Fluffy, rich, and unbelievably delicious, our Coconut Kefir Cupcakes are an easy holiday dessert that are sure to be a hit no matter who you serve them to. Unsweetened shredded coconut embodies the same look as freshly fallen snow that gives the cupcakes a festive look with the classic flavor of coconut cake served this time of year.
Lifeway Kefir is used in the batter of the cupcakes to boost them with protein while also giving them a soft, tender texture. Additionally, it’s featured in the frosting of these cupcakes which provides your body with gut-friendly probiotics, even in the form of an indulgent dessert.
Unsweetened shredded coconut may be rich, but it’s naturally full of fiber and satiating fats, which makes it an ideal ingredient to use in baked goods. Its natural sweetness combined with creamy Lifeway Kefir creates heavenly coconut cupcakes that everyone will love and will never know are made with better-for-you ingredients.
We made our cupcakes gluten-free by using almond flour as the base flour, which increases the fiber, protein, and healthy fats of the recipe. You could also play around with using a mixture of almond flour and coconut flour as another gluten-free baking option. Instead of sweetened shredded coconut, we chose unsweetened coconut to keep the added sugar in check while still delivering a classic coconut cake flavor.
Pull out your oven mitts, and gather the ingredients for these Coconut Kefir Cupcakes, because these silky, creamy bites of bliss are a must-try dessert for the holiday season!
The Benefits of Cultured Dairy for Better Health:
Research continues to show the importance of eating healthy foods, including cultured dairy such as kefir, for optimal digestion and gut health, a strong immune system, and to support the microbiome. Fermented foods like kefir hold important value in this line of research due to the link between the gut-brain axis and overall health. Specifically, kefir has been shown to help diversify the microbiome, improve digestion, reduce inflammation, support healthier blood sugar levels, and improve satiety since the bioavailable protein it contains triggers the release of GLP-1.
Lifeway Kefir is packed with a variety of vital nutrients important for overall health, including bone and muscle health; these include vitamin D3, K, calcium, and vitamin B12. Along with our probiotic-rich kefir, Lifeway also offers artisan-made Farmer Cheese,a creamy, high-protein cheese made with live and active cultures to support healthy muscles and a healthy microbiome. Lifeway Farmer Cheese is easy to spread, free of gums and thickeners, and contains no added salt or sugar for optimal health benefits.
Prep Time: 25 mins + cooling time Servings: 6-8
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- 1 cup Lowfat Plain Kefir
- *or for a richer flavor, use our whole milk kefir
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour (not meal)
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin coconut oil, melted
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 eggs
- 1-2 tsp. vanilla (depending on how much you want)
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
For the Frosting:
- 1 cup additional Lowfat Plain Lifeway Kefir (or whole milk Lifeway Kefir)
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 2 tsp. powdered sugar (or alternative dry sweetener)
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, Fahrenheit, and line a muffin/cupcake pan with baking liners.
- In a bowl, mix Lifeway Kefir, eggs, pure maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and vanilla together with a hand mixer until fully combined. Fold in almond flour, unsweetened shredded coconut, baking powder, and stir well to combine making sure it's fully mixed.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared cupcake/muffin pan with liners. The cupcakes should make 6-8 if you fill them 3/4 full. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown.
- While the cupcakes are baking, make the frosting. Mix Lifeway Kefir, vanilla, powdered sugar together and stir well to combine. Then fold in the unsweetened shredded coconut. Let this sit in the fridge while the cupcakes bake to help it firm up a bit.
- Once the cupcakes are done baking, let them cool completely, then spread the frosting on top. Enjoy!
- These should be kept in the fridge if you have leftovers, and they'll keep for 1 week.
