This Gluten Free Coconut Cake is the ultimate cake for coconut lovers. It’s made with coconut milk, coconut oil, and shredded coconut, plus it’s filled with coconut custard and topped with toasted coconut.
<< click here to pin this recipe >>
Gluten Free Coconut Cake
YOU GUYS. It’s my birthday again!
It seems like I just celebrated 29 again with my Gluten Free Funfetti cake. I love birthdays, just not that added year every time it rolls around. I mean, I still kind of feel like I’m young. I still feel like that 22 year old that likes to have fun. Only now I have two little kids, two dogs, and a house to take care of so “fun” has an entirely different meaning.
And then when I’m actually around 22 year olds, I remember – oh yeah. I’m definitely NOT 22 years old anymore. They seem so young. So energetic. So responsibility-free. Their natural red highlights aren’t turning white. They can stay up past midnight and not pay for it for the next two-three days. They’re not constantly saying things like “Please don’t pick your nose with Elsa’s feet” or “Please stop licking the door” or even “Please don’t poke your sister with your popsicle”.
So basically, my mind says 22. My life says absolutely not. My candles say 29.
It’s a compromise I’m willing to accept.
Since it’s my birthday, presents are in order. I’ve lined up a great list of goodies FOR YOU this year. One lucky reader will win a KitchenAid Stand Mixer, a $100 Sweetapolita Gift Card, and a little package of my favorite products from Rodelle Vanilla. I have fallen in love with Sweetapolita’s gluten free sprinkles and I want to share that love with you!
You can enter the giveaway via the Rafflecopter form at the very end of this post. Good luck!
Not only am I having a little (BIG!!!) giveaway, but so many blogging friends showed up to celebrate my birthday with me and they’ve all got sweet treats and cocktails to share because it’s not a birthday without cake, ice cream, or cocktails, amiright?! You can check out what everyone is sharing in the list just below my gluten free coconut cake recipe – be sure to click over to their sites to get the delicious recipe details!
And now, lets finally talk about this gluten free coconut cake, k? If you’re a coconut lover like me, you’re going to love this. This cake is packed with coconut flavor. The cake is gluten free and dairy free and made with coconut oil, coconut milk, and has a little shredded coconut mixed into the batter. But I didn’t stop there.
The filling is a mixture of my dairy free coconut custard and So Delicious CocoWhip (you could also use homemade coconut whipped cream). I frosted the cake with the same vegan vanilla frosting that I used for my gluten free frosted sugar cookies and then I coated the sides of the cake with toasted coconut.
This cake is the definition of coconut heaven. Your tastebuds will rejoice. Mine did. There’s no better way to celebrate then celebrating with a cake in your favorite flavor.
Cheers to another year, my friends!
Enjoy, you know I will!
BE SURE TO FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM AND HASHTAG #WHATTHEFORKFOODBLOG OR TAG @WHATTHEFORKFOODBLOG – I LOVE SEEING WHAT YOU MAKE!
IF YOU LOVE THIS gluten free coconut cake recipe, BE SURE TO FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA SO YOU NEVER MISS A POST:
| facebook | twitter | pinterest | instagram | youtube |
Gluten Free Coconut Cake
This Gluten Free Coconut Cake is the ultimate cake for coconut lovers. It’s made with coconut milk, coconut oil, and shredded coconut, plus it’s filled with coconut custard and topped with toasted coconut.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 C coconut milk, room temperature
- 6 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 C solid coconut oil, measured then melted
- 2 1/4 C gluten free flour
- 1 tsp xanthan gum
- 1 3/4 C granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 3/4 C shredded coconut
For the Filling:
- 1 C prepared coconut custard
- 1 C So Delicious CocoWhip (or homemade coconut whipped cream)
For the Frosting:
- 1/2 C vegan butter (I use soy-free Earth Balance spread)
- 1/2 C shortening
- 3 1/2 C powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp coconut milk
- 1 1/4 C toasted coconut
Instructions
To Make the Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray 3 8-inch cake pans with non-stick spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, egg whites, vanilla extract, and coconut oil until well combined.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, xanthan gum, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the shredded coconut.
- Pour in the milk/egg/oil mixture and stir until well incorporated and the batter is smooth.
- Transfer the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake at 350 degrees for 20-24 minutes (or until a cake tester comes out with moist crumbs. Cool the cakes in the pan for 10 minutes then cool completely on a wire rack.
- ***See notes for storing the cake after baking****
For the Filling:
- Stir together the CocoWhip (defrosted if frozen) and the coconut custard.
For the Frosting:
- Add the vegan butter to a bowl of a stand mixer and beat at medium speed to soften. Add the shortening and beat until well mixed.
- Add the powdered sugar and mix on low speed. While the mixer is running, add the vanilla extract and coconut milk. If the frosting is too thick, you can thin it with a little more coconut milk.
- Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and beat the frosting until smooth and creamy, scraping down the bowl as necessary.
To Assemble the Cake:
- Place one of the cake layers on a cake stand or cake plate. Add some of the frosting to a piping bag and pipe a border along the border of the cake. Fill the icing dam with half of the cake filling and then top with the second cake layer.
- Pipe another border around the cake layer and then fill that icing dam with the remainder of the cake filling and top with the last layer of cake.
- Frost the cake with the remaining frosting. To decorate, press the toasted coconut along the sides of the cake.
Notes
To toast the coconut, add 1 1/4 cups shredded coconut to a dry pan and heat over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, until the coconut turns golden brown. Remove from the heat and cool completely before adding to the cake.
*** I freeze all of my cakes before frosting them. When they have cooled to room temperature, I wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and then freeze them on a sheet pan in the freezer. I find frosting frozen cakes to be so much easier when using vegan frosting. Let the cake defrost completely before serving. ****
Recipe adapted from Food Network.
Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 46Total Fat: 4gCarbohydrates: 2g
This post contains affiliate links for products and/or ingredients used to make this recipe. Thank you for helping to support What The Fork Food Blog. Your support helps make this blog possible ♥
Be sure to check out all of the deliciously sweet desserts and birthday cocktails that my blogging friends made to celebrate with me
Gluten Free Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes – Gluten-Free Palate
Bourbon Tropical Peach Cocktail – Fearless Dining
Kir Royale Cocktails – The Heritage Cook
Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes – My Gluten Free Miami
Gluten Free Cookie Cake – Flippin’ Delicious
Summer Beer – Vegetarian Mamma
The Best Gluten Free Cake – gfJules
Gluten Free Cookie Cake – A Mind “Full” Mom
Strawberry Lychee Panna Cotta – Brunch-n-Bites
Cucumber Moscow Mule – The Culinary Compass
Paleo Chocolate Cupcakes with Mocha Frosting – Only Taste Matters
Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes – Veggie Balance
Virgin Watermelon Margarita – Coffee With Us 3
Elderflower Mojito – Home & Plate
Summertime Lemon Cupcakes – For the Love of Food
Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake Stacks – Simply Healthy Family
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake – Cookie Dough and Oven Mitt
Watermelon Mint Gin Fizz – Frugal Foodie Mama
Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake – Raia’s Recipes
Tequila Sunrise Cocktail – All Roads Lead to the Kitchen
Gluten Free Fresh Apple Cake – My Gluten-free Kitchen
Izzy
Saturday 2nd of April 2022
Hi! This recipe sounds amazing. Will the cake remain moist if I make the cake the night before? Also do you think the cake layers will hold up over night if I were to brush a simple almond syrup on them?
Maria
Tuesday 8th of February 2022
Hello! I can’t wait to make this. Is the shredded coconut unsweetened or sweetened?
Shereen Rodrigues
Saturday 30th of October 2021
Is the coconut milk the full fat kind in a can or the kind in the carton that you eat with cereal
Sue Erickson
Friday 13th of November 2020
Hi there! This cake looks amazing, and am planning on baking it today. I bought Bob's Red Mill GF all purpose baking flour mix, but did not buy xanthum gum (they only had a $15/bag and I'm just using for this one recipe). My flour mix doesn't have xanthum gum in it- do you think this will turn out okay without it?
Pamela Lee
Sunday 17th of May 2020
How far ahead can I put this cake together? I’m concerned that the filling will make the cake soggy. I’m taking this over to my daughters house for her birthday. It smells delicious. Thanks, Pam
Shay
Monday 15th of June 2020
You can make all the components ahead of time and I would assemble it the day you plan on serving it.