Impress, amaze and treat your loved ones to these luxurious and healthy lime and coconut cupcakes. These cupcakes with coconut flour are perfect for parties, celebrations and get-togethers - plus are gluten-free and naturally sweetened!
Enjoy these lime and coconut cupcakes with more gluten-free and naturally sweetened treats including our gluten-free rhubarb crumble recipe, gluten-free sweet potato brownies and our delicious gluten-free lemon drizzle cake recipe!
If you are looking to take your desserts to another level then you have to try these lime and coconut layered cupcakes!
Each cupcake features an incredibly moist coconut and lime flavoured sponge, topped and layered with a refreshing, sweet and creamy lime frosting... Sprinkled with coconut flakes and lime zest!
These cupcakes were inspired by one of my favourite chefs Ainsley Harriot and his delightful coconut and lime fairy cakes!
I loved the idea of combining these flavours - cue these incredible cupcakes! A healthier twist on classic cupcakes!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
These incredibly flavourful cupcakes are everything you want in a dessert and sweet treat:
- Healthy – gluten-free and no refined sugar (like our gluten-free chocolate chip muffins with almond flour).
- Incredible coconut and lime flavour – these cupcakes have incredible delicate and bold coconut and lime flavours and will take your cupcake tasting experience to new heights!
- Delicious taste – I love the taste of these cupcakes and you will too!
- Perfect level of sweetness
- Light, fluffy and moist – this cake crumb is tender, moist and fluffy!
- Air Fryer option – you can make these muffins in the air fryer, a cheaper, convenient and faster option compared with regular baking!
Why use Coconut Flour?
- Coconut flour is made from fresh coconut only – the flesh of the coconut is separated and strained from any liquid in the coconut and then it is baked to completely dry the solid coconut. The dried coconut is then finely ground into flour.
- Coconut flour is gluten-free and vegan and can be used as a healthier alternative to regular flour. (Check out our gluten-free coconut flour chocolate chip muffins which are also made using coconut flour).
- This flour also has a natural sweetness and mild coconut flavour which adds a unique taste to baked goods (and other dishes).
- Coconut flour is high in many nutrients including fibre, protein, potassium and iron.
Ingredients
To make these muffins you will need:
- Coconut flour: use organic coconut flour for the best results
- Eggs: eggs add moisture and bind the ingredients together giving these cupcakes structure (as coconut flour does not contain “gluten” which typically gives structure to baked goods). The eggs are separated in this recipe – whip the egg whites separately to give these cupcakes a fluffier and lighter texture.
- Raising agents: baking powder and baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) are used to help make the cupcakes fluffy and rise
- Maple syrup: for sweetness and moisture, use grade A maple syrup (with no added sugar).
- Coconut oil: this adds moisture and enhances the coconut flavour of these muffins, use organic unrefined coconut oil.
- Unsalted butter use a combination of coconut oil and butter (unsalted) for richness, flavour and moisture in these cupcakes.
- Milk: use any milk you prefer, dairy or non-dairy will work (adds moisture to the crumb).
- Pure vanilla extract: this adds a warm flavour to these muffins (look for vanilla with no added sugar).
- Fresh limes: you will need the zest and juice of fresh limes.
- Desiccated coconut flakes: these are optional but recommended for extra crunch and to decorate each cupcake.
- Mascarpone cheese: for the frosting you will need mascarpone cheese (in addition to maple syrup, lime zest and lime juice).
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Variations
- Dessicated coconut or toasted coconut flakes: For extra crunch add ¼ cup desiccated coconut in the batter, you can also adjust the frosting based on your preferences. Top with toasted coconut flakes.
- Toppings: serve these cupcakes with fresh mint leaves, sliced almonds or fresh pineapple for different flavour combinations.
How to Make Lime and Coconut Cupcakes
- Sift the dry ingredients. Sift the coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl and whisk to combine.
- Whisk together the wet ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until they become a thick yellow mixture. Add the maple syrup, melted butter and coconut oil, milk, vanilla, lime zest, lime juice and lime zest. Whisk again to combine, forming a yellow uniform mixture.
- Add the dry ingredients. Using a silicone spatula, gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients to form a grainy light-yellow mixture.
- Whip egg whites. Using an electric whisk, whip the egg whites in a separate medium bowl (dry and clean) until fluffy, soft/medium peaks (approx. 2-3 mins).
- Fold in a third of the egg whites. Using a silicone spatula, gently fold one third of the egg whites into the batter and fold until combined.
- Gently fold the second third of egg whites. Gently fold in the second third of the egg whites into the batter until combined.
- Gently fold in the remaining egg whites and combine. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites, use the silicone spatula to fold into the batter until combined. The batter will look fluffy and very pale yellow.
- Fill the liners and bake. Using a spoon, transfer the batter mixture into each cupcake liner/tray. Optional – sprinkle desiccated coconut flakes on top of the cupcakes for extra crunch. Bake for 12-15 minutes in a wide preheated air fryer (160°C/320°F). Alternatively, bake in a preheated oven at 175°C/347°F for 20-25 minutes or until the cupcakes are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cupcake comes out clean. Remove from the oven/air fryer and allow to cool in the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to let the muffins cool completely. Decorate with frosting and enjoy!
Lime Mascarone Cheese Frosting
To make the frosting combine mascarpone cheese, lime zest, maple syrup and lime juice. Use a fork or spoon to gently mash to form a smooth creamy mixture. Transfer into the fridge and use to decorate the cupcakes when cooled.
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How to Decorate these Cupcakes
Serve these cupcake with frosting on top or as layered cupcakes. For layered cupcakes:
- Start by slicing each cupcake in half (horizontally) then add a spoonful of frosting and spread across the cupcake
- Add the top half on top and spread more frosting on top!
Expert Tips
- Room temperature ingredients: make sure all ingredients are at room temperature to evenly mix in the batter (many of the wet ingredients come from the fridge)
- Whip the egg whites to soft/medium peaks: this is one of the biggest secrets to a moist, fluffy and light cupcakes – the egg whites are whipped to soft/medium peaks and this contributes to the delicious moist crumb in these muffins. By whipping the egg whites, this adds extra air in the batter whilst retaining the moisture – we don’t whip for too long (i.e. stiff peaks), just enough to add some air to the batter.
- Use a clean bowl when whipping egg whites: make sure your bowl is dry and clean from any residue – this will help the egg whites whip to desired consistency.
- Weigh your ingredients: for accuracy, I recommend weighing your coconut flour (instead of using cup measures).
How to Store
- Fridge: store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: store in an airtight freezer-friendly container for up to 3 months. (See Recipe FAQs for freezing tips).
How to Serve
Enjoy these cupcakes with a fresh beverage – including a fresh cup of Nespresso Americano coffee, creamy vanilla macha (green tea) latte, Nespresso iced coffee or masala chai (Indian spiced tea)!
Serve with other healthy sweet snacks including our healthy chocolate peanut butter tartlets recipe, quick pineapple chia seed pudding recipe, 5-ingredient chocolate peanut butter fudge and our gluten-free matcha brownies with almond flour!
Recipe FAQs
Coconut flour has a different texture to all-purpose flour – it is more absorbent (which means it absorbs more of the wet ingredients), which is why you need a smaller quantity of coconut flour compared with regular flours.
Coconut flour also has no gluten (protein which gives structure to baked goods) – therefore we add eggs (including whipped egg whites) to help give the batter structure and help make these lighter and fluffier.
To make a smooth batter it is important for ingredients to be at room temperature. If you forget to leave out some of the ingredients at room temperature you can use these tips to help them come to room temperature. For eggs, place in a bowl of warm water for few minutes. For milk and maple syrup, heat in a microwave-safe bowl or in a pan gently until slightly warm.
Melt in the microwave or in a pan. For microwave: gently warm coconut oil and butter in microwave-safe bowl for 20-30 seconds at a time, until melted. If you prefer you can also add maple syrup into the bowl once the butter and coconut oil are slightly melted, this will help bring all the ingredients to the same temperature so they are easily combined when mixing with the remaining wet ingredients.
Once cooled, wrap each undecorated cupcake in cling film/plastic wrap. For frosted cupcakes, freeze first for a few hours to harden the frosting, then wrap with cling film/plastic wrap. Place wrapped cupcakes in an airtight container or zip-lock bag and label.
Remove the wrapping and place cupcakes on a plate. Cover and let thaw at room temperature for a few hours or overnight in the fridge.
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Lime and Coconut Cupcakes
Equipment
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 75g Coconut flour sifted
- 1 ½ teaspoon Baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking soda bicarbonate of soda
- Pinch Salt
- 2 Limes (zest of 2 limes)
- 53 g Coconut oil ¼ cup, melted
- 53 g Unsalted butter melted
- 100 ml Milk dairy or non-dairy
- 4 Eggs egg yolks and egg whites separated in two bowls (egg sizes vary based on region - use medium eggs if you are in Europe or large if you are in the US/Australia)
- ⅓ cup Maple syrup refined sugar-free
- 1 ½ teaspoon Vanilla
- Juice of 1 lime 5-6 tsp
Frosting:
- 300g Mascarpone cheese
- 4 tbsp Maple syrup
- Zest of 2 limes
- 3 tablespoon Lime juice
Decoration
- 1 tablespoon Desiccated coconut flakes
- 1 teaspoon Lime Zest
Instructions
Cupcakes:
- Sift the coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl and whisk to combine.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until they become a thick yellow mixture. Add the maple syrup, melted butter and coconut oil, milk, vanilla, lime zest, lime juice and lime zest. Whisk again to combine.
- Using a silicone spatula, gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients to form a grainy light-yellow mixture.
- Using an electric whisk, whip the egg whites in a separate medium bowl (dry and clean) until fluffy, soft/medium peaks (approx. 2-3 mins)
- Using a silicone spatula, gently fold one third of the egg whites into the batter until combined. Repeat for remaining egg whites.
- Transfer the batter mixture into each cupcake liner/tray. Bake for 12-14 minutes in a preheated wide air fryer (160°C/320°F) or 20-25 minutes in preheated oven (175°C/347°F), or until the cupcakes are lightly golden. Use a toothpick or skewer to test the middle of the cupcake, it should come out clean.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to let the muffins cool completely. Decorate with frosting and enjoy!
Frosting
- In a large bowl add the mascarpone cheese, lime zest, maple syrup and lime juice.
- Use a fork to gently mash the cheese whilst combining with the remaining ingredients to form a smooth creamy mixture.
- Transfer into the fridge and use to decorate the cupcakes when cooled.
Decorating cupcakes:
- Once cooled, decorate the cupcakes. For layered cupcakes, slice each cupcake in half (horizontally).
- Add a spoonful of frosting and spread across the bottom half of cupcake
- Place the top half of the cupcake on top and spread more frosting. Sprinkle with desiccated coconut and fresh lime zest. Serve and enjoy or store in the fridge for later.
Notes
- Room temperature ingredients: make sure all ingredients are at room temperature to evenly mix in the batter (many of the wet ingredients come from the fridge)
- Whip the egg whites to soft/medium peaks: this is one of the biggest secrets to a moist, fluffy and light cupcakes – the egg whites are whipped to soft/medium peaks and this contributes to the delicious moist crumb in these muffins. By whipping the egg whites, this adds extra air in the batter whilst retaining the moisture – we don’t whip for too long (i.e. stiff peaks), just enough to add some air to the batter.
- Use a clean bowl when whipping egg whites: make sure your bowl is dry and clean from any residue – this will help the egg whites whip to desired consistency.
Sonia
Delicious, refreshing and fluffy cupcakes!