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If you're looking for a sweet treat that won’t derail your healthy eating goals, these Protein Coconut Cupcakes are just what you need! Light, fluffy, and packed with tropical coconut flavor, these cupcakes are made with protein powder to give you a delicious boost of nutrition.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- High in protein
- Packed with coconut flavor
- Easy to make with simple ingredients
- Perfect for meal prep, post workout snack or a healthy alternative for your sweet tooth
Protein Coconut Cupcake Ingredients
- Oat flour: is rich in fiber and protein, making it the perfect baking flour for this recipe.
- Vanilla whey protein powder: adds a protein boost to support muscle recovery. Try different flavors to change up the taste!
- Baking soda: helps the cupcakes rise and maintain their structure. It needs an acidic ingredient like yogurt to activate. Once activated, bake the batter right away for the best results.
- Salt: not only enhances flavor, but also helps with structure, texture and color.
- Brown sugar: adds flavor but also moisture.
- Unsweetened applesauce: adds a delicate flavor and moisture.
- Greek yogurt: a healthier alternative to using butter or oil, but also adds moistness and gives a slightly tangy flavor. Yogurt also acts as a leavening agent for the baking soda as mentioned above.
- Egg whites: reduces the fat and helps bind all the ingredients together.
- Whole milk: lubricates all the ingredients and binds them together. Also helps moisture and helps keep the cupcakes shelf life.
- Coconut extract: adds flavor.
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredient Tips
- Reduced-fat cream cheese: Cut into small pieces and let it come to room temperature before using. Mix by hand with a rubber spatula to prevent the frosting from becoming too runny.
- Vanilla extract: don't forget the vanilla extract!
- Powdered sugar: Sift the powdered sugar for a super smooth frosting.
How To Toast Coconut
Adjust an oven rack to the middle position. Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Spread coconut evenly on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown about 5 to10 minutes, stirring half way through. Remove coconut from oven and set aside to cool.
Baking and Decorating Tools
- Rimmed baking sheet
- 2 12-cup cupcake pans
- 24 cupcake liners
- 3 tablespoon sized spring loaded ice cream scoop
Tips for Success
- Use a 3-tablespoon spring-loaded ice cream scoop to evenly divide the cake batter into the cupcake pans for consistent sizing.
- Don't over mix the cake batter or frosting. Mix both by hand for best results.
- Rotate the pans just before they are finished baking.
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Suggested Recipes
Protein Coconut Cupcakes
Yield:
24
Prep Time:
30 minutes
Cook Time:
20 minutes
Additional Time:
10 minutes
Total Time:
1 hour
If you're looking for a sweet treat that won’t derail your healthy eating goals, these Protein Coconut Cupcakes are just what you need! Light, fluffy, and packed with tropical coconut flavor, these cupcakes are made with protein powder to give you a delicious boost of nutrition.
Ingredients
BAKING TOOLS
- Rimmed baking sheet
- 2 12-cup cupcake pans
- 24 cupcake liners
- 3 tablespoon sized spring loaded ice cream scoop
COCONUT
- 1/2 cup organic unsweetened coconut flakes
CUPCAKES
- 1 1/2 cups oat flour
- 2 scoops vanilla whey protein
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 1 cup organic brown sugar
- 1/2 cup organic unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 egg whites
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 teaspoons coconut extract
FROSTING
- 12 ounces reduced fat cream cheese, diced and softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
Instructions
COCONUT
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position. Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Spread coconut evenly on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown about 5 to10 minutes, stirring half way through. Remove coconut from oven and set aside to cool.
CUPCAKE
- Line 2 12-cup muffins tins with cupcake liners or spray with nonstick spray. In a large bowl whisk together oat flour, protein powder, baking soda and salt. In a medium-sized bowl whisk together brown sugar, applesauce, yogurt, egg whites, milk and coconut extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk to combine. Using a 3 tablespoon-sized ice cream scoop, measure out cake batter into prepared cupcake pans. Bake cupcakes on middle rack for 15 to 20 minutes. Cool cupcakes in pan for 10 minutes then invert on a rack to cool completely.
FROSTING
- In a large bowl, gently mix the cream cheese and vanilla together by hand with a rubber spatula. Do not use an electric mixer this will turn your frosting into soup. Add powdered sugar and combine until smooth. I it will look like it won’t want to combine but it will, just keep mixing! Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let frosting chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour until spreadable.
- Once cupcakes have cooled and the frosting is ready, pipe or spread frosting on top of cupcakes and garnish with toasted coconut.
Notes
STORAGE: Cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 272Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 210mgCarbohydrates: 45gFiber: 3gSugar: 29gProtein: 10g
*Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary.*
Brianna Danner says
I love coconut, and these look amazing. Great job.
Mary says
Thank you!
Lynn | The Road to Honey says
Wow Mary! These cupcakes are to die for.
During the past months, the hubby has been going to an intense Bootcamp course which has pushed him to make other lifestyle changes such as eliminating caffeine and increasing his protein intake. I do a lot of baking; however, he doesn't want to eat my creations as he would rather reserve the calories for more protein rich foods. I'm thinking these cupcakes might be the perfect compromise for him when he is craving a treat. I can't wait to give these a try. Best of luck on your training program.
Mary says
Thank you!
Philip Murad says
WOuld a different type of flour - Almond flour - work in this?
Mary says
I haven't tried this with almond flour so I am not sure. If you do try it let me know how it comes out.