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This Coconut Flour Cake is the perfect gluten-free dessert for your next birthday party or celebration. Just like my Coconut Flour Brownies, all you need is a handful of simple ingredients to make it! (And it doesn’t have an overwhelming coconut flavor.)
It’s one of the best Paleo cakes I’ve ever made.
I purposely don’t use coconut oil or coconut milk in this recipe to help the vanilla flavor shine through. This recipe is naturally sweetened with maple syrup, so it has a hint of maple flavor. It reminds me slightly of eating pancakes… in the best possible way. My kids can’t stop eating it!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review
“The recipe is wonderful! Great taste and great texture. You barely notice it’s coconut flour! Everybody loved it.” – Silvina
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Coconut Flour. This can vary by brand, so I’ve also included the weight in grams, in case you prefer to measure that way. I scoop the measuring cup into the flour, and level off the excess with the back of a knife. Most recently, I’ve tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill brand coconut flour, and it worked well.
- Eggs. Coconut flour requires more eggs than regular flour does, so don’t be surprised by how little flour you’ll need compared to the number of eggs. This is not the time to use an egg substitute. If you need an egg-free Paleo cake, check out my vegan gluten-free chocolate cake.
- Olive Oil. You can use any vegetable oil you prefer for this recipe, but I don’t recommend coconut oil or butter, as they will change the cake’s texture. I like to use olive oil, and I can’t taste it after the cake is baked.
- Maple Syrup. This is my favorite sweetener for Paleo baking. It adds a hint of maple flavor without being overpowering.
- Baking Powder. This helps the cake rise much more than baking soda, so don’t confuse the two.
- Vanilla Extract. I add plenty of vanilla to this recipe to help balance any hint of coconut flavor from the flour.
Note: Coconut flour can be tricky to work with, so be sure to follow this recipe closely for the best results. I had to test over 20 variations of this cake to get the texture and flavor right, so experiment at your own risk.
How to Make Coconut Flour Cake
Step 1:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF, then spray two 6-inch pans lightly with oil and line them with parchment paper. (Coconut flour is sticky, so you want to guarantee the cakes will release from the pan later.) Alternatively, you can prepare one 8-inch pan for a single-layer cake.
In a large bowl, combine the coconut flour, eggs, olive oil, maple syrup, baking powder, vanilla extract, salt, and water. Use a whisk to stir until you see no lumps.
Step 2:
Pour the cake batter evenly between the two prepared pans. They won’t be even halfway full; this makes a relatively small cake!
Bake at 350ºF for 25 minutes, or until the top of each cake is lightly golden and the center feels firm to the touch.
Step 3:
Let the cakes cool completely before attempting to remove them from the pan. Then use the parchment paper to lift the cakes out of each pan.
Assuming the cakes are totally cool, you can start adding your favorite frosting. (See suggestions below!)
Note: If you frost a warm cake, the frosting may melt off before you’re ready to serve. Make sure it’s totally cool before you decorate it!
Frosting Suggestions
This cake in these photos is topped with my Sweet Potato Frosting, made with white sweet potatoes, to keep the “vanilla” look. But here are some other naturally-sweetened frostings to try!
- Date-Sweetened Vegan Frosting
- 2-Ingredient Chocolate Ganache (one of my favorites!)
- Vegan “Cream Cheese” Frosting
Coconut Flour Cake (Perfectly Fluffy!)
Ingredients
- ½ cup coconut flour , leveled
- 4 large eggs
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil (see notes)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons water, as needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and lightly spray two 6-inch cake pans with oil. Press a square of parchment paper into the bottom of each pan, to make removing the cakes easier later. Alternatively, you can use one 8-inch cake pan for this recipe, instead.
- In a large bowl, combine the coconut flour, eggs, olive oil, baking powder, vanilla, maple syrup, salt, and water. Use a whisk to mix well, breaking up any clumps.
- Pour the batter into the two prepared pans. Bake the two 6-inch pans for 25 minutes at 350ºF, or until the top looks lightly golden and the center feels firm to a light touch. An 8-inch cake needs to bake for 30-35 minutes. Let the cake cool completely before removing it from the pan.
- Once the cake is cool, you can frost it with your favorite topping. You'll get a 2-layer cake if you use the two 6-inch pans, or a single layer with the 8-inch pans.
- This cake should be stored tightly covered in the fridge for up to 5 days, but keep in mind that it will start to dry out the longer you store it. Bring the cake to room temperature before serving again for the best flavor and texture.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
More Coconut Flour Recipes
- Best Ever Coconut Flour Banana Bread
- Perfect Coconut Flour Pancakes
- Healthy Carrot Cake
- Coconut Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
- The Best Coconut Flour Waffles
- Coconut Flour Cupcakes
If you try this Coconut Flour Cake, please leave a comment below letting me know how you like it! And if you make any modifications, I’d love to hear how those work out for you, too. We can all benefit from your experience.
I totally forgot to add the water!! Is that going to mess up the whole cake?
I hope it still turned out well for you!
Would this cake be good with whipped cream and fruit
I used an 8” pan, topped it with slivered almonds and baked it. For serving, I made a simple chocolate ganache. It was very good!
I made this twice with the sweet potato frosting on top and it was a hit both times! My favorite dessert so far. It tasted even better as the days went on and when left out.
I did the 8 inch cake and it came out pretty dry, and not very sweet. Next time I will add another tablespoon or 2 of maple syrup. Or, has anyone tried adding applesauce? I’ll report back when I add those….
I made this recently for my birthday. I only made one layer in an 8 inch pan and there was hardly enough better to fit in that size, I’m not sure how the batter would even fit in two separate 6 inch pans! But regardless, it didn’t matter because it was very good. I skillfully cut mine into two layers anyway and added some strawberry preserves in the center, and topped it with the sweet potato frosting, yum! I’m usually not crazy about coconut flavors, but this was subtle. The cake was very moist too, I would make it again.
I forgot to edit properly
I meant to add ‘to the middle layer’ after walnuts
I’ve made this recipe twice. I find it easy to make with great results. I appreciate the small number of ingredients, too. The second time i made coconut buttercream icing with some icing mixed with raspberry jam & walnuts. So happy with the results and to rave reviews. Can I freeze this cake?
I made this for my son’s g/f girlfriend. I got distracted by work and left it in the oven much too long, but it was still delicious and tender! It is so easy. This will be my go-to recipe for a quick cake whether or not it needs to be g/f .
Perfect texture. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Made it for friends and family and it was delicious!!! The olive oil and maple syrup are such an artisanal touch. I made it with cream cheese frosting but I could really just eat it without any frosting. It’s spongy, moist and full of dense flavors. Thank you.