True coconut lovers will appreciate these Coconut Snowball Cupcakes! Light coconut cupcakes are filled with a coconut pastry cream, finished with a silky coconut buttercream and sprinkled with toasted coconut for the ultimate treat.
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Originally posted July 20, 2009. If you love coconut, these Coconut Snowball Cupcakes are worth the extra effort. The cupcakes are filled with a creamy coconut pastry cream, topped with a rich coconut buttercream and finished with toasted coconut for an extra crunch and flavor. They may take a bit more time than a basic cupcake, but the result is truly special.
I usually cook simple, family-friendly meals, but every now and then I like to make something a little more involved. These cupcakes came from one of those moments. I brought them to a large family celebration and, oddly, they didn’t get eaten right away. Later, after bringing them home, my immediate family devoured them and my dad raved about how much he enjoyed them. My mom thought the reason kids passed them over at the party was that the cupcakes were a bit more sophisticated than the usual options — adults appreciated the flavor more than the kids. If you’re serving grown-ups, these are a great choice.
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Coconut Snowball Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 2 cups cake flour
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder*
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons butter softened
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar*
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup ice water*
- 2 large egg whites
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
Coconut Pastry Cream
- 2 cups half and half
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 6 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Coconut Frosting
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter about 12 oz, soft but cool, cut into pieces
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup coconut pastry cream
- 1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut toasted
Instructions
Make the cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF*. Line two 12-cup pans with paper liners.
- Sift the cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and shortening until creamy, 3–4 minutes. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat on medium for 3 minutes. Scrape the bowl, add the egg and combine. With the mixer on low, add one-third of the flour mixture, then half the ice water, another third of the flour, the remaining water, and then the remaining flour. Scrape and mix briefly to combine.
- In a clean bowl whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar to soft peaks. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter, then fold in the shredded coconut.
- Fill liners two-thirds full. Bake 20–25 minutes, rotating pans halfway, until a tester comes out clean.
- Cool in pans on a wire rack for 20 minutes, then remove and cool completely before filling and frosting.
Make the coconut pastry cream:
- Place a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl.
- Bring the half and half to a simmer in a saucepan over low heat. Add the shredded coconut, cover, and simmer 20 minutes to steep. Strain, pressing to extract flavor, and discard the coconut solids.
- In a bowl whisk egg yolks with sugar, flour and salt until pale. Whisk half of the warm coconut-infused half and half into the yolks, then return the mixture to the saucepan with the remaining half and half. Cook over medium, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, strain through the sieve, press plastic wrap onto the surface and chill until completely cool, about 1 hour.
Make the coconut frosting:
- In a heavy saucepan whisk together sugar and flour. Add milk and cream and cook over medium, whisking occasionally, until it comes to a boil and thickens, about 20 minutes.
- Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on high until cool. Reduce speed to low and add butter a piece at a time until incorporated. Increase speed and beat until light and fluffy.
- Add vanilla and 1/2 cup of the cooled coconut pastry cream. Mix until combined. If too soft, chill briefly and rebeat to reach piping consistency. Fold in toasted coconut for topping.
Assemble the cupcakes:
- Cut a small cone from the center of each cooled cupcake and fill with about 1 teaspoon of coconut pastry cream. Replace the top piece of cake.
- Frost each cupcake with the coconut buttercream, then dip or sprinkle the tops with toasted shredded coconut.
Recipe Notes:
This recipe is lightly adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking.
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Don’t Miss These Other Coconut Recipes:
Citrus Glazed Coconut Banana Bread
Raspberry Coconut Cupcakes
Crazy for Coconut Bundt Cake
Around the Web:
Chewy Coconut Cookies | Samoa Bundt Cake | Chocolate Coconut Brownies
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