These are beautiful, bright cupcakes with an amazing combination of flavors. Topped with our favorite cream cheese frosting, they bring a little sunshine into the day. Did I mention that all components - cupcakes, curd, and frosting - can be made ahead?
Bright, fresh cupcakes
I call these my little gems because, no matter when I bake them, they remind me of sunny days. It's the yellow and white colors; they simply scream joy, don't they?
These cupcakes have a fantastic flavor combination!
The components can be made in advance and even used for other recipes (like the Passion Fruit Lemon No Bake Cheesecake).
They're also amazing on their own, so you can make the coconut cupcakes and simply add dulce de leche or a chocolate frosting on top. Just an idea.
Ingredient list
- Unsalted butter.
- Eggs: fresh, large.
- Buttermilk: it's great for a tender crumb.
- All-purpose flour or cake flour: both work.
- Baking powder: make sure it's not expired.
- Salt.
- Sugar.
- Shredded coconut: unsweetened.
- Vanilla extract.
- Lemon zest.
- Lemon juice.
- Passion fruit pulp: I like to buy it with seeds, but you can also use the smooth pulp.
- Cream cheese: regular, full-fat.
- Powdered sugar: it's necessary for the frosting and can't be substituted.
Quantities are listed in the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
How to make the cupcakes
This is a butter cake, similar to a pound cake, so the batter is pretty straightforward for this type of cakes (like the Basic Vanilla Butter Cake for example).
- Creaming: butter and sugar are creamed, and this should take several minutes. This process incorporates air that is needed to help the cake rise well in the oven.
- Sifting: I find this to be an essential step with layer cakes (image below, left). It builds on the creaming step above to help the batter do its thing in the oven and get us the best result possible.
- Scraping sides of bowl: do this several times (image below, right) to ensure that the batter is integrated as evenly as possible.
- Filling the pan: this is a cake batter that will dome when it rises, and I recommend filling it no more than ¾ of the muffin tins to ensure you don't have huge cupcakes that will be messy to eat after the filling and frosting are added.
Passion fruit curd
The most common citrus curd is lemon, but I made mine with fresh passion fruit pulp and seeds. You can also omit the seeds and have a smooth curd. The process is sort of similar to making pastry cream.
It is an extra step, but you can easily fill these cupcakes with purchased lemon curd or even a good raspberry jam. It pairs wonderfully.
How to fill the cupcakes
Melon scooper: this is what I use to scoop the tops of the baked cupcakes (metal gadget in the image below) and make a sort of nest to be filled with the passion fruit curd. It's super simple to use and easily available online.
Don't overdo it with the amount of curd, or the cupcakes will be too messy to eat.
Kitchen Notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, utensils and equipment needed, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Baking time: consider that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as possible, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend tracking how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Filling the pan: this is a cake batter that will dome when it rises, and I recommend filling it no more than ¾ of the muffin tins to ensure you don't have huge cupcakes that will be messy to eat after the filling and frosting are added.
- Coconut: you might want to lightly toast the shredded coconut before adding it to the batter. Do so in a low oven and watch very carefully as it burns in a second. Let cool completely before adding.
- Topping: I recommend you wait until the last minute to add it. If eating these outside on a hot day, keep them in the fridge as long as possible before serving them.
Related recipes you might like:
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Coconut Passion Fruit Cupcakes
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Ingredients
For the coconut cupcakes:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- pinch salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- coconut scales, toasted, to decorate
For the passion fruit curd:
- 3 egg yolks, at room temperature
- ¾ cup passion fruit puree
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup sugar
For the cream cheese frosting:
- ⅓ cup cream cheese, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, you might need more
Instructions
For the passion fruit curd:
- In a bowl, beat 3 egg yolks and ¼ cup sugar for 1 minute. Add ¾ cup passion fruit puree and ¼ cup lemon juice. Reserve.
- Melt ⅓ cup unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Before it boils, add yolk mixture and cook over medium/low heat, stirring constantly, until the mix thickens, but do not let it boil.
- Pour into sterilized jars if you plan to keep it for a few weeks, and not use it within the next 5 days. Keep refrigerated.
For the coconut cupcakes:
- Preheat oven at 350ºF (180°C). Fill a muffin tin with 12 paper liners.
- Sift 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder and pinch salt.
- In a large bowl, beat ¾ cup unsalted butter for 1 minute. Gradually add 1 cup sugar, beating constantly at medium/high speed.
- Add 3 large eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one. Add 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut, ½ teaspoon lemon zest and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and combine.
- Add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with ¾ cup buttermilk in 2 parts. Don’t overmix at this point, or the cupcakes will be tough.
- Fill paper liners to ¾ of their capacity, and bake for about 25 minutes, until golden, springy to the touch and a tester comes out clean.
- Let them cool completely on a wire rack.
- Scoop the top center of each cupcake. I use a melon baller, which makes it super easy. But you can use a spoon or small paring knife.
- Fill each hole with a teaspoon or so of curd. Pipe or spoon the frosting on top and top with toasted coconut scales to decorate.
For the cream cheese frosting:
- Beat ⅓ cup cream cheese and 3 tablespoons unsalted butter until very smooth.
- Add 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, gradually, until you have a thick batter that can be piped. Use more powdered sugar if needed. Keep covered, in the fridge.
Notes
Cupcakes adapted from Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, by Ina Garten and curd adapted from How to be a Domestic Goddess, by Nigella Lawson
Marlene Gris says
Hi Paula
I wanted to try the Passion fruit curd first so purchased a good sized yellow one which was slightly soft to the touch. Unfortunately it was tasteless.
Is there a trick to find tasty Passion fruit? Am I best to buy a can of pureed Passion fruit at an Asian store. Maybe mango would work. What do you think?
Marlene
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Marlene! I buy passion fruit when the skin is wrinkled and the inside moves around when shaken. I never had one that was tasteless so maybe it's the variety you bought. Buying frozen pulp is a great option in my opinion, better than canned, as it's simply fresh fruit that's been frozen. Mango should also work.
Gourmet Getaways says
Did someone tell you that your cupcakes and holders are like soul mates?! They look so good together! Thanks for the recipe :).
Julie
Gourmet Getaways
Nusrat Azim says
Cupcake it its best! Look wise and taste wise 🙂 Especially the passion fruit curt recipe took my breath away.
Many thanks for those cute pictures...made my morning 🙂
laurasmess.me says
It's hot here too Paula! I keep reading about all of the northern hemisphere bloggers and their snow whilst we've been having days around 42-45 degrees C. Argh. I've avoided putting my oven on too. Anyway, regardless of sweating it up in the kitchen, these cupcakes look absolutely beautiful. Moist, pretty and delicious. Hope that you guys get relief from those hot days soon. Hugs xx
Christine @ 24 Carrot Kitchen says
I have to say I normally choose chocolate cupcakes, but if I saw these I would choose them over chocolate. They look scrumptious!
thehungrymum.com says
so chic & delightful-looking.
Mary Hirsch says
Yeah, Stranger, you have been missing for some time but that only means to me that things are busy and happy. Right? These cupcakes make the wait worthwhile. I am not a huge chocolate lover, heavily frosted cupcakes with chocolate frosting galore are not for me. But everything about this cutie pie looks like something I would enjoy. I don't make cupcakes either. But it's so much easier for me to make cupcakes, throw them in the freezer unfrosted and take out a few at a time. If I make a cake for myself, I end up throwing most of it in the garbage. The only leaf I've turned over this year is all about NOT wasting food. So, my friend, this is a cupcake I will try with ingredients I've never used before and a taste that must be yummy.
Liz Berg says
Thanks for sharing some sunshine with us! Do you have a spare bedroom???? LOL. Your cupcakes look fantastic!
Kathy says
Oh so pretty, Paula!! And they sound luscious with the passion fruit curd! I would really enjoy one right now with my cup of tea!
Jamie says
I love the combination of flavors and they are so pretty. I actually have a can of passionfruit purée in my cupboard and had no idea what to do with it!
anna @ annamayeveryday says
These look beautiful Paula and as it is cold and wet here we need no excuse to tuck into some treats!
mividaenundulce says
Creo que es una combinación más que perfecta. Y bueno, ya que estamos en verano este cupcake tropical nos viene perfecto...!!!
Nancy @ gottagetbaked says
I love every warm, sunny, tropical flavour you've used in these gorgeous cupcakes, Paula! Just reading this post and savouring your beautiful photos is putting me in a summery frame of mind. I don't blame you for not turning on your oven - I stubbornly insisted on baking last summer and I was dying from the heat. I hope everything's going good with you and that 2014 has been fabulous so far!
easyfoodsmith says
Love lemon, love coconut but never tasted passion fruit. They must taste great together. I am so tempted to pick up one and lick off and taste that passion fruit curd!
lemongrovecakediaries says
Yum you had me at passionfruit 🙂 I actually like a good cupcake, and I love a cupcake that has a secret filling in the middle. Great recipe Paula
Abbe@This is How I Cook says
I heard they sold passion fruit puree at the Asian market in the frozen section. I will really have to check on this! These look great!
Lizzie @ Strayed from the Table says
Super sneaky passionfruit curd centres - these look fantastic.
e / dig in says
too hot to bake here too, paula ... but these look so refreshing. i love nigella's curd recipe - it's my 'go to'. and passionfruit curd is sooooo delicious!
Dina says
they look lovely!
Cocoa and Lavender says
There is so much to love about this post! The coconut, passion fruit... those two things alone make me swoon! But I also love the polka-dot cupcake liners! So cheerful! I probably cannot find the passion fruit, so will be making these with lemon or lime curd! Glad to see you back online! How's the new job?