I'm not sure about you, but my all-time favorite chocolate has to be Raffaellos! So, I thought, why not turn them into the perfect Christmas cupcakes? These Raffaello Cupcakes are made with a soft coconut cupcake, piped high with cream cheese frosting, and dusted with desiccated coconut.
If you love Christmas baking, you have to try these Reindeer Cupcakes or these delicious Christmas Butter Cookies with Jam.
Why This Raffaello Cupcake Recipe Works
- Recipe name: Raffaello Cupcakes
- Ready in: 1hr 15 minutes
- Serves: 24 cupcakes
- Main ingredients: Coconut, almond extract, oil, eggs, flour, sugar, cream cheese, icing sugar, Raffaello chocolates
- Perfect for: Overdecorating them with coconut and serving them as a snowy treat on Christmas, either as dessert or during festive movie-watching time!
- Why I love it: The flavour of these cupcakes is just incredible, the cream cheese icing works so well with the coconut.
- Calories: 329kcal
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
These cupcakes might be snowy-looking and festive, but there is no judgment here if you'd like to make this recipe year-round!
If you love white chocolate as much as I do, then you need to try out this recipe for White Chocolate Cupcakes or this White Chocolate and Raspberry Loaf Cake.
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Key Ingredients
- Desiccated coconut - This is added to the cupcake batter and the frosting, and adds a great coconut flavor. I recommend using desiccated coconut rather than coconut shavings for this recipe.
- Almond extract - This is used in both the cupcake batter and the frosting, and adds a delicious flavor to both, so make sure you use it!
- Raffaello chocolates - These are coconut almond truffles; if you can't find any, then you can still make these coconut cream cheese cupcakes and top them with your favorite coconut white chocolate instead. You may want to try out these White Chocolate Cupcakes instead.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Raffaello Cupcakes
To make these delicious cupcakes, follow the simple instructions below. First, make the almond and coconut cupcakes, and then the coconut cream cheese frosting.
Instructions for Coconut Cupcakes
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F) and line 24 cupcake liners into two 12-hole cupcake pans. Add the oil, eggs, and sugar to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat at medium to high speed until light and fluffy, for about 4 minutes.
- Step 2: Sift the salt and flour together, then add the flour mixture to the egg and sugar mixture. Beat at low speed until just combined.
- Step 3: Mix the milk, vanilla extract, and almond extract in a jug, then slowly pour it into the cupcake batter while the mixer runs at low speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again, making sure it is lump-free. Add the desiccated coconut to the batter and stir it through using a rubber spatula.
- Step 4: Pour the cupcake batter into the cupcake liners using a jug or ice cream scoop, filling each case two-thirds of the way up. Bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool in their tins for 5 minutes, then cool completely on a cooling rack.
Instructions for Cream Cheese Frosting
- Step 1: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the butter and icing sugar. Beat at medium speed until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
- Step 2: Add the cubed cream cheese to the icing sugar mixture and beat again until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then mix again at high speed until light and fluffy. This can take up to 5 minutes.
- Step 3: Add the almond extract, vanilla, and coconut to the cream cheese frosting, and mix until combined.
- Step 4: Add the frosting to a piping bag fitted with your chosen nozzle, then pipe swirls onto each cupcake. Top each cupcake with a Raffaello chocolate and sprinkle on extra desiccated coconut. Enjoy!
How to Avoid Lumpy Cream Cheese Frosting
It's happened to me countless times: lumpy cream cheese frosting that's too soft to pipe because I overwhipped it trying to get rid of the lumps! The only way to avoid this is to use room-temperature butter and cream cheese. The butter is what causes the lumps, so make sure it is softened and mixed into the icing sugar properly before adding the cream cheese. If you aren't ready for cream cheese frostings, try this Vanilla Bean Buttercream recipe instead!
Literally obsessed with these cupcakes, the frosting is so yummy!
- Mel
Storage
Cupcakes cool quickly and dry out just as quickly, so try to frost them the same day they are baked. If you don't have time to decorate the cupcakes the same day you bake them, store them in an airtight container or cover the cupcake trays with plastic wrap until the next day.
For any leftover frosted cupcakes, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, out of direct sunlight.
Top tips
- Use an oven thermometer to check the true temperature of your oven.
- Don't overfill the cupcake cases, as this can lead to misshapen cupcakes. Read this post 9 Cupcake Baking Tips You Need to Know for extra expert advice!
- Make sure the butter is at room temperature before you make the frosting.
- Ensure the cupcakes have cooled sufficiently before frosting.
Raffaello Cupcakes FAQs
If you can't find Raffaellos, that would be a real shame! But you can still make these cupcakes and decorate them with white chocolate bar shavings, or other white chocolate truffles.
Check the temperature of your oven and also make sure you haven't overfilled the cupcake cases. Overfilling the cases can result in misshapen cupcakes.
Wait - having room-temperature butter is the most crucial step in a successful cream cheese frosting. Choose to wait until the butter has reached room temperature before making this recipe, or cube the butter and heat it gently in the microwave, being careful not to melt it.
To freeze these cupcakes, place any leftover cupcakes in a freezer-safe, air-tight container and freeze them for up to three months. Defrost properly before consuming them.
More Christmas Baking Recipes
These coconut and almond cupcakes have to be added to your festive bake list; they are so soft, and this cream cheese frosting is the best you'll try! Coconut bakes have a special place in this baker's heart, and if you get weak around them, too, you need to try this Bounty Cake recipe!
Happy Baking, With Love, Kitty
If you love this recipe, please leave a comment and a star review below! Looking for more Christmas baking ideas? Then you have to try this homemade Spiced Cherry Jam! These jam jars make the perfect edible gift during the festive season.
📖 Recipe
Raffaello Cupcakes
Equipment
- 2x 12-hole cupcakes trays
- 24 cupcake liners
- piping bag & nozzle
Ingredients
Coconut Cupcakes
- 120 ml sunflower oil
- 3 eggs extra large
- 250 g sugar white granulated
- 290 g self-raising flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 270 ml whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 50 g dessicated coconut
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 600 g powdered sugar
- 100 g unsalted butter
- 250 g cream cheese
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 20 g desiccated coconut plus extra for dusting
- 24 Raffaello truffles
Instructions
Coconut Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F) and line 24 cupcake liners into two 12-hole cupcake pans.
- Add the oil, eggs, and sugar to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
- Sift together the salt and flour then add the flour mixture to the egg and sugar mixture. Beat at low speed until just combined.
- Mix together the milk, vanilla extract, and almond extract in a jug, and slowly pour this into the cupcake batter with the mixer's motor running at low speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again, making sure it is lump-free.
- Add the desiccated coconut to the batter and stir this through using a rubber spatula.
- Pour the cupcake batter into the cupcake liners using a jug or ice cream scoop, filling each case two-thirds of the way up. Bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool in their tins for 5 minutes, then to cool completely on a cooling rack.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the butter, and icing sugar. Beat at medium speed until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
- Add the cubed cream cheese to the icing sugar mixture and beat again until combined. Scrap down the sides of the bowl and mix again at high speed until light and fluffy. This can take up to 5 minutes.
- Add the almond extract, vanilla, and coconut to the cream cheese frosting, and mix until combined.
- Add the frosting to a piping bag fitted with your chosen nozzle and pipe swirls of frosting onto each cupcake. Top each cupcake with a Raffaello chocolate and sprinkle on extra desiccated coconut. Enjoy!
Notes
- To avoid a lumpy cream cheese frosting, ensure the butter and cream cheese are at room temperature.
- Do not over fill the cupcake cases as this can lead to misshapen cupcakes.
Mel says
Literally obsessed with these cupcakes, the frosting is so yummy
Nargess says
These sound soooo good. Coconut anything is delicious! Can I use coconut milk the full fat kind in a tin can instead of whole milk?