Coconut flour cake has quickly become our stand-by, a staple of birthday celebrations. With a flavor and texture reminiscent of classic yellow cake, this coconut flour cake is a welcome and nourishing alternative to all that refined flour and sugar. So when my son turned five recently, I knew just what cake I’d make to celebrate that momentous occasion. As an added benefit, the cake is free from grains, gluten and dairy products without compromising flavor or texture, meaning that it’s a good dessert for family, friends and guests who may suffer from common food allergies. If you liked the coconut bread, you’ll really enjoy this cake.
Rich in protein and fiber, coconut flour produces a filling and nutrient-dense cake. Typical birthday party fare includes candies, sugary sodas and cakes loaded with white flour, white sugar, hydrogenated fats and powdered sugar. It’s easy to rationalize it: it’s only once a year, the kids deserve their treat. Yet, all those refined carbohydrates come at a great cost to little bodies and developing metabolisms. As any parent who’s attended his or her share of children’s birthday parties knows that the after the sweetness of a birthday cake wears off, the craziness sets in. Little bodies, and big bodies for that matter, just aren’t prepared to handle such an intense rush of refined carbohydrates and manufactured fats. We love healthy treats for kids at Nourished Kitchen, and this gluten-free cake is no exception.
A coconut flour cake, by contrast to traditional birthday cakes, helps to provide better nourishment through protein- and fiber-rich flour coupled with pastured eggs rich in vitamins and nourishing fats. While sweetened by honey, thanks to its rich assortment of proteins, fiber and fat, it still lacks the sugar rush associated with other flour- and sugar-rich cakes, making it a perfect choice for a child’s birthday party.
Similarly, the coconut frosting that accompanies coconut flour cake is also sweetened only by a touch of honey. It lacks the powdered sugar, a combination of sugar and starch, found in most frostings so this coconut frosting is light and fluffy in texture, and it melts readily, so keep the frosted cake chilled in the refrigerator until it’s ready to serve.
coconut flour cake with coconut frosting
By Published: September 12, 2010
- Yield: two eight-inch cakes
- Prep: 10 (active time) mins
- Cook: 40 (baking time) mins
- Ready In: 50 mins
Dense, moist, and rich with coconut flavor, coconut flour cake is a remarkable treat. While both its texture and flavor is reminiscent of classic yellow cake, it’s considerably more nourishing thanks to the nutrient profile of both coconut flour and fresh pastured eggs. We serve coconut flour cake for birthdays and special occasions.
Ingredients
- coconut flour cake: ingredients
- 1 dozen eggs
- 2 cups coconut milk
- up to 3/4 cup honey
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp coconut extract
- 1/2 tsp orange extract
- 2 cups coconut flour (plus extra for greasing the pan)
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp unrefined sea salt
- coconut oil (for greasing the pan)
- coconut frosting: ingredients
- 2 cups coconut spread
- 1/2 cup virgin coconut oil
- up to 1/3 cup honey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp coconut extract
Instructions
- coconut flour cake: method
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Beat a dozen eggs, two cups coconut milk and up to three-quarters of a cup of honey together with vanilla, coconut and orange extracts until smooth, creamy and uniform in both color and texture.
- Dump two cups coconut flour, a half-teaspoon baking soda and a quarter teaspoon unrefined sea salt into the mixture of eggs, honey and extracts, and continue to beat until a smooth batter forms.
- Grease and flour two eight-inch cake tins.
- Pour, or spoon, the cake batter into the greased and floured tins, shaking them to even out the batter and smoothing it with the back of a spoon or with a rubber spatula.
- Bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about forty minutes, or until the cake separates from the sides of the tin and a toothpick inserted into the cake’s center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before removing from the tin and frosting with the coconut frosting below.
- coconut frosting: method
- Beat all ingredients together until thoroughly combined.
- Refrigerate the frosting for five to ten minutes so that it stiffens a bit.
- Remove from the refrigerator, beat for about one minute.
- Frost your cake.
Is there a substitute for coconut spread? I am not able to find it conveniently and would like to make this cake for my daughter’s birthday this weekend!
Hi Jenny,
In the icing recipe there is “coconut spread” what exactly is that? Also, when I go to sources I cannot find it.
Thank you-
Coconut spread is the same thing as nut butter, only made with coconut – you can find it from Wilderness Family Naturals.
thank you!
Is coconut extract the same thing as coconut flavor? Same question for orange extract.
Can you use anything besides honey? Want cake for first birthday, but would rather not try it on such a big day!
I swap sweeteners a lot in similar recipes: if you are not following GAPS/SCD, try maple syrup for sweetening babies first cake. Or some date sugar (pure) or even just blending a bit of moistened dates or very ripe banana right into batter, if you are avoiding sweeteners.
Try coconut palm sugar. Very low G.I and great replacement for sweeteners.
Dorothy, did you try an alternative sweetener to the honey? I would love to know how it turned out. I am looking to do the same thing – baby’s first birthday cake!
Can you use light canned coconut milk or does it need to be full fat? Also will the amount of honey I use effect the texture/outcome of the cake? I was thinking of using 1/2 cup of honey and some liquid stevia. Thanks!
I have a friend who’s son is on a ketogenic diet for a rare illness. I’d love to adapt the recipe and use stevia as a sweetener for both the cake and the frosting. Any tips for how to do that? It would be so nice to be able to have him eat cake on his birthday.
I use stevia in all recipes that call for sugar. I use the same amount of stevia as the sugar called for in the recipe. I have never had a problem with it. The cake will be a little more dense and you may need to cook it for less time ~ watch it closely so it doesn’t get overcooked. Good luck!
This sounds so delicious.We live in a rural town with not many shopping options.So I was thinking cream cheese would be good spread on this cake! You could use the whipped kind as it spreads easier maybe with some sort of jam mixed in?
How thick is the frosting? Will it hold several layers? From the picture it looks kinda liquidy.
I attempted this but it came out horrible, more eggy than cakey! The batter was not overly runny and I was concerned at that point. Any hot tips!
When it come sout like you describe, it’s usually because the cook made substitutions – often by replacing oconut flour with regular flour.
I made this exactly according to your recipe and it came out “eggy” as the previous commenter described. I used Bob’s Red Mill coconut flour as it’s the only kind I could find, and it says it’s good for gluten-free baking. However, I would not describe this as having a light, crumbly texture as most people would want from a cake.
Yes. Coconut flour does not yield the same results as grain-based flours.
I get quit confused with “coconut milk” in recipes. There is a canned coconut milk that is quite thick & then there is the coconut milk in the refrigerated section of the store (with the watery consistency of, well, cows milk). Which does you recipe use & if canned, can you use the light coconut milk??
Thanks – the recipe looks wonderful!!
My recipes only call for full-fat coconut milk (canned or fresh), and NEVER EVER do I use the coconut milk sold in cartons. It’s loaded with synthetic vitamins and food additives.
Has anyone tried this batter for cupcakes? I have little baking experience in general, and an old unreliable oven, so I’m thinking I’d be more confident if I tried cupcakes rather than a 2-layered cake. Is this approach likely to be successful? Would I simply adjust the baking time through trial and (hopefully very little) error?
Do you have a recipe for rum cake using coconut flour?
Jenny HI, you cake looks fabulous!! I cannot wait to try it. You didn’t say sifted coconut flour so I am assuming you did not sift? Have all the ingredients and want to make this but I usually see sifted coconut flour so want to be sure before I get started.
Thanks for all the recipes you share, keep up the good work!
Hi Anne!
I never sift my coconut flour. It still works well!
Hi Jenny. Is coconut spread also coconut butter? I typically make this myself so I’m hoping so. Also, I’d like to make my own coconut flour. Once I make my coconut milk and have strained the milk through a cheesecloth, is the pulp remaining considered coconut flour? Maybe blended once dried to a fine consistency?
Hi, I am really looking forward to making this. I wanted to know what brand specifically you use in the Coconut milk – I have tried various brands of canned coconut milk and they all very greatly. Hoping for a huge success in this turning out like yours. If you use the Wilderness Naturals coconut milk they have ( “cream” or milk coconut milk) If so which. Thanks so much ( if possible could you email your answer to me so I don’t have to keep checking back?) Thanks again!!
I’m wondering why our questions are often not answered? I’d love to make these recipes and keep refining our kitchen and foods but I sort of feel left hanging. I wonder if it’s because this was originally an older post?
I often don’t even see the comments on older posts – because comments on newer posts overtake them so they’re not immediately visible unless there’s a lull like today. I recommend that people post any questions to the Nourished Kitchen facebook wall: http://facebook.com/nourishedkitchen so that if I can’t answer, someone else might be able to.
Heya i am for the primary time here. I found this board and I to find It really useful & it
helped me out a lot. I am hoping to offer one thing back and aid others like you helped me.
Hello- also looking to make this for baby’s first bday. I’d like to add pineapple to sweeten it. How would you I incorporate pineapple juice and/or fresh pineapple?
Thanks!