkle a little bit of coconut on top!
Serve
Enjoy these delicious cupcakes with a tropical smoothie for your Summer poolside parties. You can get creative and decorate these cupcakes with pineapple wedges and paper umbrellas!
If you are making these during the holiday season, simply top them with shredded coconut flakes or holiday-themed sprinkles!
How To Store Pina Colada Cupcakes
These fluffy coconut cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Recipe FAQ’s:
Can I freeze these pina colada cupcakes?
To make a batch ahead of time, freeze the cupcake bases without the frosting and toppings. These cupcakes can be wrapped individually with plastic wrap and stored in a sealable freezer bag or airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Thaw overnight in the fridge and add fresh frosting with your choice of toppings immediately before serving.
Can I make a boozy version of these cupcakes?
For 21+: Absolutely! Add ¼ cup of coconut rum to the cupcake batter and reduce the coconut milk to ¾ cup. The rum will add a boozy flavor without being overpowering or intoxicating.
Do these coconut cupcakes contain pineapple?
No, this easy recipe doesn’t call for pineapple juice or fresh pineapple. That said, you can add about ½ cup of drained crushed pineapple to the cupcake batter for pineapple flavor and extra texture.
How do I toast my coconut?
Toasted coconut will provide a deeper flavor to this Pina colada cupcake recipe and also looks great sprinkled on the top of the cupcakes. To toast your coconut at home, simply sprinkle the coconut onto a baking sheet and bake at 350F for 5-7 minutes or until it turns a golden brown color.
Let the freshly toasted coconut cool before sprinkling it over the frosting.
Other Tropical Treats You’ll Love
I hope you enjoy this easy and delicious recipe for Pina Colada cupcakes! If you try it, please come back and leave me a comment letting me know how you liked them. And if you have any questions, please feel free to ask! I love hearing from you!
Pina Colada Cupcakes Recipe:
Pina Colada Cupcakes (Easy Coconut Cupcakes)
These tropical Pina Colada Cupcakes are soft and moist, made with yellow box cake, luscious coconut milk, coconut flakes, and coconut extra for rich flavor! They’re topped with thick and silky coconut-flavored frosting, and topped with sweet maraschino cherries and a sprinkle of coconut for good measure! This is an easy coconut cupcake recipe you will love for years to come.
Ingredients
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 1 cup coconut milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup coconut flakes
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp coconut extract
Frosting
- 2 cans vanilla whipped frosting
- 2 tsp coconut extract
- Maraschino cherries to top cupcakes
- ¼ cup Coconut to top cupcakes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
- Add the cake mix, coconut milk, vegetable oil, coconut flakes, eggs, and coconut extract to a large bowl or stand mixer, and beat for 2-3 minutes on medium.
- Fill cupcake liners about half way with batter, then transfer the pan to the oven, and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove cupcakes from the oven, then cool completely before frosting.
- Once ready to frost the cupcakes, add the frosting and coconut extract to a bowl and stir to combine.
- Fit a piping bag with the frosting tip, then fill ¾ of the way with frosting.
- Start from one edge of the cupcake, and pipe frosting into a circular motion along the outer edge, until you meet the edge that you started off, then move into the center.
- Top each cupcake with a cherry and sprinkle a little bit of coconut on top.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 191Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 200mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 1gSugar: 14gProtein: 2g
