Home » Low-Carb Desserts » Keto Coconut Cake
Last updated: · Recipes developed by Vered DeLeeuw and nutritionally reviewed by Rachel Benight MS, RD · This website generates income via ads and uses cookies.
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
This keto coconut cake is incredibly moist and coconutty, with just the right amount of shredded coconut in each bite.
It's easy to make, too - I simply drop the ingredients into the food processor and quickly mix them. It only needs about 30 minutes in the oven.
I love coconut and use it in many recipes, such as coconut haystacks, coconut clusters, and coconut macaroons.
I especially adore this coconut cake. It's moist, fluffy, and coconutty. And it's so easy to make! It's just perfect with a cup of coffee, and I'll go ahead and admit it - I sometimes like to have it for breakfast, especially on weekends.
Jump to:
- Ingredients
- Instructions
- Expert tip
- Frequently asked questions
- Variations
- Serving suggestions
- Storing leftovers
- Related recipes
- Foodie Newsletter
- Recipe Card
Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this tasty cake. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
- Butter: I use unsalted butter to grease the pan.
- Eggs: I use large eggs in almost all of my recipes, this one included.
- Canned coconut milk: Make sure you use full-fat coconut milk in this recipe.
- Sweetener: I use stevia. You can use a granulated sweetener instead if you wish.
- Coconut extract: It's important here. It adds a lot of flavor to the cake.
- Unsweetened shredded coconut: Make sure you don't use reduced-fat coconut. It's too dry.
- Coconut flour: Try to measure it by weight and not by volume. It's extremely absorbent, so every gram makes a difference.
- Baking powder: Make sure it's fresh. And if you need it to be gluten-free, please verify that it is.
Instructions
Making this coconut cake is so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
Your first step is to simply place all the ingredients (except for the butter) in your food processor and process them until combined.
Now, transfer the thick batter to a buttered 9-inch glass pie plate. Use a rubber spatula to smooth the top out.
Bake the cake until it's wonderfully fragrant and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, around 30 minutes in a 325°F oven.
Cool the cake for 15 minutes, then slice it into eight slices and serve.
Expert tip
Since coconut flour is extremely absorbent and can easily dry out baked goods, I highly recommend that you measure it by weight and not by volume.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a different flour such as almond flour or oat flour?
Unfortunately, you can't. Coconut flour behaves differently than any other flour. It requires more eggs and more liquid. This recipe was written specifically for coconut flour, so it won't work with any other flour.
Can you suggest a frosting for this cake?
It's true that I don't frost this cake. I think it's unnecessary, as it's so very good just as it is. Plus, adding frosting would force me to reclassify it from "breakfast" to "dessert." 😀
You could, of course, add frosting if you wish. Simply mix together 8 ounces of softened cream cheese, 2 tablespoons of a powdered sweetener (or the stevia equivalent), and 1 teaspoon of coconut extract. You can mix it by hand with a hand whisk, but be thorough and whisk until very fluffy.
Can I use reduced-fat shredded coconut?
Please don't. It's too dry and will not work at all in this recipe. In fact, the moister the shredded coconut you use, the better.
Can I mix this cake by hand? I don't own a food processor.
Yes, you can. Its texture will be a bit coarser, but it should still be very good.
Can I use a granulated sweetener instead of stevia?
I think so. The amount of stevia I use in this recipe equals ½ cup of sugar. Although I haven't actually tried it, I believethat you can use any granulated sweetener to equal ½ cup of sugar (¾ cup if you like your baked goods sweet).
You can simply add the sweetener to the food processor with the remainingingredients.If the batter seems extremely thick (though it should be quite thick), try adding 1-2 tablespoons of water.
Variations
The only variation I make when baking this cake is that sometimes I use vanilla extract instead of coconut extract. However, if you like coconut, I do recommend that you use coconut extract.
Serving suggestions
This cake is wonderful all by itself. As discussed above, you can frost it if you wish. You can also dust it with a powdered sweetener to make it look prettier, as I do in the video below.
Storing leftovers
Once completely cool, you can keep the leftover slices in the fridge, in Ziploc bags, for up to 5 days.
I very briefly warm them up in the microwave prior to enjoying, 10 seconds per slice. You can also freeze individual slices in freezer bags.
- Coconut Haystacks
- Keto Coconut Macaroons
- Coconut Flour Muffins
- Coconut Clusters
Recipe Card
Keto Coconut Cake
This keto coconut cake is incredibly moist and coconutty, with just the right amount of shredded coconut in each bite.
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time30 minutes mins
Rest time15 minutes mins
Total Time55 minutes mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Servings: 8 slices
Calories: 184kcal
Author: Vered DeLeeuw
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon soft unsalted butter for the pan
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup canned coconut milk unsweetened, full fat (mix it well before using)
- 1 ½ teaspoon stevia glycerite (equals ½ cup sugar)
- 1 teaspoon pure coconut extract
- 1 cup (packed) unsweetened shredded coconut not reduced-fat (60 grams)
- ½ cup coconut flour (56 grams)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder (gluten-free if needed)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch glass or ceramic pie plate with butter.
Add the remaining ingredients to your food processor. Process until smooth, for 30-60 seconds.
Pour the batter into the prepared pie plate. Use a rubber spatula to smooth the top out.
Bake the cake until it smells amazing and a toothpick inserted in its center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
Cool the cake for 15 minutes in the pan on cooling rack, then slice it into eight slices and serve.
Video
Notes
Since coconut flour is extremely absorbent and can easily dry out baked goods, I highly recommend that you measure it by weight and not by volume.
You can dust the cake with a powdered sweetener if you wish.
Please don’t use reduced-fat shredded coconut in this recipe. It’s too dry.
Shredded coconut brands greatly differ in their nutritional info. I like to use the Whole Foods brand of shredded coconut. Packed into a measuring cup, it weighs 60 grams (about 2 oz).
The amount of stevia I use in this recipe equals ½ cup of sugar. Although I haven't actually tried it, I believe that you can use any granulated sweetener to equal ½ cup of sugar (¾ cup if you like your baked goods sweet). If the batter seems extremely thick (though it should be quite thick), try adding 1-2 tablespoons of water.
Add Your Own Notes
Click here to add your own private notes. They're only visible to you. If you clear your browser's cache, they'll be lost.
Nutrition per Serving
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 184kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Sodium: 182mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g
Subscribe
I send out a weekly newsletter with a recipe and tips. Want these recipes in your inbox? Subscribe today! You can unsubscribe at any time.
Follow Me
Disclaimers
Cup measurements refer to the standard American cup, which is 240 milliliters. Most of my recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate, and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read these Terms of Use carefully before using any of my recipes.
❤️ Let's connect! Follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, or Twitter.
More Low-Carb Desserts
- Keto Mug Cake
- Keto Brownies
- Keto Cookie Dough
- Keto Strawberry Shortcake
About the Author
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. Click to learn more about Vered.
