Coconut Bunny Tail Cupcakes (View Print Version)

Fluffy coconut cupcakes with marshmallow details, ideal for spring celebrations and family fun.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cupcakes

01 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
08 - 1/2 cup whole milk
09 - 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

→ Frosting

10 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
11 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
12 - 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
13 - 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
14 - Pinch of salt

→ Decorations

15 - 1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
16 - 12 large marshmallows
17 - 24 mini marshmallows
18 - Pink food coloring, optional

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, cream softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla extract, mixing until fully combined.
05 - Add flour mixture in two parts, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined. Fold in shredded coconut gently.
06 - Divide batter evenly among cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.
07 - Beat softened butter until creamy. Gradually mix in powdered sugar, then milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat until smooth and fluffy.
08 - Spread frosting generously over each cooled cupcake.
09 - Place sweetened shredded coconut in a shallow bowl. Roll each frosted cupcake in the coconut, pressing gently to ensure full coverage.
10 - Place one large marshmallow in the center of each cupcake to form the tail.
11 - Optional: Use a toothpick to dab pink food coloring onto mini marshmallows to create paw pads. Attach two mini marshmallows at the base of each large marshmallow using a small dab of frosting as adhesive.
12 - Arrange cupcakes on a serving platter and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They look fancy enough to impress but honestly require no special skills—just enthusiasm and marshmallows.
  • Kids will actually help you make them without being asked twice, and that's worth everything.
  • The coconut-covered cupcakes stay soft inside while tasting like a tropical escape, making them genuinely delicious beyond just cute.
02 -
  • Don't skip cooling the cupcakes completely—warm frosting is a slippery slope, and you'll end up with frosting in your hands instead of on the cupcakes.
  • Room-temperature eggs really do matter here; cold eggs won't emulsify properly, and you'll end up with a separated, curdled-looking batter that still bakes but loses that tender quality.
  • The alternating wet-dry method isn't just fancy technique—it's the difference between cupcakes that taste delicate and ones that feel like dense cake.
03 -
  • Add 1/2 teaspoon of coconut extract to either the batter or frosting for a deeper tropical flavor that tastes intentional, not accidental.
  • Tint the sweetened coconut itself with food coloring before rolling for a pastel Easter look, or use pink and yellow coconut to create a more vibrant bunny village.
  • Make these cupcakes the day before serving—they actually develop better texture overnight and are easier to transport without marshmallows getting jostled.
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