You're going to love this easy, delicious and moist Coconut Flour Cake! It's made with eggs, maple syrup and coconut flour, making it both gluten free and dairy free!
This coconut flour cake is everything you want in a gluten free cake, plus more!
Boy, this cake took me quite a few tries to master -- coconut flour might be the most finicky of the gluten free flours -- but it was worth it!
After posting my chocolate almond flour cake, I had a few messages via Instagram asking if/when I was going to make a flour with coconut flour. Well, before making a cake, I opted to make my coconut flour banana muffins, which then gave me the confidence to try a cake.Â
Recipe features
- A gluten free cake that’s also dairy-free and nut-free
- Perfectly moist, and topped with a simple lemon buttercream
- Ready in about 1 hour
Ingredient notes:
Unfortunately for this cake, there aren’t many substitutions; coconut flour is very finicky, so I don’t recommend switching many of the ingredients. But, I do want to provide more clarification on a few of the ingredients below.
- Coconut flour: No substitutions; you may want to sift the flour so remove any lumps.
- Milk: ANY dairy-free milk, but NOT canned coconut milk. Canned coconut milk is thicker than milk from a carton, and results in a batter that is simply too thick. I recommend either oat milk or almond milk instead.
- Maple syrup: No substitutions -- I tested this recipe using honey, and I didn’t like it as much, so I do recommend sticking with maple syrup.
- Coconut oil: Can sub olive oil if you prefer; coconut oil is my go-to oil for baking, and it works nicely in this cake recipe, but olive oil will work.
- Coconut sugar: Optional, but helps to add a little extra sweetness to this cake, since the recipe is otherwise refined-sugar free.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Mix wet ingredients. Start by melting the coconut oil -- you want it to be cooled to room temperature before adding it in with the other ingredients. Next, whisk the eggs, milk, syrup, and vanilla together, then add in the cooled coconut oil.
Step 2: Fold in dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, stir the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt together, then gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. As soon as the flour is incorporated, pour the batter into your greased/lined cake pan.
Step 3: Bake. Bake the cake for 30-34 minutes (mine took 32 minutes) or until a toothpick comes out clean. Wait 10 minutes before carefully inverting it into a cooling rack. Wait for the cake to completely cool before adding the icing.
Step 4: Add the icing. Whisk all of the icing ingredients together with an electric/stand mixer. Then, add a large dollop of icing on top of the cake and use the back of a spoon to spread it out. Slice the cake and eat up!
Tips and tricks
-Make sure to sift the coconut flour to remove any lumps in the cake batter. To sift, simply pour the coconut flour through a fine mesh strainer and shake the strainer over a large mixing bowl.
-Do NOT over-mix the batter; the more you mix it, the thicker the batter will get. Instead, add the coconut flour and gently fold it in, then as soon as it’s incorporated transfer the batter to your cake pan.
FAQs
Do I really need to use five eggs?
Yup! Coconut flour is highly absorbent, meaning it absorbs liquid significantly more than other flours. So, you need extra liquid to make sure the cake stays nice and moist and isn’t dry.
On that same note, I originally tested this recipe with four eggs and decided five was the way to go (just in case you’re wondering). I have NOT tested this using flax eggs, but you're more than welcome to try!
What are the benefits of coconut flour?
Coconut flour is a gluten free flour made solely from coconut, making it a great option for people who have celiac or who are simply avoiding gluten. It's also nut-free, so anyone with nut allergies can enjoy baked goods made with it, making it suitable for any diet.
Can I use a different sweetener?
Yes! I tested this cake with maple syrup and then again with honey, and I definitely preferred the syrup. But, either will work.
You have to use a liquid sweetener (vs. granulated sugar) because coconut flour is highly absorbent -- there needs to be a lot of liquid!
Storage
- Room temperature: This cake will last in a covered container/plate at room temperature for 1-2 days.
- Refrigerator: You can also store the cake in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: If you're going to freeze this cake, wait to add the icing. Once it's cooled, wrap the cake in plastic wrap and store it in the freezer for up to 2 months.
More gluten free dessert recipes:
If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
Coconut Flour Cake
Ingredients
- 5 eggs
- ½ cup milk *see notes
- â…“ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup coconut oil melted and cool to room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup coconut flour sifted
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
for the icing:
- 2 tablespoon butter softened; regular or dairy-free
- 1 ½ tablespoon milk
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a round 8" cake pan with parchment paper, or grease it with coconut oil and set aside. Next, melt the coconut oil and set it aside; wait for it to come to room temperature before using it.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, syrup, and vanilla together; add the coconut oil once it has cooled.
- In a separate bowl, stir the coconut flour, coconut sugar, baking soda, and salt together.
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients -- do NOT over-mix or the batter will be too thick. As soon as the flour is incorporated, transfer the batter to your cake pan.
- Bake the cake for 30-34 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove the pan from the oven, then wait 10 minutes before carefully inverting it onto a cooling rack. Wait for the cake to completely cool before icing it.
for the icing:
- Mix the butter, milk and vanilla together with an electric/stand mixer, then add the powdered sugar and stir until the icing is smooth. Optional: stir in the lemon zest.
- Last, add a large dollop of icing on top of the cake, and use the back of a spoon to smooth it out. Slice and enjoy!
Yi says
Great recipe! I substituted coconut oil with canola oil, used 4 large eggs rather than 5 normal eggs, and 3/4 cups of milk (my coconut flour is extra absorbent). It turned out moist and wonderful. Experiment at your own risk.
It's hard to find a recipe for coconut flour cake that is this simple yet so good. This will be a go-to recipe for me.
Erin says
Thanks for the positive review -- I'm glad the substitutions worked!