These delicious Samoa cupcakes start with a moist chocolate cupcake that’s topped with vanilla buttercream then drizzled with caramel and chocolate sauces then sprinkled with toasted coconut! Finish it off with one of the popular Girl Scout cookies for sweet dessert every will love!
It’s Girl Scout season time, which means I have boxes of cookies just sitting on my counter waiting to be enjoyed. I always try to order at least one box of each flavor (or at least the flavors we like) and then two of my favorites – Thin Mints, Tagalongs (if they’ll still called that) and Samoas.
Or Caramel Delites, whatever they’re called where you lived. When I was growing up they were called Samoa cookies, so they’re still Samoas in my head even though in Kansas they’re called Caramel Delites. Whatever.
There’s just something about the combination of the chocolate, caramel, and toasted coconut that makes Samoas unlike any other cookie out there. I’m sure it’s why they’re one of the most popular cookies out there!
These Samoa cupcakes are inspired by Samoa cookies (if you hadn’t guessed that yet) with a rich chocolate cupcake base, a vanilla buttercream, caramel, chocolate, and of course toasted coconut.
And if you can stand to share them, you can even top them with one of the delicious cookies for a fun garnish!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Flavor – like I mentioned the flavor is inspired by Samoa cookies, which means it’s amazing! Rich chocolate, caramel, and coconut all together combined equals one delicious cupcake! They remind me a bit of this Snickers poke cake, minus the coconut.
- Easy – these are really easy to put together if you’ve ever made homemade cupcakes before! And if you haven’t, they’re still easy!
- Beautiful – not only do these taste great, they look pretty too! And when it comes to cupcakes, you want them to look as delicious as they taste.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Buttermilk – I recommend using actual buttermilk in these cupcakes to keep them moist. In a pinch, if you don’t have buttermilk you can combine one cup whole milk with 1 tsp lemon juice or white vinegar, mix it up, and let it sit for 10 minutes. Then use it in place of the buttermilk.
- Butter – you want to use unsalted butter that’s nice and soft. If it’s not soft, let it sit out for about an hour before adding to the cupcakes. If you only have salted butter, you can use that – just omit the added salt in the recipe.
- Caramel sauce – You can use any caramel sauce you want, you just want to make sure it’s a thick one that will drizzle well. I had leftover caramel ice cream topping from this caramel apple drink so used that.
- Chocolate sauce – You can use any chocolate sauce you want – ice cream topping, melted chocolate chips drizzled on top, or even homemade hot fudge! You could even use a chocolate ganache if you really wanted!
- Shredded coconut – you can use either shredded coconut or coconut flakes, just make sure they are unsweetened or thees cupcakes will be REALLY sweet. If you only have sweetened, use about half as much when topping the cupcakes.
How to Make Samoa Cupcakes
These cupcakes are super easy to make. It’s just a matter of making the cupcakes themselves, making the frosting, then decorating the cupcakes. Nothing complicated or time-consuming, which makes these Samoa cupcakes even better in my book!
1 – Make the chocolate cupcakes
Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees and add cupcake liners to 18 muffin tins.
In a medium-size bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients other than the sugar – flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk these together until they’re well combined.
Next, add the softened butter to a mixing bowl and beat until the butter is light and fluffy.
Add the sugar and beat again, continuing to beat until you get a nice soft and fluffy mixture.
Add one egg and beat. Add the other egg and beat again. Then finish by adding the vanilla and buttermilk and beating again on low until well combined.
At this point you should have a nice smooth mixture.
Turn the mixer on low and slowly add in the dry ingredients, allowing the mixer to mix on low as you add them in. Keep adding the dry ingredients slowly and mixing until they’re totally incorporated.
Watch it closely and stop mixing once the dry ingredients are combined into the wet so you don’t over mix. You should have a smooth and rich chocolate cupcake batter.
Use a medium cupcake scoop to fill the cupcake wrappers about 1/2 full. Any fuller and they run the risk of running over and not baking completely.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the cupcake. Or if you don’t want to do the toothpick method, press down lightly onto one of the cupcakes and if it bounces back, the cupcakes are done.
Remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow them to cool in the cupcake tins for about five minutes then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely. They must be cooled completely frosting or the frosting will just melt off.
While the cupcakes are cooling, toast the coconut using your favorite method. I put mine in the toaster oven on toast for a few minutes (watch it closely because it comes from untoasted to burnt quickly).
You could also do the same in the oven at 350 degrees for a few minutes or in a pan on the stove on medium. You just want it all to be nicely browned and toasted. While you’re at it, toast up some coconut to use leftover on this coconut rice!
Tip!
As soon as the coconut is toasted, remove it not only from the heat but also from the heated pan/pot that it’s in so that it doesn’t continue to heat up from the residual heat of the cooking object. I typically just transfer to a bowl or a plate to use for decorating the cupcakes later.
2 – Make the Buttercream Frosting
To make the buttercream frosting, beat the softened butter in a mixer until light and fluffy (just like when you started the cupcakes).
Add one cup of powdered sugar at a time and mix on medium speed. Scrape the bowl as needed and mix in until the butter and powdered sugar are completely combined.
Add in the milk and vanilla extract and mix again for three to five minutes until the buttercream is nice and fluffy.
Place in a piping (or zipper plastic bag) with either a large round or star piping tip.
3 – Decorate the Cupcakes
Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, pipe buttercream frosting on top.
Drizzle caramel sauce and chocolate syrup over the buttercream.
Sprinkles toasted coconut on top of the sauces then finally, top it with a Samoa cookie if you’d like.
Enjoy these immediately for the best taste. Or if you know you aren’t going to serve them until later, you can add the buttercream and just add the caramel, chocolate, and coconut right before serving.
Expert Tips
Freeze the chocolate cupcakes before decorating by placing them in a zipper top freezer safe bag. They freeze great for up to three months. Remove from the freezer and allow to come to room temperature before enjoying.
Store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container for up to three days. If you use a caramel or chocolate sauce that requires refrigeration after opening, refrigerate the cupcakes. Otherwise, they can just be stored at room temperature. Allow cupcakes to warm up before serving if you do refrigerate.
Make sure cupcakes are completely cooled before frosting. You can even bake them the night before and just frost the next day to make sure they’re cooled. If they’re still warm, the frosting will melt right off and ruin your cupcakes.
Recipe FAQs
Samoa is a combination of chocolate, caramel, and toasted coconut all together. It’s inspired by the Girl Scout cookies called Samoas or Caramel Delites.
The buttermilk in these cupcakes keeps them moist naturally but if you want to make sure they stay moist, make sure to not over mix the batter. Over mixing can lead to drier cupcakes.
More Easy Cupcakes
If you like cupcakes, you’re going to LOVE these other cupcake recipes!
- Lemon cupcakes with cream cheese frosting – these delicious lemon cupcakes are light, fluffy, and have so much flavor!
- Banana pudding cupcakes – banana pudding in the form of a cupcake!
- Gingerbread cupcakes – a delicious cupcake full of holiday spices and topped with a gingerbread buttercream!
- Hot chocolate cupcakes – a moist chocolate cupcake topped with a marshmallow topping and chocolate ganache!
- Pumpkin cupcakes with cake mix – these fall cupcakes start with a doctored cake mix and get topped with a cheesecake frosting!
Samoa Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 ⅓ cups all purpose flour
- ¾ cup baking cocoa
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 6 TBS unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 ½ cups shredded, unsweetened coconut (toasted)
- ¼ cup caramel sauce (room temperature)
- ¼ cup chocolate sauce
Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line 18 cups in two muffin tins with paper liners.
- Combine dry ingredients by whisking together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set bowl aside.1 1/3 cups all purpose flour, 3/4 cup baking cocoa, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp salt
- Add the softened butter to a mixing bowl and beat until the butter is light and fluffy.6 TBS unsalted butter
- Add the sugar and beat again, continuing to beat until you get a nice soft and fluffy mixture.1 1/2 cups sugar
- Add eggs one at a time, beating after each egg. Then add vanilla extract and buttermilk and beat on low until well combined.2 large eggs, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 cup buttermilk
- Slowly add the dry ingredient mixture and mix on low speed or by hand until ingredients are just incorporated. Do not overmix the batter.
- Use a medium cupcake scoop to fill the cupcake wrappers about 1/2 full. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the cupcake.
- Let cupcakes cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan and placing on a cooling rack.
- Toast coconut in a toaster oven for 1-2 minutes or in the oven at 350°F for about 8-10 minutes. Stir frequently and keep a close eye on it because it will brown very quickly. Cook until just toasted lightly. Set aside to cool.1 1/2 cups shredded, unsweetened coconut
- After cupcakes have cooled completely, frost them and then drizzle with caramel sauce and sprinkle the toasted coconut on top.1/4 cup caramel sauce, 1/4 cup chocolate sauce
Buttercream Frosting
- Beat butter on medium speed until it is fluffy then add 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time, beating well after each cup.1 cup unsalted butter, 6 cups powdered sugar
- Add milk and vanilla extract and continue to beat for 3-5 minutes. Frosting should be a soft, fluffy texture.1/3 cup milk, 2 tsp vanilla extract
Tips & Notes:
- Buttermilk – I recommend using actual buttermilk in these cupcakes to keep them moist. In a pinch, if you don’t have buttermilk you can combine one cup whole milk with 1 tsp lemon juice or white vinegar, mix it up, and let it sit for 10 minutes. Then use it in place of the buttermilk.
- Butter – you want to use unsalted butter that’s nice and soft. If it’s not soft, let it sit out for about an hour before adding to the cupcakes. If you only have salted butter, you can use that – just omit the added salt in the recipe.
- Caramel sauce – You can use any caramel sauce you want, you just want to make sure it’s a thick one that will drizzle well. I had leftover caramel ice cream topping from this caramel apple drink so used that.
- Chocolate sauce – You can use any chocolate sauce you want – ice cream topping, melted chocolate chips drizzled on top, or even homemade hot fudge! You could even use a chocolate ganache if you really wanted!
- Shredded coconut – you can use either shredded coconut or coconut flakes, just make sure they are unsweetened or thees cupcakes will be REALLY sweet. If you only have sweetened, use about half as much when topping the cupcakes.
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