Lime Cupcakes with Coconut Frosting

These moist, fluffy Lime Coconut Cupcakes are great for spring and summer! They are so light and fruity, and perfect for all sorts of occasions, from birthdays to baby showers, potlucks and more.

How to Make Lime Coconut Cupcakes

You can find the full, printable recipe for these cupcakes at the bottom of this post. Here is a quick look at our steps!

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, add paper cupcake liners to cupcake pan(s)
• In a medium bowl, whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt for 30 seconds. Set aside
• In another bowl, add the buttermilk, vegetable oil and lime extract, lime juice & zest. Set aside.

• In the bowl of your mixer, add the butter and mix at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and continue to mix on medium speed for 3 to 5 minutes until lightened in color and fluffy.
• Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each until the yellow of the yolk has blended.
• With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients (3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of liquid).
• Mix just until incorporated.

• Scoop about ¼ cup bake batter into each cupcake liner (in the cupcake pans)

• Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just few crumbs attached. The tops should spring back when lightly touched. *Baking times can vary, and so peek in as the end time approaches.
• This recipe makes 30-32 cupcakes (approximately ¼ cup of batter per cupcake). You may notice a little swirl of green on the cupcake pictured below- I started to tint the batter and then changed my mind ;0)

Coconut Frosting

Lime and coconut are so good together! We decided on a simple coconut cream cheese frosting today. This easy and delicious recipe is based on on our classic cream cheese frosting. It combines softened cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, coconut extract, and a pinch of salt.

Decorating the Lime Coconut Cupcakes

Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, it is time to decorate! We kept things very simple by snipping the end off of a disposable piping bag (ziplock works also) and creating simple swirls starting from the outer edge and spiraling inward.

We topped them with a bit of flaked coconut and lime zest, and topped some with a small wedge of lime.

Recipe FAQs

More Fruity Cakes

We've made lots of light and fruity cake recipes over the years! Some of our favorites are lemon cake from scratch, easy banana pudding cupcakes, and orange dreamsicle cake.

Thanks so much for stopping by! We hope that you'll give these lime cupcakes a try. Don't miss our full collection of cake recipes as well as our cake decorating tutorials!

We'd love for you to scroll through our collection of cupcake designs as well as our roundup of cupcake cake ideas as well!

Lime Cupcakes with Coconut Frosting

BY Melissa and Bebe

These lime cupcakes with coconut cream cheese frosting and so moist and soft with with wonderful flavor!

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 15 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Servings: 30

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Ingredients

• ▢ 1 ½ sticks (170g) unsalted butter softened (holds it shape but dents when pressed)
• ▢ 2 cups (400g) sugar
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Lime Extract (If you don't have lime extract, you can use 3 T lime jello powder instead.)
• ▢ 4 eggs, room temperature (If in a hurry, place eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes.)
• ▢ 3 cups cake flour (342g)
• ▢ 2 teaspoons baking powder (8g)
• ▢ ½ teaspoon baking soda (3g)
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt (3g)
• ▢ 1 ¼ cups buttermilk (296g)If you do not have buttermilk, see substitution below
• ▢ ¼ cup lime juice (57g) This is 1-2 limes depending on size.
• ▢ ¼ cup vegetable oil (54g) We use Canola Oil
• ▢ Zest of two limes
• ▢ Green Coloring Gel- Optional (If you'd like your batter to have a green tint. This can be added as you are mixing ingredients.)

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

• ▢ 2 sticks (226g) unsalted butter softened
• ▢ 16 oz Cream Cheese, softened (This is two 8 oz packages) Use full fat cream cheese.
• ▢ 6 to 6 ½ cups 690g - 747g powdered sugar Start with 6 cups, and adjust to your liking
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 2 teaspoon coconut extract (8g) Adjust amount to your liking.

Decoration Ideas

• ▢ Lime Zest, Flaked Coconut, Small Wedges of Lime (Options for decoration)

Instructions

For the Cupcakes

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, add paper cupcake liners to cupcake pan(s)
• In a medium bowl, whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt for 30 seconds. Set aside
• In another bowl, add the buttermilk, vegetable oil and lime extract, lime juice & zest. Set aside.
• In the bowl of your mixer, add the butter and mix at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and continue to mix on medium speed for 3 to 5 minutes until lightened in color and fluffy.
• Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each until the yellow of the yolk has blended.
• With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients (3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of liquid).
• Mix just until incorporated. Be careful not to over-mix.
• Scoop about ¼ cup bake batter into each cupcake liner (in the cupcake pans)
• Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just few crumbs attached. We like to remove cupcakes immediately from the pans to prevent over-baking. Baking times can vary depending on pan & oven- check at 15 minutes to be on the safe side, but it may take a few minutes more.
• Makes 30-32 cupcakes (approximately ¼ cup of batter per cupcake)

For the Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

• Add the softened butter to the bowl of your mixer, mix until smooth.
• Cut the softened cream cheese into pieces and add to the butter, mixing until blended.
• Add the coconut extract.
• Gradually add powdered sugar and mix until well blended.
• This frosting will pipe best if used while still chilled. You can make it in advance, refrigerate and when ready to use let it soften slightly and remix. Do not microwave to soften. If the frosting becomes too soft while using just refrigerate the piping bag or bowl for a short while to firm it up.

Notes

Substitute for Buttermilk: No Buttermilk? Here is a substitution: To a measuring cup, add 1 Tablespoon plus one teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice. Add milk to the 1 ¼ c. mark, stir. Wait 5 minutes and it is ready to use.

Refrigeration & Serving: Because of the cream cheese frosting, these cupcakes need refrigeration. Remove two hours before serving to allow for the frosting and cupcakes to warm and soften.

 

Recipe makes approximately 7 ½ cups batter.

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