The Story:
Once upon a time I made what I called an Almond Joy Cupcake. I won’t even link to it because the photos are so pathetic. But here is a true Almond Joy Cupcake. It has the coconut filling with pieces of shredded coconut and it’s dipped in melted chocolate. So this cupcake has a tough shell because of the chocolate, but it’s wonderful because you can eat it like a sandwich, the frosting won’t get all over your fingers!
Almond Joy Cupcakes
Servings 24 Cupcakes
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake:
- 1 box Devil's Food Cake Mix
- 4 eggs
- 2/3 cup oil
- 1 small pkg. chocolate instant pudding
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Coconut Topping:
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 1/2 cups shredded coconut
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar
2 cups chocolate Melts
sliced almonds
Instructions
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1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line pans with cupcake liners.
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2. Sift cake mix into a bowl and set it aside.
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3. In a large bowl, gently whisk eggs, oil, milk, sour cream and vanilla extract together.
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4. Add cake mix and pudding mix, stir until combined.
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5. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for 17-22 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean.
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6. Topping: Beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add shredded coconut and vanilla, mix again. Slowly add powdered sugar until you reach your desired consistency.
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7. Pipe your topping onto cooled cupcakes.
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8. Use a knife to smooth out the topping.
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9. Place chocolate melts in a microwave-safe bowl and melt and stir until smooth.
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10. Dip cupcakes into chocolate and then sprinkle almonds on top. Do it quickly before the chocolate cools.
Oh yum! They look super delish but I think I just gained add’l 5 lbs just looking at these yummy cupcakes (:
But, I’ll sure try to make these bad boys (:
It’s fatty but delicious… worth to try…
i don’t mind to be fat as long as it’s delicious.. lol
Harga Besi WF
Stop it!!! These are the most delicious things I have ever beheld. I’m salivating.
What kind of shredded coconut did you use? Sweetened? Or un-sweetened?
I use sweetened but you can use any type
Oh my goodness…these look fantastic!! Soo making them!! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
xo Jenny Holiday
Does it need to be refrigerated???
If it’s only for 24 hours, then no
I’m sorry…so if these will not be eaten for another twelve hours, do they need to be refrigerated until then?
You should be fine!
These look so good but I don’t like coconut. Do you think I could make them with something
else in place of it or just leave the coconut out? Thanks…
Just leave out any coconut flavorings and the shredded coconut, but you may need to add extra powdered sugar to get your frosting thick enough. Good luck!
That is such a smart idea with the frosting!! it’s like a little….almond joy! 😉
was it hard to keep the frosting from coming off while doing the chocolate dipping?
It was actually easy
awesome!
What exactly are chocolate melts ? I used toll house milk chocolate morsels. Every time I tried coating the cupcake with chocolate the frosting came off and than the chocolate hardened and once it went hard it wouldn’t go soft no matter how much I warm it:( I tried microwave and double boil both and had the same problem.
Please help!!
Melts are chocolates that look like little “disks” that are meant for candy making and being melted. You can get them in bargain bin and Wilton sells them in little bags at places like Michael’s and craft stores.
Oh. My. Goodness. I can’t wait to make these. Good thing my birthday is in a couple days. Not like I need an excuse to make cupcakes or anything.
AMAZING! I just made these cupcakes for my birthday. LOVE!! THANK YOU for another great cupcake.
I did find that they could have used more frosting- almost double the recipe. And I put lots more nuts on the top so every bite got some. 🙂 And Hillary- the instant pudding did not result in flat cake.
I agree about the frosting. Wish I would have read this before I baked mine. 🙂
Hi Lizzie!
I’ve baked with the instant pudding before and LOVE the recipes with it in them. However, whenever I use it, the cupcakes come out really flat – sometimes they even cave in a bit after I take them out of the oven. Do you know of a solution to this issue? I have made a lot of the other cupcakes on your site that don’t include the pudding and they turn out perfect. It’s just with the addition of the instant pudding that they come out odd. Any help would be great! Thank you!
I know the problem you’re talking about, it has happened to me too. This recipe didn’t do that for me though. But you are more than welcome to use one of my other chocolate cake mix recipes instead rather than take the risk. Good luck!
My my my…..you really shouldn’t use THAT TONE Edward! You sound so hostile..take a chill pill and relax. I remember an old saying and I’m sure you do too…”If you don’t have something Nice to say, then please don’t say anything at all” Have a lovely day. ps I think this blog is wonderful and so are the recipes! 🙂
These look delicious! As far as the flat cupcakes go, every recipie has done that to me until I learned a trick! When you preheat the oven to 350, once it is ready, drop the temperature to 325 when you put the cupcakes in and bake for about 25 minutes…I dont know why this works, but it does and I have not had a flat cupcake since I started using this trick. (knock on a wooden spoon!) Hope it works for you! 🙂
Oh my goodness drool at my screen, these look so delicious! I’m bookmarking them straight away!
Wow! Those look amazing! And they sound so delicious. I’m always up for an Almond Joy! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Just made these over the weekend and they were amazing! Mine didn’t turn out as pretty as yours, but they still tasted awesome. Love your cupcake ideas!
Lizzy, these are so cute! Almond Joys are one of my favorite candy bars. Remaking them into cupcakes is such a creative and unique idea! Saving this recipe. Also, I use the same chocolate cake/cupcake recipe that you do! It’s honestly the best!
What kind of chocolate melts did you use?
Just milk chocolate melts. They are little disks of chocolate made for specifically melting and using for candy. They don’t have the extra chemicals in them like chocolate chips. You can buy them and specialty stores like Michaels or Hobby Lobby or in the bulk sections in bubs at big grocery stores.
Thanks! Can’t wait to try ’em!
can i use the chocolate that hardens ? instead of chocolate melts? thanks!
Chocolat melts do harden. They are just much easier to dip things in
If I can’t find chocolate melts in my town (it’s small!!), can I use regular chocolate chips?
You can, but the chocolate coating will be thicker and harder. Try adding a little oil to the chocolate and stirring it in!
Did you have any luck with the chocolate chips and oil? I was all excited to bring these to Christmas tomorrow, but the grocery store didn’t have chocolate melts! Now I’m wondering if I should even bother.
what kind. size tip did you use to pipe the frosting?
I used a #809 tip, but anything even no piping tip will work fine!
Made these for my hubby’s birthday and they were beyond fantastic! Thanks for the recipe!
I made them this weekend, they were a hit! I was upset they were not perfect. The whole dipping them into the chocolate did not work at all for me, I ended up having to spoon it on top and it wasn’t as pretty. How exactly does this work? The chocolate didn’t stick on top and the coconut filling ended up melted into the chocolate bowl.
Hi Lizzy
I have baked these twice in the last week – once for a hens party and once for a workmates farewell morning tea. They were an absolute hit at both events!
I haven’t come across Almond Joys in Australia or New Zealand so renamed them Bounty Bar Cupcakes so people understood what they were in for. These are quite possibly the best cupcakes I have ever made! Thanks for the recipe :o)
Mel
These really are great! I made them this evening with a gluten free cake mix. Often gluten free baked goods come out a little dry but, with the addition of sour cream and pudding mix, they were moist and delicious. My Mom’s first comment was, “They taste just like an Almond Joy!”.
Forget Almond Joys…sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t! I am making Mounds cupcakes instead…leave off that annoying almond, and use dark chocolate cake mix, dark chocolate pudding, and dark chocolate candy melts. YUMMMMMMM!
Hi, I like this recipe and I would try it, but I have a question: Can I use something instead of Devil’s food cake mix?
Thanks
You can always just swap in your favorite chocolate cake recipe
Have you thought about using almond extract instead of the vanilla extract? Or perhaps half and half? I wonder if it would be strong enough to give the chocolate cupcakes a slightly almond flavor.
I’m getting ready to make a batch and had the same idea! I’ll post back and let you know how they come out.
Best cupcakes ever!! I and everyone I brought them to, loved them!! I have made them several times and always gotten complements!! I had to make a few changes the last time I made them (aka kids drank all the milk) and thought I would let you know cause if you’re a coconut lover like me, it was yummy!! Instead of regular milk I only had silk pure coconut milk (in the refrigerator section) on hand so I used that and used 1tsp. Almond extract and 1 tsp. vanilla. Tasted great!! Thanks for sharing your wonderful recipe!!
Wowziers! Just found this post via Pinterest. These look so good! I must make these soon. Thanks for sharing!
These look amazing! However, since I’m not a cream cheese fan can I use vanilla frosting instead? Will it hold up after dipping in chocolate? Thanks!
It will, just substitute the cream cheese for 1/2 cup butter!
I have never had this happen before, but my melted chocolate melts actually seized after dipping the first few cupcakes. I noticed that my coconut topping was a bit soft, so it was difficult with some because the icing was sliding off. I’m thinking of maybe adding more sugar next time to stiffen it up? Have you had this problem?
Yes, add more powdered sugar next time. The chocolate must have taken some of the moisture from the Buttercream, and that made it seize
Found you via Pinterest! Thinking I will make these for Thanksgiving! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Lizzy,
Your website is the BEST, BEST, BEST ! I am hooked ! I would like to make the Almond Joy cupcakes into a double layer cake. I have two questions, will I have enough coconut topping to frost the whole cake? Also, how can I go about putting the melted chocolate all the cake? Thank you =)
I would make a little extra frosting, but you shouldn’t need much more. As for the chocolate… your best bet will be to pour it over the top of the cake. But it will harden pretty fast, so pour it evenly all over the cake and let it drip down the sides. Good luck!
Perfect, thanks Lizzy.
So, I make this almond joy cake all the time, which everyone at work loves. I thought that there has to be an almond joy cupcake recipe out there and came across yours. We were having a bake sale at work and of course they asked me to make something. So I decided to try out your recipe. It was a hit! Sold out of the cupcakes! It was probably the first thing to go. Thanks so much for posting the recipe!!
I just made these and they are FAAAAAAAABULOUS!!!! 2 suggestions, though. Once topped w/the coconut frosting, I put them in the fridge for about 5-10 minutes to let the frosting firm up (otherwise, I found the frosting is soft and the melted chocolate just blends in instead of topping the cupcake. Also, when dipping the cupcakes in the chocolate, quickly dip straight up / down. Don’t twist because the frosting has a tendency to swirl w/the chocolate and you might not wind up with the proper effect.
When I initially tried the recipe, I made them as mini cupcakes (2-3 bites). The recipe actually yielded 6 dozen mini-cupcakes ! So, if you need to bake for a large group. this recipe would be awesome! I am now trying it as a 2-layer cake for my father’s birthday. We’ll see how it comes out.
I just used this recipe and made the most moist and delicious cupcakes ever for my dad. They’re so good and taste just like almond joys. Thanks for sharing, and for anyone who is thinking of making them, DO IT!! =)
Lizzy! I’m so glad to have found your recipe..People tell me they are amazing and delicious …but I must say so myself that they are BEYOND amazing :o! You are gifted with a special talent and I’m so glad your sharing your creations with all of us.. I made a batch for thanksgiving and they look delicious 😀 anyway God Bless you and thanks for this wonderful recipe and lots more 🙂
Just when I thought I was going to be able to go on a diet soon, I see these delicious cupcakes. Maybe I’ll start the diet in the new year. 😉
these look amazing! i just baked them for our christmas party and I can’t wait for everyone to eat them. jajaja
***i had to freeze the cupcakes for 3 -4 minutes before dipping them though-…this made it easier for beginner me!
i just love your cupcakes
HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY CUPCAKES!! lol Amazing doesn’t even describe this. I made my own family recipe chocolate cake, in a Marianne style pan, added the frosting, covered that with slivered almonds, and then the wonderful chocolate ganache on top………MMMMMMMMMMMMM MMMMMMMMMMMM MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM I made this cake for the first time Thanksgiving, and I have been asked to make it for 3 other parties and Christmas again! Wonderful!!!! Thank you again for such a great idea!
I just baked these and they came out waaaay too big, I filled them 3/4 as I always make my cupcakes and they puffed up and ended all over the pan. I’ll have to cut off the excess. Next time I think I’m gonna fill them 1/2 way or even less.
Thanks for the recipe it is sooo delicious!!
I was wondering if these can store in the freezer?? They look yummy!
Love your site…beautiful pictures! I viewed your Almond Joy cupcakes on Pinterest and think I will try to make them, since I have some left over coconut on hand. Can’t wait to taste them.
I made these they were so delicious, but best of all my husband loved them 😉 thank for sharing just wish I new how many calories they are 🙁
I have no clue how many calories they are…but I think I’m happy about that 🙂 If you really are curious to know, just add up the amount of calories for each ingredients and divide it by the number of cupcakes you made!
I have made these several times now, as EVERY function we go to they are requested! Thanks for this great recipe….it’s a favorite for sure!!!
I tried them and this was definitely not the last time I made them. I really liked the coconut topping. Thank you so much for this recipe!
OMG! Just made these for my guys bday tomorrow , and of course I had a lil taste….ok I ate one….oh Lordy lord are the awesome!!
I’m so happy you loved them!
Thank you for sharing your recipe! They are delish!
My teenage girls made me these for Mothers Day, they were absolutely amazing. My husband went to the store yesterday and bought the ingredients for them to make him a batch, they are that good! Thanks for sharing!
haha! Yes, that’s so fabulous!
Planning on making these next week! But I purchased “Almond Bark” do you think this will work just as well as the candy melts- for the coating? link: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Plymouth-Pantry-Almond-Bark-0007259199176/10313776
Yes! It will work great actually!
How much do you think you would use? What do you think is equivalent to 2 cups of melting chips?
18 oz is two cups!
Any suggestions if I wanted to use an angel food cake mix instead. What other ingredients should I substitute? Vanilla pudding?
I have never tried angel food cake with pudding. It has a distinctive texture I would be afraid to add the pudding. Follow the directions on the back of the box but add vanilla extract and milk instead of the water.
I made these into mini bite size cupcakes and the dipping was labor intensive so I frosted the cupcakes and then put the chocolate into a pastry bag and drizzled the chocolate over the top, they turned out wonderful and had no issues with the almonds sticking and I was able to do a tray of 36 in less than 1 minute. In addition I am not that big of a chocolate fan and the less amount of chocolate was nice.
Good, I’m happy you could alter the recipe to make it exactly what you want! I dipped them to get the Almond Joy look.
I made these twice. The first time the chocolate shell actually cracked when you bit into it… just like a shell. it was glorious. the second time for whatever reason, the chocolate was more fudgy when bitten into. i used choc. discs, not chips, both times. and i can’t think of anything i did differently the second time. it was still great tasting but something was definitely different. any ideas? i want to make these again, but they just weren’t the same when the chocolate wasn’t hardened. oh and also, both times i made them a day ahead and let the chocolate harden overnight. i don’t recall if i refrigerated them though… would that make a difference?
I wonder how they would be dipped in ganache. I don’t like melts!
Yes! You can do that! I just used melts to get the real Almond Joy look and taste.
I’ve made these 3 times so far. The latest for my sons wedding this past weekend. We made 48 mini cupcakes. They turned out outstanding and looked so beautiful. It’s a great recipe. Thanks!
I made these for my nieces soccer team this past weekend, although they they tasted amazing they were very messy to make. I was not able to find the melts at my local gocery store so I used dark chocolate chips. It melted the topping and was a bit frustrated. I live in CA, Los Angeles to be more specific. If anyone knows of a good place I can find melts please let me know, I would love to give it a try again. making the sneakers’ cupcakes for my youngest niece’s soccer team this weekend.
Most any of your craft stores carry the melts. Hobby Lobby, Ben Franklin
I’ve made these cupcakes numerous times for family gatherings, and the response is always PHENOMENAL. These bad boys disappear within minutes. Literally the best cupcake I’ve ever had. I make them into mini cupcakes so they last longer 😉
Thanks Lizzy!
Aw thanks! They are quite good!
I’ve made these several times. They are “to die for”!!! Every one loves them. I did tweek the frosting a bit. I added a tsp of almond extract, a little bit of coconut extract for more flavor. And added some crushed almonds to it also. Sprinkled a few crushed almonds to the top after I dipped in chocolate….yum..!!!
The first time I made these exactly as stated, and they were perfect, just like Almond Joys! I just made them again and tried making a less processed and refined version. The cake portion I made was amazing but the topping not so much.
I tried using powdered sucanat (evaporated cane sugar) and coconut flakes (couldn’t find any unsweetened shredded coconut). I should have known better but using flakes rather than shredded coconut made the texture not as pleasant, and the sucanat gave it an overwhelming molasses-like flavor that pretty much ruined the topping for me, not a creamy, Almond Joy coconut flavor 🙁
Soooo… I will definitely be sticking to the original recipe for the frosting. It’s spot-on. You couldn’t possibly get any closer to the taste of Almond Joy if you tried!
Just thought I’d share in case anyone was also intending on tweaking the recipe. Don’t mess with the coconut topping!
Thanks for a fabulous recipe btw 🙂
Great recipe!! Definitely DOUBLE the frosting recipe if you want yours to turn our like the pictures! Thank you!
This is the recipe I’ll be making for the Police Officers Thanksgiving Feast this month. I’ll let you know how they turn out. Thanks! — Denise
How many hours of refrigeration does they need?
Poco a poco fuí mejorando hasta conseguir cocinar platos deliciosos y nutritivos, comencé a ir a cursos de cocina.