Coconut lovers, stop whatever you’re doing and go check your pantry. Make sure you’ve got everything on hand to make this gorgeous Keto Coconut Cake. And if you don’t, then hightail it to the store and grab what you need.
If you love desserts like keto coconut cream pie, then you are going to adore this easy keto cake recipe.
There’s something undeniably elegant about coconut cake: a fluffy white cake topped with creamy frosting and sprinkled with shredded coconut. It’s the kind of cake you bring out for holidays or spring gatherings, and everyone gasps with delight.
And this sugar-free keto version is no different. You may think that something made with coconut flour can’t possibly rival the texture and flavor of a conventional cake. But THIS is the dessert that will change your mind!
It has a tender crumb and a light, airy texture, and all the luscious coconutty flavor you could possibly want. Finished with a rich, creamy frosting and a sprinkle of shredded coconut, it has all the visual appeal of the classic, without the sugar or carbs.
Reader’s Thoughts
“I love coconut and I know I will never go wrong when I make one of your recipes. This cake a delicious and the frosting was dynamite!! I will be using that recipe for the base of all my keto frosting flavors.” — Paula
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Moist, tender crumb: No dry coconut flour cake here! The butter and eggs provide plenty of moisture and the protein powder helps it become light and fluffy.
- Big coconut flavor: Coconut flour, coconut milk, shredded coconut, and coconut extract ensure that every bite delivers.
- Super creamy frosting. This is a whipped cream frosting, stabilized with a little softened cream cheese so that it stays in place.
- Easy to make: One bowl for the cake, one bowl for the frosting, and the bundt pan shape gives it easy elegance.
- Super creamy frosting: The whipped cream frosting is stabilized with a little softened cream cheese for a light but decadent consistency.
- It’s totally nut free! I now have a whole section devoted to keto nut free recipes. Be sure to check it out!
Ingredient Notes
- Coconut flour: I usually use Bob’s Red Mill coconut flour.
- Sweetener: I recommend a granular sweetener for the cake and a powdered sweetener for the
- Protein powder: This makes the cake more light and fluffy so I don’t recommend skipping it. Whey protein or egg white protein work best.
- Shredded coconut: A little shredded coconut in the cake gives added texture, and some sprinkled on top adds visual appeal.
- Eggs: You will need a couple of eggs and several egg whites. This makes the cake more like white cake.
- Liquid: A little liquid helps thin out the batter properly. It can be water, thin coconut milk, or a mixture of cream and water (half of each).
- Coconut extract: You should be able to find this at most grocery stores in the baking aisle.
- Heavy whipping cream: This makes the frosting like biting into a coconut cloud.
- Cream cheese: Softened cream cheese helps stabilize the frosting so it stays in place and doesn’t deflate.
- Kitchen staples: Butter, baking powder, and salt.
How to Make Keto Coconut Cake
- Whisk the dry ingredients: Make sure to break up any clumps in the coconut flour and sweetener.
- Add the wet ingredients: Stir in the butter, egg whites, eggs and extract. Add the liquid to thin the batter and add more if necessary.
- Bake the cake: Transfer the batter to a greased bundt pan and spread evenly, smoothing out the top. Bake 35 to 40 minutes.
- Whip the cream: Beat the cream with the sweetener and extract until it holds soft peaks. They should fall over when you lift the beaters.
- Slowly beat in the cream cheese: Dollop the cream cheese over the soft whipped cream, then start the beaters on slow. Increase the speed slowly, until the frosting holds stiff peaks.
- Decorate the cake: Spread the frosting all over the cake and sprinkle with shredded coconut.
Tips for Success
Coconut flour can vary quite a bit and some are more absorbent than others. I recommend using Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur Baking for consistency, but if you use a different brand, you may need to adjust. If the batter is very thin, add another tablespoon or two of flour. Read my tutorial on baking with coconut flour for more information.
Using more egg whites rather than whole eggs allows the cake to be less yellow and more like a white cake. Save those yolks for making some Keto Creme Brûlée!
Make sure that the cream cheese is quite soft before adding it to the whipped cream, so it doesn’t clump up. Room temperature isn’t sufficient in most cases. I usually put my cream cheese in a bowl and give it 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave.
Sweetener Options:
I recommend using an erythritol-based sweetener, with no allulose in it, for the cake. Allulose can cause cakes to darken quite a bit on the outside, and they can almost taste burnt. Bundt cakes bake longer than other cake pans and you don’t want to risk it.
The frosting will work with any kind of powdered sweetener. You can also use concentrated liquid extracts like stevia or monk fruit.
More keto coconut desserts
Keto Coconut Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Cake
- 3/4 cup (90 g) coconut flour
- 2/3 cup (126.67 g) granular sweetener, erythritol recommended
- 1/3 cup (36 g) unflavored whey protein powder, (or egg white protein)
- 1/3 cup (26.67 g) shredded coconut
- 2 1/2 tsp (2.5 tsp) baking powder
- 1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) salt
- 1/2 cup (113.5 g) butter, melted
- 4 large (4) egg whites
- 2 large (2) eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp (1.5 tsp) coconut extract
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup (157.73 ml) water, or thin coconut milk
Frosting
- 1 cup (236.59 ml) heavy whipping cream, chilled
- 1/3 cup (63.33 g) powdered sweetener
- 1 tsp coconut extract
- 4 ounces (113.4 g) cream cheese, very well softened
- 1/3 cup (26.67 g) shredded coconut
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and grease a large bundt pan (8 to 10 cup capacity) well.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, sweetener, protein powder, shredded coconut, baking powder, and salt.
- Stir in the melted butter, egg whites, eggs, and extracts. Whisk in the liquid until well combined. Add more as needed to thin the batter to a thick but scoopable consistency.
- Spread in the prepared pan and even out the top. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until the cake is risen and the top is firm to the touch.
- Remove and let cool at least 30 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Frosting
- In a large bowl, beat the heavy cream with the sweetener and coconut extract until it holds soft peaks
- Dollop the softened cream cheese around the bowl with the whipped cream. Start beating on slow, then increase speed slowly and beat until it holds stiff peaks.
- Spread the frosting over the sides of the cake and sprinkle with the shredded coconut.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
The cake itself is easily made dairy free by using egg white protein powder and melted coconut oil. The frosting will be more tricky, but you can make some coconut whipped cream and use dairy free cream cheese, and try that. But I can’t guarantee it – I always have trouble making coconut whipped cream that’s thick enough to frost a cake.
Because the frosting is mostly whipped cream, I recommend storing the cake in the fridge. If you’ve cut into it already, simply cover the cut ends with plastic wrap so that they don’t dry out. I have not tried freezing this cake but I am not sure the frosting would fare too well.
This keto coconut cake recipe has 6.9g of carbs and 3.1g of fiber per serving. That comes to 3.8g net carbs per serving.
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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An amazingly moist and delicious cake. Even non coconut eaters loved it! Easy to make and travels well prior to icing
So good to know, thanks!
I must not have greased my pan enough because the cake stuck and then fell apart when I flipped it. But no problem! I made cake balls!!! They are excellent! Best Keto dessert ever! Love your recipes Carolyn!
Great save! How old is your bundt pan? It may be losing it’s non-stick-ability.
I followed the recipe exactly and was amazed at how delicious and perfect this cake was! Even my non-keto family loved it. Thank you, Carolyn!
I made this coconut cake into coconut cupcakes and OH MY GOD!!! Not only is this one of the best keto dessert recipes I have tried, it rivals the best coconut cake I have ever had! I love coconut anything so I have had my fair share of coconut desserts and I must say this one is special. I gave my boyfriend one and he had to close his eyes because of the pure bliss he was experiencing when he took that first bite! The frosting is some of the best frosting I have had. Period. The mixture of the whipped cream and the cream cheese go together like no other and the coconut flavor in the frosting and the cake are absolutely perfect. If you want an unbelievable cake that keto and non-keto people can enjoy equally, I HIGHLY recommend this recipe! You will not regret it!
Wow, what a rave review, thank you!
Saw the recipe yesterday, and I had to make it today! Oh, my- coconut is my favorite. And the frosting is to die for! Thanks, Carolyn! ????
Can this be made in a cake pan rather than Bundt?
Depends on what size of cake pan.
9×13
Too big. Think more like 9 inch round or 9×9 square.
Thank you!
Made this for my upcoming round birthday (on Tuesday) as coconut is my favorite cake. Finished frosting it a 1/2 hour before supper, however, we ate it first. THIS CAKE IS UNBELIEVABLE. Moist, light, airy, WHITE, coconut deliciousness! I died and went to heaven. After we do eat supper I am going to have a second piece. It will be gone by Tuesday soooo I will be making it again. When I saw this recipe I thought an angel created this for my birthday. She did, thank you Carolyn!
Hi! I asked on Instagram but I thought it was worth a shot to ask on here. Can this be made as a layered cake with jam in between and a thicker frosting? Btw- you are one of the first dessert keto bloggers I followed YEARS ago and you still have the very best desserts! (Among other recipes). THANK YOU!
I’m in Canada, and I’ve never heard of coconut cream..
Where would I even find that in a grocery store..?
Thank you..
It’s just the thick white stuff at the top of a can of coconut milk.
In your recipe for Keto Coconut Cake…in the ingredients you say “coconut cream”, but in the directions you say “coconut milk”.
Now that I’m confused, I need to know which one it is before I can make it…lol
Thanks,
Vicki Sanneh
Cream.. I fixed the recipe. When it doubt, always go with the ingredient list.
Can I use Splenda? I don’t care for Swerve. I’m on a low carb diet and this cake looks awesome.
It may work in the cake but it will be a disaster in the frosting.
I absolutely love that you included recipe suggestions for the leftover yolks. It just shows how amazing you always are to all of us privileged fans. This new recipe is on my to do list. Looks & sounds amazing!
Thanks so very much!
Thanks!
This looks so amazing. I may attempt the cupcakes. (I was going to make the do-si-dos today but just realized I don’t have enough sliced almonds and don’t want to venture out to TJ’s m in hurricane weather.) Do you figure 1 standard cupcake would equal 1 serving?
Yes, since the cake also serves 12.
In your recipe you call for coconut cream but on your directions it says coconut milk. Which one do we use?
Cream! Just make sure it’s liquid enough to whisk in.
Carolyn, thanks for all your recipes! What are your thoughts on omitting the icing? Perhaps substituting a sprinkle of powdered swerve instead?
Sure, could be lovely!
This cake is beautiful, looks delicious, and seems easy to make.. In your “spare time” would you consider converting the recipe to one of your mini cakes for 2? Please and thank you!!
Is there a substitute for the whey protein? Collagen?
Please read the blog post! Collagen does not work, it makes things gummy.