This is the most tender and moist gluten-free coconut cake! It uses coconut oil and coconut flour for flavor, all dressed up with coconut cream cheese frosting. No one will ever guess it's gluten-free when they bite into the soft, fluff crumb. Versatile as a 2-layer cake or a 3-layer cake, using whatever pans you have on hand!
This post is sponsored by Andronico's Community Markets, a long-term partner of Snixy Kitchen, but the opinions are all my own.
Why you'll love this gluten-free coconut cake
- Delicious layers of tender and fluffy coconut-flavored cake slathered with coconut cream cheese frosting.
- The cake bakes up with a super soft and ultra fluffy crumb. No one will guess it's gluten-free!
- It's also very moist and tender thanks to coconut oil and a balanced mix of gluten-free flours.
- The cake has a robust coconut flavor from coconut flour, coconut oil, shredded coconut, coconut milk, and just a hint of coconut extract.
- The recipe is flexible, depending on your pans. It can be baked in many different sizes of cake pans, only needing to adjust the bake time, as written. It can also be baked as a 2-layer or 3-layer cake, depending on how many pans you have. It can even be baked as cupcakes!
Can you tell I love coconut? Although I love this layer cake, sometimes I'm pressed for time so I make my chewy gluten-free coconut macaroons to satisfy my craving, as they only take a few minutes of prep and are done baking in 20 minutes. So that's another option for my coconut friends!
My Favorite Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
A smooth and tangy cream cheese frosting is the best match for a coconut cake. For this recipe, I'm using a higher ratio of butter to cream cheese, which makes the frosting thicker and more stable for slicing.
Adding a hint of coconut milk and coconut extract creates a coconut-forward lusciously smooth frosting that will have you licking your plate. It's also a delicious frosting to use on my extra fluffy gluten-free chocolate cake; the two flavors pair together perfectly.
Andronico's: Ingredients for Gluten-Free Coconut Cake
If you're in the Bay Area, you can pick up everything for this gluten-free coconut cake from your local Andronico's Community Market. From coconut flour to unsweetened shredded coconut to cream cheese - they carry it all. Like my gluten-free sugar cookie bars, I also picked up some seasonal decorations for on top. In this case, Cadbury mini eggs give the cake an Easter twist.
Unsweetened or Sweetened Shredded Coconut
While most coconut cakes call for sweetened shredded coconut, I find the texture of sweetened shredded coconut to be stringy and chewy in all the wrong ways.
The texture of unsweetened shredded coconut is fine and crisp, and when baked in a cake, seems to melt when you eat it. It also creates a less cloyingly sweet frosting topping with more coconut flavor.
Recipe
Moist Gluten-Free Double Coconut Cake
Ingredients
- 135 g (1 cup + 3 tablespoons) Bob’s Red Mill tapioca flour
- 105 g (1 cup + 1 tablespoon) Bob's Red Mill coconut flour
- 55 g (¼ cup + 2 tablespoons) Bob's Red Mill cassava flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 5 large egg whites, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 42 g (3 tablespoons) coconut oil, room temperature. I recommend unrefined as it will add more coconut flavor, but refined works too
- 375 g (1¾ cups + 2 tablespoons) granulated sugar
- 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 300 g (1¼ cups) full-fat canned coconut milk, room temperature and well-mixed
- 85 g (1 cup) unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 8 ounces (226 g) full-fat cream cheese (blocked), room temperature
- 540 g (4½ cups) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 tablespoon full-fat canned coconut milk
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 85 g (1 cup) unsweetened shredded coconut, for sprinkling
INSTRUCTIONS
Gluten-Free Coconut Flour Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and line the bottom of three 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper. See note about using different sizes of cake pans or baking just two layers.
- In a medium bowl, sift together coconut flour, tapioca flour, cassava flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Using a hand mixer or whisk, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar in a medium bowl, starting on low speed and increasing to high speed until soft peaks form. When the beater is pulled out a peak should rise and the very tip should fall. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, cream the butter, coconut oil, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides as needed, 3-4 minutes.
- Mix in the vanilla and coconut extracts until combined.
- With the mixer on low speed, alternate adding the coconut milk and the flours in 2 parts each, scraping down the sides as needed, and mixing until well combined.
- Mix in the shredded coconut until well combined. Using a silicone spatula, fold in ⅓ of the whipped egg whites to loosen the batter. Then carefully fold in the remaining whipped egg whites until just combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between your prepared cake pans, smoothing out the top. Bake for 24-26 minutes for an 8-inch 3-layer cake. See note about bake times for different sizes of pans or for baking a 2-layer cake. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean, the center should just spring back when gently touched, and the edges just barely golden brown.
- Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then overturn the cake onto a wire rack to cool completely. To do this, I place a large wire rack or sheet pan over the baking pan and, holding it together, carefully flip the cake to release. Peel off the parchment paper, then place a wire rack over the top, and carefully flip it right side up.
Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
- Once cool, make the cream cheese frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter over medium speed. With the mixer on low, add the cream cheese pieces one at a time. Scrape down the sides and mix until well combined. With the mixer on low, slowly add the powdered sugar, beating until incorporated. Add the coconut milk, vanilla and coconut extracts and salt and mix until smooth.
- Frost the cake. Spread ½ cup of frosting between each layer. spread a very thin layer of frosting on the top and side. Use a bench scraper or offset spatula to smooth and scrape the frosting off the sides. This is the crumb coat to keep the crumbs off your final pretty frosting layer. Chill the cake for 15 minutes. Spread remaining frosting over the cake, smoothing it using an offset spatula. Using the palm of your hand, gently press the unsweetened shredded coconut all over the sides and top of your cake. For those coconut-skeptics, try toasting the coconut before pressing it onto the cake for a crunchier texture and more nutty flavor. Slice and serve.
Notes
Using Different Cake Pans
- 2-layer 8-inch cake: This cake also works when baked as two thicker layers rather than three. For just two 8-inch layers, extend the bake time by 8-10 minutes (32-36 minutes total), until the center springs back when gently touched.
- 2-layer 9-inch cake: If you only have 9-inch cake pans, you can make a 2-layer cake (3 layers would be too thin). Increase the bake time by 2-3 minutes (26-29 minutes total), until the center springs back when gently touched.
- 9x13 sheet cake pan: You can bake this in a metal 9x13 cake pan. Extend the bake time by 3-4 minutes (27-30 minutes total), until the center springs back when gently touched.
Can you Make this Dairy-Free?
To make gluten-free and dairy-free coconut cake, replace the unsalted butter with stick plant butter in the cake. To make the frosting dairy-free, use stick plant butter and plant-based cream cheese. Alternatively, you can substitute the cream cheese by weight with additional plant butter to make a dairy-free buttercream frosting.How to Make Gluten-Free Gluten-Free Coconut Cake
Sift together the dry ingredients. Set aside.
Whip the egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Set aside.
Cream the butter, coconut oil, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla and coconut extracts until combined.
With the mixer on low, alternate adding the coconut milk and the flours in 2 parts each, scraping down the sides as needed, and mixing until well combined.
Mix in the shredded coconut until well combined.
Fold in ⅓ of the whipped egg whites to loosen the batter.
Then carefully fold in the remaining whipped egg whites until just combined.
Divide the batter evenly between your prepared cake pans and bake, according to your pan size in the instructions below. Depending on your preference, you can bake this as either a 2-layer or 3-layer. The cake should just spring back when gently touched, and the edges just barely golden brown.
Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Cream the butter over medium speed, then mix in the cream cheese pieces one at a time, scraping down the sides. Slowly mix in the powdered sugar, followed by the coconut milk, vanilla and coconut extracts, and salt and mix until smooth.
Layer the cake with ½ cup frosting between each layer. Create a crumb coat - spread a very thin layer of frosting on the sides and top and chill for 15 minutes.
Spread the remaining frosting over the cake, then gently press the unsweetened shredded coconut all over the sides and top of your cake.
Can you Freeze Gluten-Free Coconut Cake?
FREEZING UNFROSTED
You can bake and cool the gluten-free coconut cake layers in advance and freeze them until you're ready to frost the cake. Before freezing, wrap each cooled layer tightly in plastic wrap. Plastic wrap is sufficient for just a few days, but for longer storage, place the wrapped layers in freezer bags to avoid freezer burn.
When ready to frost the cake, set the frozen layers on a cooling rack at room temperature for about an hour to defrost before frosting the cake as normal.
FREEZING FROSTED
You can also freeze the gluten-free coconut cake once it's frosted. If you have space in your freezer, you can freeze the cake whole. To do so, place the whole cake in the freezer for an hour until the outside is firm, before wrapping it well in plastic wrap. Store it like this for up to 4 days. To defrost, leave the frozen cake at room temperature for 3 hours before slicing and serving.
You can also store leftover slices in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before eating.
TatIana -
I’m going to make this tonight but I don’t have cassava. Is there a recommended substitute?
carmen -
https://substitutecooking.com/cassava-flour-substitutes/
being that i'd also like to know a possible sub for cassava, i'm going to try tapioca starch as i have it in my pantry. i thought i'd show you this list. good luck!
Tatiana -
Thanks! I did make it and added some almond flour instead. I believe I added 1/2 cup. The cake was a total hit. I added some pins colada flavouring to the icing. I used the 9 x 13 pan and used only half of the icing. It didn’t need more.
carmen -
i have almond flour too - i would rather give that a go TBH. i will keep your hint about the icing and pan size in mind too - thanks so much and glad it worked out a charm for you!
Sarah Menanix -
Sorry for the delay - I'm up in the woods without service, but we're at a little cafe today. While I haven't tested it, I would recommend subbing in sweet rice flour, additional tapioca flour, or even millet flour, by weight!
Cheryl Higley -
This cake was exceptionally moist and tender and just full of flavor. Great idea to use coconut extract in both the cake and the frosting and the coconut milk. Adorable for Easter with the Cadbury eggs! I can also imagine serving it with the sides thinly frosted (semi-naked icing) and just the top iced for a rustic baby or bridal shower 3-layer cake.