What could be better than this fluffy white Keto Coconut Cake? It’s easy to make, and it’s so light and airy, it’s like biting into a fluffy coconut cloud. Nut-free and sugar free.
If you love baking with coconut flour, this is the cake for you!
Coconut lovers, stop what you’re doing and go check your pantry. Go make sure you’ve got everything on hand to make this gorgeous keto coconut cake. And if you don’t, then make a trip to the store and get what you need.
Trust me, you’ll thank me later. This might just be the perfect coconut dessert recipe. A light airy white cake with a rich and creamy frosting – it’s so divinely coconutty, it will make you swoon.
I already had recipes for keto coconut cream pie and keto macaroons. It was high time I added keto coconut cake to that list!
5 reasons to love this recipe
- Moist, tender crumb. This ain’t no dry coconut flour cake, my friends. The butter, coconut cream, and the eggs all come together to make it wonderfully moist.
- Easy to make. Don’t be fooled by the long ingredient list. Since this is a bundt cake recipe, it’s easy to whip up in one bowl and bake in a single pan.
- Great coconut flavor. Made with coconut flour, shredded coconut, coconut cream, and coconut extract. That’s quadruple coconut!
- Super creamy frosting. This is a whipped cream frosting, stabilized with a little softened cream cheese so that it stays in place.
- It’s totally nut free! I now have a whole section devoted to keto nut free recipes. Be sure to check it out!
How to make keto coconut cake
This is an easy bundt cake recipe that looks and tastes like you slaved for hours in the kitchen. Here are my best tips for getting it right:
- Grease the pan well. Bundt pans can be tricky, especially if they have a lot of deep peaks and points. I prefer the classic fluted bundt pan as it’s less likely to stick. Just make sure you work the grease into every corner of the pan.
- Whisk the dry ingredients. If you’re using a coconut flour that tends to have clumps, you may want to sift it.
- Add the wet ingredients. Be sure to use more egg whites than whole eggs, so that the cake will be more white in color. If the coconut cream is too solid to mix in easily, liquify it a bit in the microwave.
- Don’t overbake! Coconut flour recipes can dry out quickly if you leave them too long in the oven. Once the top is firm to the touch, take it out.
- Cool in the pan. Don’t try to remove it too early or it may break apart. About 30 minutes is right.
- Soften the cream cheese. It should be quite soft to the touch before you try to beat it. Otherwise it won’t mix in with the whipped cream properly.
- Whip the cream to soft peaks. The peaks should fall over when you lift the beaters.
- Slowly beat in the cream cheese. This is essentially a stabilized whipped cream frosting. 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use any bulk crystalline sweetener for the cake, but do be forewarned that allulose sweeteners make the outside of cakes VERY dark. You can use any sweetener in the frosting but powdered and liquid are best to avoid grittiness.
You don’t HAVE to, but if you skip it, the cake won’t rise as nicely and may be more fragile and prone to falling apart.
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.
This recipe would make great cupcakes! It will probably make 12 of them and they won’t take as long to bake. Set them for about 20 minutes and check on them frequently.
Storage instructions
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.
Keto recipes for leftover egg yolks
Since keto coconut cake uses egg whites, I thought I would suggest a few recipes for those leftover yolks. Waste not, want not!
Keto Coconut Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Cake:
- 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp (96 g1) coconut flour
- 1 cup (182 g) granulated Swerve Sweetener
- 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
- 1 cup (226 g) coconut cream, (liquified if it's too firm)
- 4 large egg whites
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp (1.5 tsp) coconut extract
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) vanilla extract
- 3 to 4 tbsp (3 tbsp) water, as needed
Frosting:
- 4 ounces (113.4 g) cream cheese, very well softened
- 1 1/4 cup (297.5 g) heavy whipping cream, divided, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (91 g) powdered Swerve Sweetener
- 1 1/2 tsp (1.5 tsp) coconut extract
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup (26.67 g) shredded coconut
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a large bundt pan (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, coconut cream, egg whites, eggs, and extracts. Whisk in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the batter is thick but pourable.
- 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 medium bowl, beat the cream cheese with 2 tablespoons of the heavy cream to lighten it up a bit.
- Beat the remaining heavy cream with the sweetener and extracts until it holds soft peaks.
- Dollop the cream cheese mixture 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.
Nutrition
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One of the best cakes I’ve ever eaten! Keto or non-keto!
Great to hear!
Carolyn, do you recommend weighing all ingredients, or doing volume measurements? I made this cake a few days ago. Usually I weigh most ingredients for accuracy (exceptions are things like baking powder and salt), but I’m just not sure which approach you take when creating your recipes. Out of curiosity, for this recipe, I measured ingredients with measuring cups/spoons and then weighed them, and the weight was substantially different than listed for several ingredients listed. I’m not criticizing at all, just want to make your recipes as they’re intended to be made. After poking around on your website just now, I see that you do recommend the coconut flour be weighed in the Chantilly Cake recipe.
I had to add about 3/4 C water to make the batter anything approaching pourable so I’m going to guess I chose wrong when it came to going off of volume measurement vs weight!
My flub aside, this cake is amazing. Truly. So moist and flavorful and just wonderful! I feel like it would give a non-keto coconut cake a run for its money. I made the frosting as well. You make diabetic eating enjoyable, Carolyn! I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Being nosy here after reading your bio, did the same thing happen to you as it did to me? I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes during my second pregnancy, but it never went away. It turns out it was type 2 that developed during the pregnancy. I’ve been living with it for 2 1/2 years now, including through another pregnancy. I manage it through diet and was only on Metformin for the last 2 weeks of my third pregnancy. In your bio, it says the blood sugar issues stuck around, but I’m not sure if you’re diabetic or not.
Anyway, thanks again!
So… happy mistake?
I made the DF version but I messed up and mixed in all the “cream cheese” right off the bat. And then that with the coconut “whipping cream” just would not thicken up enough… so I added the tiniest sprinkle (maybe 1/4 tsp) of xanthan gum to the mix trying to save it.
The frosting turned out more like a jarred marshmallow topping. I was mortified, but decided to roll with it because it tasted ok and I just hoped my family would tolerate it when it was combined with the cake and coconut. It turns outs that the marshmallow texture is what they loved most!
Hey, glad it worked out!
This was amazing! I served it on easter with ham and Carolyn’s creamy cauliflower recipe. The bomb, both were perfect!!!
Absolutely amazing! Turned out perfectly.
I love this cake! The coconut extract in the frosting was a bit strong for my taste but the cake is moist and delicious, I will definitely make this many times. 🙂
Bless you, oh great creator of deliciousness, for this coconut cake recipe, which I made and sampled yesterday, was the best coconut cake I have ever had. We’re looking forward to another slice this evening. By the way, there’s a wonderful powdered Bourbon (an island in Madagascar) vanilla from Neilsen-Massey, about $30 a bottle, if you want to cut down on the liquid going into the whipping cream
I made this into cupcakes and they are AMAZING! So moist and tender and tons of flavor. It took about 23 minutes to bake if anyone is wondering. I brought them to a baby shower so I would have a sweet treat to enjoy and it turns out the mother to be has gestational diabetes so she was so happy to have one. Awesome! Great great recipe, will def make again. 10/10!
Hi Carolyn, this looks sublime! 😍 I do not own a bundt pan, however. What equivalent size springform pan would you suggest I use? Thanks ever so much!
A 9-inch springform should work. But the bake time will likely change so keep your eye on it!
Could I substitute lemon juice instead of water if I wanted to introduce a lemon flavour please?
Yes but you may want to add some lemon zest too for additional flavor.
Delish! I made a frosting with coconut butter, cocoa and powdered Swerve.
My Dad loves coconut so I made this cake for Father’s Day- it was an instant hit with everyone, truly moist and the frosting is amazing♥
Haven’t cut into it yet, but if the frosting is any indication, this is going to be fabulous!
Excellent cake!! We all loved it and it was relatively easy. Thank you for your wonderful recipes.
Oh my gosh! This was so good! I love using coconut flour for most of my keto recipes, and this one was no exception!! I ended up using the entire can of coconut cream instead of the water that the recipe called for. It was so delicious, and so coconutty!!! One of my all-time favorite flavors! I wish I could live on a tropical island and just survive on coconuts! Thank you so much for all you do for the Keto community. Having access to these recipes is such a life-saver (I’ve lost over 100 lbs myself!) since cutting out regular sugar. Thank you again!
Sheri Miller
I am so glad the recipes help! Congrats on your health journey.
Help! I’m making it right now, but I’m having a very difficult time greasing my “simple” bundt pan with my solidified coconut oil, and I’m not sure if I should warm it because then it won’t be as thick. Your instructions don’t talk about what to grease the pan with – I do have some Crisco shortening on hand, but I believe that keto does not really like it. (I use it when I bake non-keto things for my neighbors.) Please talk about best practices for greasing the bundt pant – if liquified coconut oil is okay, then I would presume that avocado oil would also be at another time? I know that not sufficiently greasing (and usually flouring) a bundt pan can make it almost impossible to get the cake out of it in one piece! Thank you.
Hello – this cake looks amazing and I plan on making it for Valentine’s Day. I have the Whey Protein Concentrate. The link on this recipe goes to Whey Protein Isolate. Can I use the Concentrate or should I buy the Isolate? Thank you!
You can use what you have. They bake very much the same way.
Thank you! Made the cake and it’s so good. Light and airy, just as you described. I find baking a bit intimidating, as you have to be so precise with the measurements, unlike cooking. Your tips and tricks are so helpful (don’t overbake…). Appreciate the effort you put into these recipes.
This cake was so good! I cut back on the sugar because I like it less sweet. Adding to my list of favorites!
Carolyn, I can’t wait to try this coconut cake! It sounds wonderful. I have everything, but wanted to be sure it would be ok to use Thai kitchen brand coconut milk for this recipe. It is low carb and unsweetened. Thanks, Pam
Yes, it should be fine.
Came here wanting to ask the same! Thanks!!
I made this for a dinner party. Four of us are on keto and one has nut allergies. This cake is amazing! It was requested that this be the dessert I bring to every dinner.
That’s fabulous!