Thai Tea Coconut Cream Cupcakes (Soft, Moist & Tropical Bakery-Style)
These Thai tea coconut cream cupcakes are ultra-soft, moist, and infused with rich Thai milk tea flavor. Topped with a light, fluffy coconut cream frosting and finished with toasted coconut, they’re a tropical bakery-style dessert that’s unique, elegant, and absolutely irresistible.
Servings 12 cupcakes
Calories 340kcal
Cost $9 for entire recipe
Equipment
- Muffin tin (12-cup)
- Cupcake liners
- Small saucepan (for steeping Thai tea)
- Mixing bowls (large + medium)
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Fine mesh strainer (to strain tea leaves)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Ice cream scoop or spoon (for portioning batter)
- wire cooling rack
- Piping bag (optional, for frosting)
- Piping tip (optional, for decorative swirl)
Ingredients
Thai Tea Cupcakes
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 3 tbsp Thai tea leaves
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened
- ¼ cup neutral oil vegetable or canola
- ⅞ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¼ cup coconut cream
- 1 tsp finely ground Thai tea very fine powder, sifted
- ¼ tsp coconut extract optional
- 1 tbsp sour cream or Greek yogurt
Coconut Cream Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ¼ cup coconut cream thick part only, cold
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1–2 tbsp sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Optional Filling
- Coconut pastry cream or coconut pudding
Topping
- Toasted shredded coconut
- Pinch flaky salt optional, for contrast
Instructions
Infuse the Thai Tea
- Heat the milk until warm but not boiling. Add Thai tea leaves and steep for 10 minutes. Strain well and let cool completely. For stronger flavor, reduce the tea slightly on the stove if needed.
Prepare the Oven
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
Cream Butter and Sugar
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar for 2–3 minutes until light, pale, and fluffy.
Add Eggs and Oil
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Slowly mix in the oil until fully incorporated and smooth.
Mix Dry Ingredients
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and finely ground Thai tea.
Make the Batter
- Add dry ingredients to the batter in batches, alternating with the cooled Thai tea milk. Mix gently. Add coconut cream, vanilla extract, coconut extract (if using), and sour cream. Mix just until combined—do not overmix.
Fill the Cupcake Liners
- Divide the batter evenly, about 3 tablespoons per liner, filling each about ¾ full.
Bake
- Bake for 18–20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Cupcakes are done when the tops spring back lightly and a toothpick inserted shows a few moist crumbs.
Cool Completely
- Let cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely (at least 45 minutes) before frosting.
Make the Coconut Cream Frosting
- Beat butter until smooth. Add cold coconut cream (thick part only) and mix until fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, then mix in condensed milk, vanilla, and salt. Beat for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy. If too soft, chill briefly before piping.
Assemble the Cupcakes
- (Optional: fill cupcakes with coconut cream or pudding.) Pipe frosting onto fully cooled cupcakes. Top with toasted coconut and a pinch of flaky salt if desired.
Notes
- Use full-fat coconut milk for best results. Chill the can overnight and scoop only the thick coconut cream from the top—this ensures a rich, stable coconut frosting.
- Brew strong Thai tea for bold flavor. If your tea tastes mild, simmer it briefly after steeping to concentrate the flavor before adding to the batter.
- Grind Thai tea finely. If using ground tea in the batter, make sure it’s a very fine powder and sift it with the dry ingredients to avoid any gritty texture.
- Do not overmix the batter. Mix just until combined to keep the cupcakes soft, light, and fluffy instead of dense.
- Measure flour correctly. Spoon and level the flour instead of scooping directly—this prevents dry or heavy cupcakes.
- Use room temperature ingredients. Butter, eggs, and sour cream should be at room temp for a smooth, well-emulsified batter.
- Cool cupcakes completely before frosting. Frosting warm cupcakes will cause it to melt and lose structure.
- Adjust frosting texture as needed. If frosting is too soft, chill for 10–15 minutes. If too thick, add 1–2 teaspoons coconut milk to loosen.
- Toast coconut until golden brown. This enhances flavor, adds texture, and improves the overall presentation.
- Flavor profile note. These cupcakes have a smooth, creamy Thai milk tea flavor with subtle coconut—not overly strong or artificial tasting.