Coconut Flour Cake

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Not going to lie, I tend to take a preference to almond flour recipes when it comes to keto baking. But, I know some readers are nut-free, just don’t like almond flour, or want a slightly lighter option, so it was about time I give you a coconut flour cake recipe that’s totally nut-free — and it turned out to be one of my best coconut flour recipes yet.

This gluten-free keto coconut cake packs natural sweetness and coconutty flavor into an easy, impressive dessert! Similar to my coconut cream pie, this cake offers buttery, toasted textures in every bite, all with no sugar whatsoever. Unlike many other cakes with coconut flour, this one bakes up moist, light, and sweet — never dry or gummy.

For a flavorful cake recipe like this, the right coconut flour makes all the difference. I have been baking this cake exclusively with Wholesome Yum Coconut Flour and been so impressed by the results! Since it only contains premium organic coconuts, this flour is perfect for a variety of sweet and savory recipes.

Certain dishes with coconut flour can become dry, so I also use Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend in the batter to lock in extra moisture (an unexpected side effect of this sweetener), all while keeping this recipe sugar-free.

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Ingredients You’ll Need

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for cake with coconut flour, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

• Coconut Flour – Truly the best flour for this cake! If you’ve made coconut flour desserts before, you know that it absorbs a lot of moisture — which is why it’s not interchangeable with any other flour. But a little known fact is that different brands of coconut flour can actually vary in their density, consistency, and moisture absorbency properties, leading to different results in baking. Wholesome Yum Coconut Flour is the brand I used for testing this recipe (and all my coconut flour recipes) and recommend using. White flour or almond flour won’t work here, but I do have lots of other almond flour recipes, including cakes.
• Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – A cup-for-cup sugar substitute that tastes exactly like the real deal, with zero net carbs and no aftertaste! This natural sweetener tastes the best in this sugar-free cake and keeps it perfectly moist, but other sweeteners may work okay. Check my keto sweetener guide to learn more about sweeteners and conversions. Use a granulated sweetener, not a liquid option like maple syrup.
• Softened Butter – Keeps the cake batter rich and moist. Use unsalted butter here, or coconut oil as a replacement if necessary, though the flavor and texture will be different. Either way, make sure your fat is softened at room temperature, which will allow it to cream with the sweetener.
• Eggs – Help bind the cake batter. Flax eggs may also work, but I haven’t tried them.
• Coconut Milk Beverage – This is the liquid kind that usually comes in a milk carton from the dairy section (even though it’s dairy-free). I don’t recommend using full-fat coconut milk from a can, as it’s too thick and the purpose of the milk here is to thin out the batter. Unsweetened almond milk is also fine to use if you are not nut-free, or otherwise hemp milk works as well.
• Sour Cream – Adds richness and moisture to the coconut cake batter, and also absorbs moisture from the coconut flour without requiring a gazillion eggs. Any type of plain yogurt (including homemade keto yogurt or dairy-free coconut yogurt) should work as a substitute, though I haven’t tested it.
• Vanilla Extract – For richer flavor.
• Baking Powder – Helps the cake rise. Don’t confuse this with baking soda, which needs an acid to activate, otherwise it’s just bitter and doesn’t induce rising. Technically we do have an acid here (sour cream), but the amount of baking soda needed would be different and I haven’t tested to confirm it works.
• Keto Buttercream Frosting – The best fluffy topping! You’ll need to scale the recipe up to 18 servings to make enough for this cake (you can do it instantly in the recipe card!). If you prefer, you can make cream cheese frosting instead.
• Unsweetened Coconut Flakes – Optional, but they make the finished cake look extra special.

How To Make Keto Cake With Coconut Flour

This section shows how to make coconut flour cake, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique. For full instructions, see the recipe card below.

1. Cream butter and sweetener. In a large bowl or mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter and Besti together until fluffy.
2. Add wet ingredients. Beat in eggs, followed by coconut milk, sour cream, and vanilla extract.

3. Add dry ingredients. Add coconut flour, baking powder, and sea salt to the liquid batter. Whisk or beat until uniform.
4. Bake. Divide the coconut cake batter between two 9-inch round cake pans. Smooth the tops with a spatula and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

5. Frost. Prepare buttercream frosting according to instructions here. Add a single layer of the gluten-free coconut cake to a cake stand and frost the top with frosting. Add a second cake layer to the top of the first and spread more frosting on the top and sides of the cake.
6. Top. Toppings are not required, but toasted coconut flakes look so pretty! You can also garnish with your favorite keto fruit (I used raspberries and currants).

Storage Instructions

• Store: Keep leftover cake in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Freeze: Place uncovered slices (or the entire keto coconut cake) in the freezer until solid. Once solidified, wrap tightly in several layers of foil or plastic wrap. To thaw, unwrap and thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

More Easy Coconut Flour Recipes

Coconut flour tastes delicious in so many baked goods! Try it in these recipes:

Coconut Flour Brownies

Coconut Flour Blueberry Muffins

Keto Sugar Cookies

Coconut Flour Bread

5 from 30 votes

Coconut Flour Cake (Keto, Gluten-Free, & Super Moist!)

This easy coconut flour cake recipe features super moist layers of naturally sweet, coconutty flavor. You'll love this gluten-free keto coconut cake!

Prep: 25 minutes

Cook: 20 minutes

Total: 45 minutes

Author: Maya Krampf from WholesomeYum.com

Servings: 12 (adjust to scale recipe)

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Ingredients

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• 1 cup Butter (softened) ▢
• 2 cups Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend ▢
• 6 large Eggs (at room temperature) ▢
• 3/4 cup Coconut milk beverage (the liquid kind from a carton, not canned; at room temperature) ▢
• 3/4 cup Sour cream ▢
• 1/2 tbsp Vanilla extract ▢
• 1 1/2 cups Wholesome Yum Coconut Flour ▢
• 1 tbsp Baking powder ▢
• 1/4 tsp Sea salt ▢
• 3 1/2 cups Keto buttercream frosting ▢
• 1 cup Unsweetened coconut flakes (optional) ▢

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Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (176 degrees C). Line the bottom of two 9-inch springform pans with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, use a hand mixer at medium speed to beat together the butter and Besti sweetener for 3 minutes, until light in color and fluffy.

3. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Beat in the coconut milk, sour cream, and vanilla extract.

4. Beat in the coconut flour, baking powder, and salt, until the batter is smooth.

5. Divide the dough among the two lined cake pans and smooth the tops with a spatula. Bake for about 20 minutes, swapping the pan oven positions halfway through if needed, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let coconut flour cake layers cool completely in the pans before removing.

6. Make the keto buttercream frosting according to the instructions here. Before you begin, adjust the amount on the recipe card to 18 servings. This will make the 3 1/2 cups needed to frost the cake.

7. Place one layer of cake onto a cake stand. Frost the top with 3/4 cup frosting. Place the second layer of cake on top and frost it with another 3/4 cup frosting. Finally, frost the sides with the remaining frosting.

8. Optional Step: Add the coconut flakes to a large skillet over medium heat and toast for about 2 minutes, until golden. Add the toasted coconut to the top and sides of the frosted cake.

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Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 slice, or 1/12 of entire cake

Nutrition Facts

Amount per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.

Calories 316

Fat 27.5g

Protein 6.3g

Total Carbs 12g

Net Carbs 5.5g

Fiber 6.5g

Sugar 2.7g

Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keywords: coconut flour cake

Calories: 316 kcal

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