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
Scale
- 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
