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Many vegan coconut cupcakes on a light and bright table scene. Each cupcake has a big swirl of frosting and sprinkled coconut on top.

Best Vegan Coconut Cupcakes

The best vegan coconut cupcakes ever! Super moist, fluffy, and light cake with coconut and vanilla in the cake and the frosting! Easy to make and totally amazing.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Cool Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 16 cupcakes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Baked Goods
Calories: 335
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Coconut Cupcake
  • 6 tablespoons oil canola or coconut
  • 1 cup full fat coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ½ cup shredded coconut
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ¾ cup all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
Coconut Frosting
  • ½ cup vegan butter softened
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons coconut milk
  • 1 cup toasted coconut optional for rolling

Equipment

  • Mixing bowls
  • Mixing spoons
  • measuring cups
  • Measuring spoons
  • Hand mixer / Stand mixer
  • Cupcake trays
  • cupcake liners

Method
 

Coconut Cupcakes
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/170°C. Make sure the oven rack is in the middle of the oven. Line 15 to 16 cupcake wells with paper baking cups. Set aside.
  2. Make the vegan buttermilk. Start by whisking together the coconut milk and apple cider vinegar. Let this sit for 5 minutes to make the vegan buttermilk.
  3. Whisk the wet ingredients. Into the same large bowl with the vegan buttermilk, add the remaining wet ingredients: oil, sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk it together.
  4. Add the dry ingredients. Into the same bowl, sift the dry ingredients: all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and shredded coconut. Gently fold until the cake batter comes together.
  5. Transfer. Fill each cupcake liner with batter until it is about halfway full.
  6. Bake. Bake the cupcakes for 23 to 25 minutes or until the cupcakes are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center pulls out clean.
  7. Cool. Cool the cupcakes in the hot trays for the first 10 minutes. Then carefully remove them and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling completely before frosting.
Coconut Frosting
  1. Toast the coconut. To make the homemade toasted coconut, preheat the oven to 325°F/160°C and line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. Add a cup of unsweetened coconut shreds and bake uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring halfway through baking.
  2. Mix and frost. In a large bowl with a hand mixer, or a stand mixer, whip the vegan butter until it begins to be light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and coconut milk. Mix again until the frosting is very smooth. This takes me about 5 minutes in total to make. Frost the tops of the cupcakes and sprinkle with the toasted coconut. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

How to Store 
Pop any leftovers in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 5 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.