Bourbon Coconut Cupcakes
These Bourbon Coconut Cupcakes are perfect for adult birthday parties. They are easy to make and absolutely delicious.

These bourbon coconut cupcakes are basically impossible to resist. There's lots of delicious coconut flavor in a moist cupcake and a cream cheese-y bourbon frosting on top. Perfection.

I made these for a very handsome man's birthday a few weeks ago. I wish I had a recording of them being eaten. It sounds something like this: “Mmm, mmm, holy man that's good, mmmm.” I thought that decorating all 24 of these cupcakes for a 2 person birthday party might be a little overkill. Or not. Either way, I put a whole bag of them in the freezer and pulled out a few 2 days ago and am eating one right now. I've got sticky icing all over my keyboard to prove it. Mmm, mmm, holy man these are good 🙂

If you make these Bourbon Coconut Cupcakes make sure to snap a pic and tag @theendlessmeal on Instagram so I can like and comment on your photos. I love seeing TEM recipes you create.

Bourbon Coconut Cupcakes
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Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ cups sweetened shredded coconut
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 ¾ cups sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 5 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ cup coconut oil, warmed to melt
Frosting
- 8 ounce cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 tablespoons bourbon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup sweetened shredded coconut, optional, to decorate
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Arrange oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of your oven. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 cupcake pans with liners (24 in total).
- Whisk the flour, coconut, baking powder, and salt in a medium-sized bowl.2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, 2 ½ cups sweetened shredded coconut, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- Add the sugar and butter to a large bowl and cream with electric beaters until smooth, about 3–4 minutes. Add the eggs and beat until light and fluffy, 2–3 minutes. Beat in the buttermilk and coconut oil. Add the dry ingredients and beat just until it is mixed.2 ¾ cups sugar, 1 cup unsalted butter, 5 large eggs, 1 cup buttermilk, ½ cup coconut oil
- Divide the batter equally between the 24 cupcake liners. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of cupcakes comes out clean, about 15-20 minutes. Transfer the pans to wire racks; let cool in pans for 5 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pan and let them cool completely on the wire racks.
Frosting
- Using an electric mixer beat cream cheese and butter on high speed, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl, until smooth and creamy, about 2–3 minutes. Add the bourbon and salt and beat for 1 minute longer. Add sugar and beat at low speed until combined. Add more bourbon to thin the frosting or more powdered sugar if you want it thicker.8 ounce cream cheese, 1 cup unsalted butter, 4 tablespoons bourbon, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, 4 cups powdered sugar
- Either use a knife to spread the frosting on top of the completely cooled cupcakes or use a pastry bag to pipe on the frosting. Sprinkle a little extra coconut on top of the cupcakes.½ cup sweetened shredded coconut
Can I use this recipe to make a cake instead of a cupcakes?
Yes! You’ll need an 8″ cake pan and it will need to bake for about 25 minutes. 🙂
Okay… Maybe I should have known to not fill up the cupcake paper liner because I have some monster cupcakes stuck together in my oven… So ladies just fill them a half inch from the top and there’s lots more batter for more delicious cupcakes!! Now the trick is to get them out of the cupcake pans!!!!
Oh no! I should have have mentioned in the instructions not to fill the cupcakes liners all the way to the top. Did you manage to get them out ok?
Thanks for sharing! I am going to try these and if we love them may use at our wedding!
You’re welcome! And congratulations on your engagement!!
Flavor combo is really great, and cupcakes look so pretty, too.
I’ve featured this recipe on my blog, hoping that you don’t mind, but if you do, please contact me and I’ll remove it. All the best.
I don’t mind at all! Thank you so much for linking back to this recipe 🙂
Coconut? Bourbon? Cupcake? Yes Yes Yes!!!
My 3 favourites!
I’m a huge coconut fan. These look right up my alley.
I’m a huge coconut fan too!
These look amazing. I’m love coconut, so these are right up my alley.
Thanks, Rachel! I love coconut too 🙂
These cupcakes look wonderful and really festive!
Thanks, Medeja!