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Mary Berry Coconut Cupcakes Recipe

Mary Berry Coconut Cupcakes Recipe

Mary Berry's coconut cupcakes are light, fragrant, and topped with a silky coconut buttercream and toasted coconut — completely wonderful.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Cooling Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 12 Cupcakes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: British
Calories: 420
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Coconut Cupcakes:
  • 150 g unsalted butter softened
  • 150 g golden caster sugar
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 125 g self-raising flour sifted
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 75 g desiccated coconut toasted until lightly golden
  • 3 tbsp coconut cream from full-fat tin
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed lime
  • Coconut Buttercream:
  • 175 g unsalted butter softened
  • 350 g icing sugar sifted twice
  • 4 tbsp coconut cream from full-fat tin
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Pinch of fine salt
  • Decoration:
  • 50 g desiccated coconut toasted golden
  • 12 thin lime slices
  • Edible flowers optional

Method
 

  1. Toast 75g desiccated coconut and 50g for decoration in a dry pan 3–4 minutes until lightly golden — cool. Set aside 50g separately.
  2. Preheat oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with cases.
  3. Beat butter and sugar 3–4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and lime zest. Sift in flour and baking powder. Add 75g toasted coconut and coconut cream — fold gently.
  4. Divide between cases — two-thirds full. Bake 18–20 minutes until risen and skewer comes out clean. Cool in tin 5 minutes — transfer to wire rack. Cool completely.
  5. Beat butter alone 4 minutes. Add icing sugar in 3 batches. Add coconut cream, vanilla, and salt — beat 2 more minutes. Taste and adjust.
  6. Pipe a generous swirl onto each cooled cupcake. Scatter toasted coconut immediately. Top with a lime slice and edible flower if using.

Notes

Toast all coconut before starting — transforms it from mild to golden and deeply fragrant.
Use coconut cream not coconut milk — in both batter and buttercream.
Lime zest in the batter gives the specifically tropical character — better than lemon here.
Beat butter alone for 4 minutes — creates the silky, light buttercream base.
Scatter toasted coconut immediately after piping — it adheres to fresh buttercream.
Freeze unfrosted cupcakes for up to 3 months.
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