Indulge in the luscious flavours of this one-bowl vegan coconut cake, a treat that’s both quick and easy to make. Savour the delicate balance of sweetness and coconut essence in every bite of this melt-in-your-mouth dessert, perfect for pairing with your afternoon cup of coffee. With its simple preparation and heavenly taste, this cake is sure to become a staple in your baking repertoire.
What You’ll Love This Coconut Cake
- Quick Preparation: With just under an hour of baking time, this cake can be ready in a flash, making it the ideal no-fuss dessert for those moments when you need something delicious in a hurry.
- One-Bowl: Say goodbye to complicated baking routines and hello to simplicity with this recipe that requires only one bowl and a spatula. Enjoy the convenience of minimal cleanup while still delighting your taste buds.
- Long-Lasting Freshness: Unlike some desserts that lose their luster after a day or two, this coconut cake maintains its moist and tender texture even when stored at room temperature, ensuring that every slice is as delightful as the first.
- Easy Slicing: Thanks to its dense texture, this cake is a breeze to slice, allowing you to serve picture-perfect portions with ease.
- 100% Plant-Based: Embrace the goodness of plant-based ingredients with this dairy-free cake that’s suitable for vegans and non-vegans alike.
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make This Vegan Coconut Cake
Flour – opt for all-purpose flour to achieve the perfect texture in this cake. Avoid using whole wheat flour, as it can alter the flavour, appearance, and texture of the final product. Gluten-free flour blends can be used as a substitute if needed.
Baking soda – provides leavening action to the cake, resulting in a light and fluffy texture.
Salt – enhances the flavours of the cake with a hint of salt, balancing the sweetness of the other ingredients.
Desiccated coconut – adds a delightful coconut flavour and texture to the cake. Note that desiccated coconut differs from shredded coconut, offering a drier consistency.
Maple syrup – sweetens the cake naturally, though agave syrup or honey can be used as alternatives.
Coconut milk – opt for full-fat coconut milk from a can to achieve a rich and creamy texture in the cake.
Coconut oil – infuse the cake with a hint of coconut flavour by using non-refined coconut oil.
Lemon juice – provides acidity that activates the baking soda, ensuring proper leavening of the cake.
Vanilla extract – adds a touch of sweetness and aroma to the cake, enhancing its overall flavour profile.
How to Make Vegan Coconut Cake: Step-By-Step Guide
Prepare the Batter
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, salt, and desiccated coconut. Add the maple syrup, coconut milk, coconut oil, lemon juice, and vanilla extract, and mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter.
Bake
Pour the batter into a standard bread tin and bake in a preheated oven for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Serve Drizzled with Icing
Allow the cake to cool completely, then drizzle with icing if desired to add a touch of sweetness.
Vegan Coconut Cake FAQs
Can I use low-fat coconut milk?
Yes, you can use either full-fat or low-fat coconut milk. Using full-fat milk will make the cake slightly richer, but you can easily pull it off with low-fat milk as well, for a slightly less calorie-dense cake.
Why do I have to add lemon juice?
The only leavening agent used in this cake is baking soda, which only works when used with an acid, such as vinegar or lemon juice. I opted for lemon juice in this recipe because it gives the cake a nice tangy taste, and does a great job of leavening as well.
Can I use a different sweetener?
Yes, you can easily substitute the ⅔ cup of maple syrup with ⅔ cup of agave syrup, honey or even refined sugar. If you’re using refined sugar, make sure to add ⅓ cup less coconut milk.
Should the batter be this thick?
Yes, the batter is slightly thicker than what you might expect for this kind of recipe. Once you pour it into the baking tin, spread it out with a spatula to make sure it bakes evenly.
How do I know it’s done?
The cake takes approximately 50 minutes to bake. Once done, the top should be dark golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean.
How long does it keep?
This coconut cake will keep up to 3 days at room temperature when stored properly. In the fridge, the cake can last for up to 7 days. Individual slices can be frozen for up to 2 months.
Do I have to keep it in the fridge?
While the cake will stay fresh at room temperature for a couple of days, it’s best to keep it in the fridge. Make sure to take it out about 15 minutes before serving, because it tastes best at room temperature.
Can I freeze this cake?
Yes, to freeze it, separate individual slices with parchment paper and store them in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
More Vegan Cake Recipes
More Vegan Coconut Recipes
- Steel Cut Overnight Oats with Coconut
- Chocolate Coconut Energy Balls
- Chocolate Energy Date Balls
- No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
Vegan Coconut Cake
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups (310g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups (170g) desiccated coconut
- ⅔ cup (215g) maple syrup
- 1 cup (225g) coconut milk
- ½ cup (110g) coconut oil, melted
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Icing (optional)
- ½ cup (60g) icing sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Coconut flakes or desiccated coconut, for decoration (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Line a bread pan with parchment paper so that the sides are hanging out. This will help you lift the cake from the pan once baked.
- Sift the flour into a mixing bowl, then add the baking soda, salt and desiccated coconut. Mix together.
- Pour in the maple syrup, coconut milk, melted coconut oil, lemon juice and vanilla, and stir into a thick batter. Make sure it’s well mixed, but be careful not to overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it out to the edges of the pan with a spatula or the back of a spoon. The batter will be too thick to spread out on its own.
- Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
- Lift the cake out of the pan using the overhanging parchment paper, carefully peel the parchment paper off, and transfer the cake onto a cooling rack.
- Prepare the icing by mixing ½ cup of icing sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons of lemon juice. Add lemon juice one tablespoon at a time to avoid lumps in your icing, and to be able to control the consistency of the icing better.
- Once the cake is completely cool, drizzle with icing and sprinkle with toasted coconut flakes, or more desiccated coconut.
Ale says
This cake is such a delicious treat!! I love the coconut taste, the texture, the fact that it is not too sweet. Everything!! Thank you so much for sharing this awesome recipe. 🙂
In case anyone is wondering – This cake comes out amazing with oat flour or einkorn flour as well.