Coquito Cupcakes

December 17, 2020

IYKYK. And if you don’t, I’m about to tell ya! Coquito is a traditional Puerto Rican beverage made with coconut milk and rum and spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. It’s served around the Christmas holidays, so it’s often called Puerto Rican eggnog, but please don’t do that. Coquito stands on its own with its fresh, creamy flavor. In fact, there’s actually a lot of controversy about whether coquito should be made with eggs or without. When I make coquito, I don’t use eggs (lazy girl over here), but more often than not, I just bum a bottle from someone making a big batch. These cupcakes incorporate the same coconut freshness and warm spice of coquito - in other words, they taste like Navidad. 

The frosting and cupcake both use coconut milk (you’ll only need one can of coconut milk to make both!). The frosting is an ermine frosting, which starts with a flour and milk mixture that is cooked until thick. All I did was swap out the milk for coconut milk, which gives the frosting a very delicate and subtle coconut flavor. 

The cupcakes start with my basic vanilla cupcake recipe, which is super easy to make. Like I did with the frosting, I swapped out buttermilk for coconut milk and added spices. These coquito cupcakes are so light and fluffy, with the perfect amount of spice and coconut flavor. I could have eaten them plain, but they definitely get elevated by the frosting.  I’m so glad this is now part of my holiday baking and I hope you’ll enjoy making them too!

recipe

Adapted from Sugar Spun Run’s Pinata Cupcakes and New York Times Cooking Ermine Frosting

Time: ~1.5 hours

Quantity: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:

Coconut Ermine Frosting

• 40 g (5 tablespoons) flour

• 148 g (3/4 cup) granulated sugar

• 8 ounces (1 cup) coconut milk (NOT low fat)

• 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, fresh grated if you have it

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Pinch of salt

• 225 g (1 cup or 2 sticks) butter, room temp

Coquito Cupcakes

• 56 g (1/2 stick or 1/4 cup) butter, room temp

• 60 ml (1/4 cup) vegetable oil (or other neutral oil)

• 150 g (3/4 cup) sugar 

• 2 eggs room temperature preferred

• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla 

• 188 g (1 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour 

• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, fresh grated if you have it

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 5 1/2 ounces (2/3 cup) coconut milk

Process:

Coconut Ermine Frosting

1. In a small saucepan, combine flour, sugar and spices, then add coconut milk. 

2. Whisk until combined then cook over medium heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture thickens to a pudding-like consistency. 

3. If you have lumps, strain the mixture. Then set aside to cool.

4. To avoid a skin, cover with plastic wrap or parchment paper. 

5. Make the cupcakes while the flour mixture cools. 

Coquito Cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a cupcake tin with cupcake liners. 

2. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, combine the butter, oil and sugar until well-combined. 

3. Add salt, vanilla, baking powder, spices and eggs and mix until light and fluffy. 

4. Add flour and coconut milk in alternating additions, beginning and ending with flour, incorporating well after each addition. 

5. Fill each cupcake cavity about 3/4 full, being careful not to overfill. 

6. Bake for 17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 

Finish Frosting

1. While the cupcakes cool, finish making the frosting. 

2. In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whisk the butter with the vanilla and salt until fluffy. 

3. Add the flour mixture a little at a time, whisking to incorporate. 

4. You’ll know it’s ready when it’s light and fluffy and has a whipped cream texture. 

Assemble Cupcakes

1. Once the cupcakes have cooled completely you can frost them using your preferred method. You can do swoops with a spoon or knife, pipe a swirl, or my favorite approach, the flat top. 

2. You may have extra frosting. 

3. Top with a sprinkling of cinnamon.

Tips: 

• If you have leftover coquito, you can use that in place of the coconut milk in both the frosting and the cupcakes. 

• Feel free to add a little rum extract to the batter and frosting if you want to give the cupcakes even more authentic flavor. 

• The ermine frosting will be quite soft when you first make it. If it’s too soft to work with, just let it sit in the fridge for a bit to firm up. 

• Looking for a coquito recipe? Try this one or this halal version.