• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Simple Vegan Recipes
  • Recipes
  • Books
    • 40 Days of Green Smoothies
    • Bowls!
  • Recipe Videos
    • My YouTube Channel
    • Video Blogging FAQ
  • Simple Vegan Starter Guide
  • Podcast
  • Shop
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Get the vegan starter guide!
  • Latest Recipes
  • Air fryer recipes
  • Instant Pot Recipes
  • My YouTube channel
  • Podcast
  • Recipe video production
  • SHOP
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Simple Vegan Recipes

    Fluffy Vegan Coconut Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

    Jan 17, 2020 by Becky Striepe
    Disclosure: This post may contain Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See my Privacy Policy for more details.

    Recipe Print

    There is no artificial coconut flavoring in these fluffy, vegan coconut cupcakes, but they're still bursting with coconut flavor.

    serving tray of vegan coconut cupcakes with chocolate frosting and shredded coconut on top. One cupcake has a tiny blue flag in it

    I whipped up these cupcakes by special request for my friend Jeanee's birthday. She asked me to bring cupcakes, and she said that coconut and chocolate were two of her favorite flavors. Vegan coconut cupcakes with chocolate frosting seemed like the obvious move.

    If you follow me on Instagram, maybe you saw me post this photo them that day:

    Coconut cupcakes with chocolate frosting for @finely_crafted's special day!

    Vegan coconut cupcakes with chocolate frosting for @finely_crafted's special day!

    Vegan Coconut Cupcakes

    I didn't have any aquafaba on hand when I was making these, so I went back to Old Faithful: the Golden Vanilla cupcakes from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World, with some adjustments to up the coconuttiness.

    Instead of soy milk, I used full fat coconut milk, and I replaced the margarine with coconut oil.

    Y'all, these taste super coconutty, with no artificial coloring needed!

    serving tray of vegan coconut cupcakes with chocolate frosting and shredded coconut on top. One cupcake has a tiny blue flag in it, text overlay

    I frosted these with chocolate frosting  that was *cough*from-a-can*cough*, but if you want to be a purist and make your frosting from scratch, I recommend this recipe from The Misfit Baker. Starr's recipes are always on point.

    The other experiment I tried on these cupcakes is something I learned from Go Dairy Free. Usually, when you make vegan "buttermilk" for baking, the directions say to mix the milk and acid first, then let it curdle.

    Alisa says that you really don't have to do that, and y'all. It works! Forget waiting. I mixed up all of the wet ingredients for this together and saved myself waiting time and an extra bowl to wash.

    serving tray of vegan coconut cupcakes with chocolate frosting and shredded coconut on top. One cupcake has a tiny blue flag in it

    Fluffy Vegan Coconut Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

    Fluffy Vegan Coconut Cupcakes were a total hit with my omnivore friends. One of my friends is allergic to chocolate, so she requested I leave one cupcake unfrosted for her. Even without frosting, she said it was rich and fluffy. YES!
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Vegan
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12
    Calories: 273kcal
    Author: Becky Striepe

    Ingredients

    • 1 ¼ cups flour
    • 2 tablespoons potato starch - (Corn starch would also work, same amount.)
    • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ½ cup coconut oil
    • ¾ cup sugar
    • 1 cup coconut milk - full fat
    • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
    • 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
    • ½ cup chocolate frosting - of your choice (or other frosting! Mix it up, if chocolate isn’t your thing!)
    • ¼ cup shredded coconut - for topping

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350F and line muffin pan with paper liners.
    • Dry ingredient mix: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, potato starch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
    • Wet ingredient mix: In a smaller bowl, cream together the coconut oil and sugar until they’re really well combined. Then add the coconut milk, vinegar, and vanilla extract. Beat with a fork or an electric mixer until the wet ingredients are really well-combined.
    • Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry, and beat again, until well-combined. Some very small lumps are okay, but break up any bigger ones. Divide the batter between your lined muffin tins, filling each cup only halfway. Bake for 20 minutes, then pull them out to cool in the pan until they’re cool enough to handle*.
    • Once you can touch the cupcakes without burning your fingers, transfer them to a plate, and stick them in the fridge for 20 minutes to chill (or until you’re ready to frost), then spread or pipe on the frosting. Sprinkle with the shredded coconut, then chill in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.

    Notes

    *You can make these a few hours ahead or even the day before serving, but you want to frost just before serving. If you’re going to store them overnight, keep them in a covered container in the fridge.
    Recipe adapted from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Fluffy Vegan Coconut Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    273
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    16
    g
    25
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    13
    g
    65
    %
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    2
    g
    Sodium
     
    142
    mg
    6
    %
    Potassium
     
    87
    mg
    2
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    32
    g
    11
    %
    Fiber
     
    1
    g
    4
    %
    Sugar
     
    21
    g
    23
    %
    Protein
     
    2
    g
    4
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    0.4
    IU
    0
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    0.2
    mg
    0
    %
    Calcium
     
    22
    mg
    2
    %
    Iron
     
    1
    mg
    6
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Tried this recipe? Share your photo!Mention @GlueAndGlitter on Instagram or Twitter!

    More Vegan recipes

    • raw hot sauce in a bowl with a spoon for serving
      Raw Hot Sauce from Any Peppers
    • bowl of vegan avocado pasta topped with chopped tomato
      Avocado Pesto Pasta
    • serving tray with mini baked potato bites
      Loaded Baked Potato Bites (oven or air fryer!)
    • hand picking up a jar of refrigerator pickled green beans
      Green Bean Refrigerator Pickles

    About Becky Striepe

    Headshot of Becky Striepe in front of a teal wall

    Hi there! I'm Becky Striepe (rhymes with sleepy), and I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here.

    Learn more about me >>>

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Tried this recipe? Have a question? Leave a reply! Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Tamarah

      October 03, 2018 at 2:19 pm

      Can these be made gluten free?

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        October 04, 2018 at 8:18 am

        That is a good question! GF baking isn't my strong suit, so I can't speak to that. For gluten free baked goods, I recommend my friend Gwen's site, Delightful Adventures. Her recipes are top notch!

        Reply
    2. Alisa

      June 09, 2018 at 10:46 am

      Those look lovely!! Glad my tip worked well for you :)

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        June 11, 2018 at 7:57 am

        Thank you! And thank you for the tip - such a time-saver!

        Reply
    3. kim

      January 05, 2017 at 11:08 pm

      Hi can I sub something for the coconut milk? It has a lot of fat. I know there is little too but do u think applesauce would work? I saw something about AF too. I WANT to try these badly. ????
      Thanks
      Kim

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        January 06, 2017 at 7:26 am

        You can try using light coconut milk, but I can't guarantee that they will turn out. I would not use applesauce.

        Reply
        • Kim

          January 06, 2017 at 11:52 am

          Thank you
          Just for my info since I dont know the answer why would the light coconut milk make a difference? Is it used for a binder or just the moistness? :)

          Reply
          • Becky Striepe

            January 06, 2017 at 12:35 pm

            It's for moisture and flavor. Let me know how it goes!

            Reply
    4. Julie

      October 25, 2016 at 2:52 pm

      These coconut cupcakes came out amazing, thank you for posting this recipie!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        October 25, 2016 at 3:03 pm

        You are so welcome! Enjoy them!

        Reply
    5. Niki

      October 08, 2016 at 4:40 pm

      Hey Becky, just a quick question-do you use sweetened or unsweetened coconut milk? Also is it the canned type like we get in Asian stores or the boxed ones? Thanks.

      Reply
    6. Melissa

      July 10, 2016 at 8:37 pm

      Becky these are HANDS DOWN the most beautiful Vegan Cupcakes I have ever eaten! Wow I am so glad I saved this recipe AND THEN ACTUALLY MADE IT!!!! Really wonderful work on the recipe, many many thanks.

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        July 10, 2016 at 8:50 pm

        I'm so delighted to hear it, Melissa!

        Reply
    7. Michelle

      May 16, 2016 at 1:04 am

      Coconut is my weak point, I could eat an entire batch. Looks yummy!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        May 16, 2016 at 7:57 am

        Thank you, Michelle!

        Reply
    8. Linda @ Veganosity

      May 15, 2016 at 4:00 pm

      Chocolate and coconut is the best. I make a chocolate chocolate coconut cupcake that's become a neighborhood favorite. This looks amazing, Becky!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        May 15, 2016 at 4:56 pm

        Thank you, Linda!

        Reply
    9. Vegan Heaven

      May 15, 2016 at 3:31 pm

      These look so cute, Becky! Love how easy the recipe is! :-)

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        May 15, 2016 at 4:56 pm

        Thank you!

        Reply
    10. Mel @ avirtualvegan.com

      May 14, 2016 at 1:23 am

      Chocolate and coconut are just perfect together. They are so cute!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        May 14, 2016 at 7:32 am

        Thank you, Mel!

        Reply
    11. Alisa @ Go Dairy Free

      May 13, 2016 at 9:45 am

      Those look so cute and perfect! I think I'd go all the way with the theme though, and do coconut frosting, too!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        May 13, 2016 at 10:01 am

        Ooh what a delicious idea!

        Reply
    12. Sophia, Veggies Don't Bite

      May 12, 2016 at 6:42 pm

      These look so yummy! Love the little accents too. I could eat cupcakes every day! Good thing I'm too busy to make them every day! LOL!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        May 12, 2016 at 6:53 pm

        Haha thank you!

        Reply
    13. The Vegan 8

      May 11, 2016 at 2:00 pm

      I love cupcakes, one of my favorite desserts ever, and especially when they are super fluffy!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        May 11, 2016 at 2:20 pm

        Thank you!

        Reply
    14. Jenn

      May 09, 2016 at 9:57 pm

      As much as I love chocolate, the pic of the unfrosted cupcake has me drooling. It looks so darn perfect! Super fluffy! Add back that chocolate frosting and, well, that's just icing on the cake. <- see what I did there?! :)

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        May 09, 2016 at 10:01 pm

        Thank you Jenn! For the kind words and the stellar cake pun!

        Reply
    15. Natalie | Feasting on Fruit

      May 09, 2016 at 4:38 pm

      They look so good, and so many great little tips hiding in this post too! I have made the cupcake recipe from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World so many times for friends, it never fails, but the extra coconutty flavor sounds delicious! Especially with chocolate :)

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        May 09, 2016 at 5:01 pm

        It really is a rock-solid recipe. Aquafaba is magic, but it's nice to go back to that old recipe and remember that we didn't even need AF to make amazing cupcakes!

        Reply
    16. Cadry

      May 09, 2016 at 1:41 pm

      The cupcakes look so good, and I love that you used frosting from a can. It's a great way to show that vegan baking is easy!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        May 09, 2016 at 1:44 pm

        Haha thank you! I know homemade is so much better, but sometimes convenience rules!

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    About Me

    photo of Becky Striepe
    Hi! My name is Becky Striepe (rhymes with “sleepy”). I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here. → READ MORE

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    As Seen On: Buzzfeed, How Stuff Works, Parade Magazine, Follow Your Kind Podcast, Peta, Curiously Veg Radio, Shape Magazine

    About

    • About Becky Striepe
    • Privacy Policy
    • About the Ads
    • Video Blogging FAQ

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Trending now

    • glass jar of soy yogurt on a blue table with the Instant Pot in the background
    • photo of vegan spinach artichoke dip in the baking pan. A hand is dipping a cracker into the pan.
    • overhead photo of air fryer tofu in a blue bowl with green onions sprinkled on top

    Copyright Notice

    All content Copyright © Glue & Glitter/Cattington Inc. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. You may post a short excerpt and/or one photo, as long as you provide clear credit and a link back to the original recipe or tutorial post at glueandglitter.com. Please do not repost recipes in full without my express permission.

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Glue & Glitter