Mixed Berry Cupcakes with Coconut Buttercream

seven berry cupcakes on a circular serving platter next to a sliced cupcake and napkin

Berry muffins studded with blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries are frosted with a simple coconut buttercream. This red, white, and blue patriotic dessert is a great summer treat!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Cooling and Frosting Time 40

Total Time 1 20

Servings cupcakes

Calories 398kcal

Author Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN

Equipment

Muffin tin and liners
Stand mixer with paddle attachment (or hand mixer and bowl)

Ingredients

Berry cupcakes

2 cups all purpose flour
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ cup milk of choice
½ cup canola oil
½ cup plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs beaten
2 cups blueberries, raspberries, and sliced strawberries save some berries for topping the cupcakes

Coconut buttercream frosting

0.5 cup unsalted butter softened at room temperature
1.5 cups confectioner's sugar
4 tablespoon coconut cream from the thick top layer of a can of full-fat coconut milk
0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt if desired
¼ cup unsweetened coconut flakes for topping the cupcakes

Instructions

If you have not taken the butter out of the fridge to soften, do that first. It should be completely softened at room temperature before making the icing.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with liners.
In a bowl, stir together the dry ingredients (all purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt). In another large bowl, whisk together the milk, oil, yogurt, vanilla, and eggs. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ones, and whisk until combined. Fold in the berries, and stir with a rubber spatula until just incorporated. You don't want to over-mix the berries and smush them. Save some berries for topping the cupcakes.
Pour the batter into the muffin tin (I like to use an ice cream scooper). The batter will fill the liners pretty much all the way to the top.
Bake the muffins for 19 to 21 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool completely before frosting.
To make the coconut buttercream, place the softened butter in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. If you don't have a stand mixer, use a hand mixer and a mixing bowl. Blend the butter, then gradually add in the confectioner's sugar while you blend on medium-low speed until incorporated. Add the coconut cream and vanilla extract, and blend for 2 to 3 minutes until fluffy and smooth. Taste the frosting and add more coconut cream, vanilla, and/or a tiny pinch of salt if desired.
When the cupcakes have completely cooled, use an icing knife or piping bag to add the frosting. Immediately top each cupcake with a berry or a few blueberries in the center, then add a sprinkle of coconut flakes to stick to the frosting.
Enjoy your cupcakes! Then leave a rating and review on this post.

Notes

For a stronger coconut taste, add coconut extract to the frosting if you have it. Start with a small amount, taste, and add more as desired.
The cupcakes without frosting can be made up to a few days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge to be frosted at a later time if desired.
Frosted cupcakes last very well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. I would not recommend storing them at room temperature unless you will eat them all within a couple of days.
You can use frozen berries for the cupcakes, but do not thaw them before adding to the batter.

Nutrition