One Bowl MOIST Vegan Coconut Cake Recipe – Gluten Free Option!
This is truly the best vegan coconut cake I’ve ever had! So moist and fluffy, and full of fresh coconut and vanilla with a dairy free coconut cream cheese frosting that just sets this coconut cake apart from the rest!
Why you’ll love this vegan coconut cake
I’m so beyond excited to share this vegan coconut cake with you. I’ve tested it several times, and man, do we have a winner. Even my nearly 80 year old Italian grandmother (read: she’s not accustomed to eating vegan and gluten free!) loved this coconut cake. So much so, she had a second slice!
I just know you’re going to absolutely fall in love with this coconut cake, and for a few reasons:
- This cake is the definition of super moist and fluffy. I’m talking feels-like-you’re-eating-a-cloud fluffy and tender. Trust me, “dry cake” will be nowhere near your thought pattern.
- It’s shockingly easy to make. Forget the notion that making a layered cake, heck a vegan layered cake is hard. Like my classic vegan vanilla cake, this vegan coconut cake is the definition of easy, so whether you’re a pro or beginner, you’re going to love this cake.
- The dairy free coconut cream cheese frosting is out of this world. Based on my easy vegan cream cheese frosting, I could easily eat that frosting alone, but paired with the fluffy coconut cake full of toasted coconut, you’re going to see why this coconut cake is award winning!
- This vegan coconut cake is full of flavor. Don’t for a second think that vegan baking is flavorless. In fact, I think it’s quite the opposite. Not only will you be overwhelmed with the bursting fresh flavor of coconut at the first bite, but it’s also paired with a subtle yet lovely vanilla undertone that really makes you speechless. With a slight tang from the dairy free cream cheese, you’ll go back for another bite. Trust me, it’s worth the calories.
- You don’t have to be vegan to love this cake. Or bake it! If my nearly 80 year old grandmother, who hadn’t tasted a vegan treat until she was 77 years old, can say she loves this cake, then I’m certain anyone will!
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Ingredients
I really wanted to keep this vegan coconut cake super simple and easy for everyone, so you only need a few key ingredients here:
- Flour: you can use cake flour, all purpose flour with a bit of arrowroot powder, gluten free 1:1 baking flour, or even oat flour with a bit of arrowroot powder as well (listed in the ingredients).
- Sugar: I used granulated sugar here, but you can also use coconut sugar. Just keep in mind that your cake will be more tan in color!
- Vegan butter: you can also use coconut oil here, which will give this cake a more coconut flavor. I used Flora Plant Butter for a nut-free coconut cake.
- Coconut milk or coconut cream: use the coconut milk from the can. Your cake will come out extra rich and tender! If you can’t find coconut cream, full fat coconut milk will also work!
- Dairy free yogurt: this replaces the eggs found in traditional coconut cake so this is an egg free coconut cake!
- Coconut and vanilla extract: this vegan coconut cake actually has a lot of coconut flavor already, so if you’d prefer not to add in the coconut, you can omit it. I will say, the vanilla with the coconut is a really nice flavor though, so keep the vanilla in!
- Leavening agents: but of course we need something to rise our cakes!
Overview: Step by Step How to Make a Vegan Coconut Cake
As with all of my recipes, the full recipe to this dairy free coconut cake is found down below in the recipe card, along with the full ingredient measurements. However, let’s have an overview of how to bake this vegan cake!
This vegan coconut cake is actually based off of my vegan vanilla cake- one of my favorite recipes on the blog to date. It’s so light and tender, yet full of flavor. Plus, my entire family just loves it (not to mention my readers of course!). So much like my vanilla cake recipe, there’s actually two methods we can use to make it: the stand mixer method or the by hand method.
For the record, I bake all of my cakes either by hand or in a stand mixer. When I’m short on time, I use the by hand method.
Yes, you can truly make an amazing vegan cake without any fancy equipment- I even created, tested, and photographed over 120 vegan desserts for my cookbook without even touching a stand mixer! So know that either method that you choose, you’ll get an amazing coconut cake, whether you’re a beginner or a pro.
Stand Mixer Method: the first step is to make sure that the flour and leavening agents are whisked together. Then you’ll cream together the vegan butter and sugar. Once the sugar is essentially dissolved into the butter, you’ll add in the dairy free yogurt (or applesauce), along with the vanilla and coconut extracts. Then you’ll gently sift in the flour, along with the coconut cream, mixing until there are no more dry streaks. Fold in the coconut flakes, pour into your cake pans and bake!
By Hand Method: this method is slightly different, but again, works amazingly still. Whisk together the wet ingredients, then fold in the coconut flakes. Pour in the coconut milk and flour, then whisk just until combined. Pour into the cake pans and bake! That’s it!
Dairy free coconut cream cheese frosting
This dairy free coconut cream cheese frosting is arguably the best vegan frosting I’ve ever had.
It’s so good, I feel like I could just eat it with a spoon. In fact, I might have taken a few bites! This is what really sets this vegan coconut cake apart.
The cream cheese frosting is made with vegan butter, vegan cream cheese, powdered sugar, and coconut flakes. If the frosting needs a bit more liquid, I like to add in a little more coconut cream, which also gives a bit more of a coconut flavor.
Much like my other vegan frostings, you’ll simply cream together the vegan butter and cream cheese. Add in the powdered sugar, and cream again until fluffy! If you’d like, you an also toast the coconut, which we’ll go over in the next section.
How to toast coconut
You can, of course, use raw and unsweetened shredded coconut or coconut flakes, but I personally think that the toasted coconut adds so much depth to this vegan coconut cake and sets the bar high.
If you’d like to add toasted coconut to both the cake batter and the tops of the cake, simply toast the coconut prior to baking.
Spread the coconut flakes onto a large baking sheet and place the sheet into the oven at 350F to toast for 5-6 minutes. You want to check on the coconut to ensure it hasn’t burnt or toasted too much. When it starts to smell aromatic is when it’s done.
How to make a layer cake
If you’re new to The Banana Diaries, hi, hello, I absolutely love making layer cakes and I love teaching others to make layer cakes as well- vegan ones!
To make a three layered coconut cake, I like to use a few different tools. Always in my layer cake arsenal, I have:
- Cake turntable
- Offset spatula
- Bench scraper
- Cake stand
You can grab a few pipings tips and bags too if you’d like to do designs on your cakes, but I like to keep it simple for the most part.
If you’re a new vegan cake baker, not to worry. You do not need these tools to make a beautiful cake. In fact, the only one I really find necessary if you’re just looking for an elegant yet rustic cake is an offset spatula and a spoon (for creating swoops in frosting!).
The bench scraper and cake turntable are wonderful tools if you’d like that crisp and clean edge on the cake. The turntable helps you to continuously frost the cake without breaking the streak. Wonderful if you’re giving this cake as a birthday gift or even making your own wedding cake!
To make a layer cake, I start with the first layer on the bottom. Add about 1/3-1/2 cup of frosting (I lean more towards the generous side) and sprinkle a little coconut on top.
Place the second layer on top and repeat.
Then frost the edges of the cake and gently press the coconut onto the sides.
Recipe Q+A
Can I make this into a vegan coconut sheet cake? Or a vegan coconut loaf?
Absolutely! If you’re making a sheet cake, simply pour the batter into your prepared sheet cake pan and bake. The timing might be a little longer, so just check the cake after 27 minutes with a toothpick to gage how ready it is. For a vegan coconut loaf, you’ll need two loaf pans, or you can cut this recipe in half!
How do I store leftovers?
If, in the rare situation, you have any leftovers of this dairy free coconut cake (trust me, it’s that good!), you can easily store them for later. I like to store the cake as whole as it is (so assuming it’s already sliced, don’t slice it anymore) and cover it tightly to prevent any air.
Then place it into the fridge to keep for up to 5 days or the freezer for up to 3 months. It will also stay good at room temperature for up to 2-3 days!
I hope you love this vegan coconut cake as much as I do! It’s truly just the most tender and deliciously light vegan cake I’ve had to date. If you try this recipe let me know down below in the comment section, as well as giving it a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This helps more people find this recipe, especially if you really liked it!
As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there!
Happy coconut cake baking!
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🌟MADE THIS RECIPE & LOVED IT?🌟I’d love it if you’d like a comment and a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below! This helps others to find the recipes! As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there as well!
Print
One Bowl MOIST Vegan Coconut Cake Recipe
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 27
- Total Time: 42 minutes
- Yield: 16 1x
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This is truly the best vegan coconut cake I’ve ever had! So moist and fluffy, and full of fresh coconut and vanilla with a dairy free coconut cream cheese frosting that just sets this coconut cake apart from the rest!
Ingredients
- 3 1/4 cups (410 g) cake flour, all-purpose flour or gluten free 1-to-1 baking flour, sifted (do NOT skip- add in 1 tsp arrowroot powder if using all-purpose flour or gluten free 1-to-1 baking flour, see Note)
- 1 3/4 cup (350 g) granulated sugar or coconut sugar (see Note)
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 cup (360 mL) coconut milk or coconut cream, from a can*
- 3/4 cup (150 g) unsweetened dairy free yogurt, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (113 g) vegan butter, softened (stand mixer method) or melted (by hand method)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp coconut extract
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 cup (100 g) coconut shreds, unsweetened
Vegan Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 cup (226 g) vegan butter, room temperature
- 1 cup (226 g) vegan cream cheese
- 4 cups (520 g) powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp coconut cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp coconut extract, optional
- 3 cups toasted coconut flakes
Instructions
No equipment version:
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350F and grease three 6″ or 8″ cake pans with olive or coconut oil.
- Whisk the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the vegan butter, sugar, dairy free yogurt, vanilla extract, coconut extract, and sea salt. Add in the baking powder and baking soda, and whisk just until incorporated. Then add in the shredded coconut and whisk again until incorporated.
- Finish the batter: Add in the flour and pour in the coconut milk. Whisk just until the dry ingredients are incorporated into the wet.
- Bake: Divide the batter evenly into the cake pans. Place cake pans into the oven and bake for 22-24 minutes (for 6″) or 27-30 minutes (for 8″), or until the toothpick comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a drying rack to cool completely before frosting.
Stand mixer or hand mixer version:
- Preheat the oven to 350F and grease three 6″ or 8″ cake pans with olive or coconut oil.
- Whisk together just the flour, sea salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Next, you’ll cream together the softened vegan butter and sugar until the sugar dissolves into the butter about 3 minutes. I used the flat beater paddle. Scrape down the sides as needed.
- Then add in the unsweetened applesauce or dairy free yogurt, vanilla and coconut extract, and continue to beat again on medium-low speed, then increasing it to medium speed until combine, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Gradually add in half of the flour mixture, followed by half of the coconut cream, and continue beating until the entire flour mixture and the coconut cream are in the batter. Beat until the dry ingredients are just incorporated, being careful not to over mix. Scrape down the sides as needed.
- Fold in the coconut flakes.
- Divide the batter evenly into the cake pans.
- Place cake pans into the oven and bake for 22-24 minutes (for 6″) or 27-30 minutes (for 8″), or until the toothpick comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a drying rack to cool completely before frosting.
Vegan Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting:
- When ready to frost the cakes, add vegan butter and cream cheese to a large bowl or stand mixer and cream for 2-3 minutes.
- Add in 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time, continuing the beat the mixture until it’s a thick buttercream.
- Add in vanilla, coconut extract, and 2-4 tablespoons of coconut cream or milk and continue to beat until desired texture.
- Frost the cake and press the shredded coconut flakes into the sides. Slice and enjoy!
Notes
Coconut milk: make sure to shake the coconut cream can before beginning. Sometimes the fat can separate from the water. Shaking the can will help everything combine.
Gluten Free: I use King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten free flour for a gluten free coconut cake
This looks amazing! I am hoping to make this for my moms birthday as she loves coconut cake.
Question – if you make the recipe times 1 and split it into three 8in pans, is that enough to make three layers? Or, do you have to make the recipe times 3? Also, can use still use coconut oil instead of vegan butter for the frosting?
Thanks in advance!
Hi Sarah! Yes, it is! You’ll just have slightly thinner layers and I’ve used coconut oil before in frosting recipes- just make sure that it’s solidified and not liquid at room temp 🙂 Enjoy!!
Hi, can I substitute the butter with neutral flavour oil?
For the cake, yes; however, not the frosting!
I’m so excited to make this! I have one question – can I substitute the powdered sugar? would coconut sugar work, or maybe maple syrup? I’m on a restrictive anti-inflammatory diet and cane sugar is out.
Hi Jamie! Oh I can’t wait for you to try!! So yes, coconut sugar or maple sugar, as long as it’s super powdered, will work here!
I’m wondering if this recipe would work with maple syrup instead of sugar. I’m trying to make it vegan, gluten free, and sugar free.
Hi Alita! Coconut sugar or maple sugar, as long as it’s super powdered, will work here!
Would it work if I used mashed bananas in place of the dairy free yogurt?
Hi Michele! Absolutely!! It will have a banana flavor, but honestly I think that would pair so well with the coconut cake 🙂 Enjoy!!
I made it for my birthday a few days ago and this cake is just divine! I made a coconut vanilla white chocolate ganache instead of frosting to decorate it, and I covered the cake in toasted coconut flakes. I also added some freshly grounded cardamom to the batter and the ganache. It is wonderful and it tastes even better after a few days in the fridge. Wish I could’ve taken a photo of the whole cake because it was beautiful!
Omgsh this is beautiful!! Happy belated birthday, I’m so glad you loved the cake!! May this be your best year yet 🙂
Can I use almond flour or whole wheat flour?
Hi Sabrina! Unfortunately, this recipe won’t work with either of those- I’m so sorry!
Cake turned out well, but the frosting was very runny and not able to hold on the cake. Not sure where I went wrong, followed the instructions carefully and weighed out all ingredients.
Hi Kourtney! So sorry to hear this! It sounds like the vegan butter and cream cheese are way too room temperature when you’re beating it, OR that your cake is still really warm. Coconut cake is a denser cake than most, so it might take you longer to cool, depending on how warm your kitchen is. Another good trick to prevent the the frosting from melting is by chilling the bowl you’re about to beat the frosting in the freezer, along with the whisk attachments. I hope this helps! Frosting can take some practice, my first few cakes I ever baked, the frosting would run right off!
Hi! Could this be used to make cupcakes?
Yes absolutely! I would do 350F for 15-18 minutes!
This cake was fantastic! Thanks for the recipe… Delicious
So happy to hear this!! Enjoy, and thank you for the review!!
I mde this as my birthday cake (yes I insisted on making my birthday cake, I love baking it was like a present to myself) and this was the perfect light, moist cake, it was so fluffy and sweet but not too sweet, I could eat like 4 slices at once! So yummy. I used coconut extract and coconut oil at room temp and it turned out perfectly! Was a bit nervous about the coconut oil not being soft enough but it turned out well!
I can’t wait to try this recipe! I love coconut. Thank you for the recipe! What would you recommend if I wanted to add a chocolate element to it, like in-between the sponges? Plain melted chocolate, or a vegan chocolate ganache?
Omgsh yes! I think my vegan chocolate ganache would be LOVELY with it!
Would I be able to use almond flour for this recipe?
Not for this recipe unfortunately- I’m sorry!
Hi Britt!
I’m so excited to try this cake! Just a question – I’m seeing applesauce mentioned in the recipe but not seeing applesauce in the listed items for the recipe. Just wondering which amount of applesauce to use? Thank you!
Hi Jill! Oh so sorry for the confusion! So the applesauce is a substitute for the dairy free yogurt- you can use either!
Hi I am a confused about the apple sauce? I see it in the picture and the stand mixer version, but not listed in ingredients or by hand version? If doing by hand, is the apple sauce to be omitted? I don’t want to mess this up!!
You can use either the applesauce or the yogurt! I recommend the yogurt as of recently, but I know some people prefer applesauce (because it’s no coconut and no nuts!). You can use either, it’s the same amount!