Coconut Buttercream Frosting
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There’s nothing better than this recipe for homemade Coconut Buttercream Frosting. It’s a made from scratch, simple recipe that is perfect slathered on cakes, cupcakes, or right from the spoon.
Coconut Buttercream Frosting with Coconut Milk
I have for you the best Coconut Buttercream Frosting recipe! It’s creamy and silky. It’s stiff and pipe-able. It’s darn right delicious.
It’s made with powdered sugar, butter, and coconut milk. The end result has a thick, silky texture with a light coconut taste, making it great for any tropical dessert.
Do you see how fluffy it looks? All those air pockets?
This was achieved by beating with my electric mixer for an extra five minutes. It whips up into a thick and fluffy consistency.
I’ve made cookie butter frosting, salted caramel frosting, and 7-minute frosting. Each one was great but they come nowhere near as delectable as today’s frosting.
This version of easy coconut frosting uses coconut milk instead of coconut extract. The result is a lusciously silky texture that glides across the tongue.
I seriously love how smooth it is. It’s just as silky as my cream cheese frosting!
If you need more coconut flavor, add half a teaspoon of coconut extract.
I’ve updated the recipe with instructions on how to use coconut cream instead of milk for even more flavor.
Pro tip – Make sure the butter is super soft! Set the butter on the counter 1-2 hours prior to use.
This is now my new favorite frosting. I want to put it on top of everything.
I’m certain you are going to feel the same way too!
Try it on pineapple cupcakes, pineapple coconut cake, or this pineapple poke cake!
What tropical dessert would you pair this frosting with? I’d love to hear your ideas.
Or, if you’ve already made it and really enjoyed, I’d like to hear that too!
Common questions about coconut buttercream
Do I have to use canned coconut milk?
You must use canned coconut milk. Refrigerated coconut milk is a beverage and is watered down. You can typically find canned coconut milk in the Asian food aisle of the grocery store.
What kind of coconut milk do you recommend?
Regular/full-fat canned coconut milk is best for this recipe.
Can you use coconut cream?
You certainly can! This will give you a richer coconut flavor.
Does the frosting need to be refrigerated or can it be stored at room temp for a couple of hours?
It would be safe for a couple of hours at room temp but definitely no longer than that.
If you plan to use it the next day, refrigerate it and then let it sit for 30 mins to soften before use. You may have to re-whip it if you refrigerate it.
Can I add shredded coconut to the frosting?
You certainly can! Keep in mind the frosting may be difficult to pipe through small piping tips due to the coconut flakes.
Can I use coconut sugar?
I don’t recommend this. Coconut sugar is very coarse and will not work like confectioner’s sugar. Confectioner’s sugar is ground to a powder consistency and mixed with cornstarch. This is what thickens the frosting.
Can I use salted butter?
There’s absolutely no way to tell how much salt is in the butter. You run the risk of having super salty frosting. For best results, use unsalted butter and add a pinch of salt if needed.
Can I color this frosting?
Yes! Use a high-quality gel food coloring such as AmeriColor.
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Coconut Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (339 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 5 cups (600 g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons canned unsweetened coconut milk, or coconut cream
Instructions
- Using a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes.
- Add 2 cups of confectioner’s sugar, beat on medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened. Gradually add in the remaining sugar, one cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- And the salt and the coconut milk, one tablespoon at a time, beating on medium speed until fully incorporated. You may need more or less of the coconut milk depending on how strong you’d like the flavor.
- Turn the speed up to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Notes
- You can use coconut cream with this recipe also. I’ve tested it and it yields so much more coconut flavor. You may need less coconut cream so be sure to add just one tablespoon at a time until the frosting reaches the desired taste and texture.
- Soften the butter by allowing it to sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours prior to making the frosting. DO NOT soften the butter by heating it in the microwave!!
- It is important to shake the can of coconut milk/cream vigorously before opening it. The fats and liquids separate in the can after sitting. You want a combination of both for the frosting, so mix it very well.
- If the coconut flavor isn’t as strong as you’d like, try adding ½ to 1 teaspoon coconut extract.
- You can also add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for more flavor.
- Frosting will keep for up to 4 days stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Let stand at room temperature to soften before use.
- Or it can be frozen for up to 3 months. When ready to use, place in the refrigerator overnight to thaw. Let stand at room temperature to soften before use.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided is for convenience and as a courtesy only. It is not guaranteed to be accurate because nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator and input the exact ingredients and brands you used in the recipe.
Greetings from Brazil! I’ll make this recipe tonight and I’ll let you know how it turned out!
I followed the recipe but used only 4 cups of sugar and the buttercream came out almost disgustingly sweet and gritty. I can’t even imagine what would happen at 5 cups… I don’t know if Americans like it so sweet or what. I’m from Europe and most of my guests did not want to finish the buttercream (decoration) layer because it was too sweet to them aswell. The consistency of cream was good for piping the rosettes on cake though. Can anyone recommend me decorating cream with way less sugar? Thanks!
I hear that a lot with American buttercream. I find the longer you whip it at the end the less sweet it becomes because you’re adding more air and dissolving the sugar. The final product shouldn’t feel gritty at all unless you’re using something other than icing sugar/confectioners’ sugar.
Hi Jen.
My son cannot have dairy. Can I use Ghee instead of butter?
Thank you in advance for your time.
Hi Claire! I have zero experience making buttercream with ghee so I have no idea if it will work or how it will turn out. I’m sorry, I wish I could be more helpful.
I am hooked on coconut anything, so this will be added to my list. I just have one question: In regard to the canned coconut milk, after refrigerating it, there’s a thick substance on top and a watery substance on the bottom; which one do you recommend I use?
Thank you.
For this recipe, the canned coconut milk doesn’t need to be refrigerated. You want a combination of both the liquid and the solid so shake the can vigorously before opening it. This is stated in the notes of the recipe.
I am hooked on coconut anything, so this will be added to my list. I just have one question: In regard to the canned coconut milk, after refrigerating it, there’s a thick substance on top and a watery substance on the bottom; which one do you recommend I use?
Thank you.
Thanks so much for sharing this coconut cream recipe am definitely going to make it for sure
Jen, Thank you for sharing this recipe. I will try it for my birthday cake and maybe make some tweaks. I can see how substituting granular or coconut sugar will change the consistency. Have you tried palm sugar? If not I will share my experiment. Also, the brand of coconut milk does matter. I have used the Thai Kitchen brand and it whips up beautifully while the local organic brand doesn’t. I’ve also read that it is better to whip the cream separately and fold it in later. What is your opinion? Thank you again, Richard
Hi Richard! This is a buttercream frosting and must use confectioners’ sugar. No other sugar will work. The brand of coconut milk/cream actually doesn’t matter so much with this recipe since it is only being used to flavor and to thin out the creamed butter and confectioners’ sugar. It’s just like making a regular buttercream frosting but you’re using coconut milk or cream instead of heaving cream. As far as folding whipped cream in last when making buttercream frosting, I’ve never heard of this before. I’m afraid the frosting will turn into a curdled mess with this method.
Can I add a dash of organic coconut oil?
I haven’t tried using coconut oil in buttercream frosting so I’m unsure how it will work.
Jen, Thank you for sharing this recipe. I will try it for my birthday cake and maybe make some tweaks. I can see how substituting granular or coconut sugar will change the consistency. Have you tried palm sugar? If not I will share my experiment. Also, the brand of coconut milk does matter. I have used the Thai Kitchen brand and it whips up beautifully while the local organic brand doesn’t. I’ve also read that it is better to whip the cream separately and fold it in later. What is your opinion? Thank you again, Richard
I made this today for my twins birthday tomorrow! The frosting came out amazing! I used the coconut cream! I used the pure coconut cream. So good! Thank you!
I’m glad you enjoyed the frosting. It’s one of my favorites!!
I made this today for my twins birthday tomorrow! The frosting came out amazing! I used the coconut cream! I used the pure coconut cream. So good! Thank you!