Coconut Flour Cake (Keto)

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This is the best keto coconut flour cake I've ever tasted! Moist, light and incredibly fluffy, this easy sugar free dessert comes in at just 0.8g net carbs per slice. Plenty of ideas for toppings and frostings in the post!

A coconut flour cake topped with icing and berries and a slice being cut from it

It is no secret that I am crazy about baking. In the Keto Desserts cookbook I just published are tons of cake recipes, from carrot cake to Black Forest cake.

This keto cake with coconut flour definitely would have deserved to be in the book. It is perfect for celebrations and would make a wonderful birthday cake.

It is actually quite healthy, too.

Healthy enough that we have been eating it for breakfast!

I have been getting plenty of reader requests for more pure coconut flour recipes. That's why I recently made these coconut flour brownies and this coconut flour bread.

Coconut flour can be tricky to bake with, because it behaves so differently from almond flour and other low carb flours.

It absorbs around 3 times as much liquid as other flours. It also likes more eggs and more fat, otherwise the end result can be brittle or dense.

With this recipe you'll be able to enjoy a perfectly moist and fluffy cake. I have done all the recipe testing so you don't have to!

Jump to:

🌟 Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
Recipe FAQs
Topping Ideas
Variations
Storage
More Keto Coconut Flour Cakes
Recipe

🌟 Why You'll Love This Recipe

Light, moist and fluffy texture
Delicious vanilla flavor
Tastes great with and without frosting
Only 124 calories and 0.8g net carbs per slice
Sugar free and keto friendly
Naturally gluten-free

Ingredients

Eggs. These should be large and separated. It is really important that your eggs are room temperature. This helps you achieve a light, fluffy batter.
Butter - I use unsalted butter, which I melt in the microwave for 1 minute and then cool. The goal is that all ingredients have a similar temperature. This prevents the eggs cooking or the butter going lumpy.
Coconut flour - sifted. If possible, weigh the coconut flour instead of using cups. It is more exact and will give the best result.
Powdered sweetener - I used an erythritol monk fruit sweetener that is a 1:1 sugar substitute.
Baking powder
Vanilla extract - choose one that is suspended in alcohol or water and not in glucose syrup. The vanilla also lessens the coconut taste.
Almond milk - make sure it is unsweetened.

Instructions

This section contains step-by-step instructions and photos that show how to make this recipe. See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities

Time to make a light & fluffy coconut flour cake! Line a 18 cm / 7 inch round cake pan with parchment paper and grease the sides with butter. Preheat the oven to 180 C / 350 F.

Whipping the egg whites with an electric mixer.

Step 1: Separate the eggs and beat the egg whites in a large mixing bowl until stiff.

Whisking the cake batter with an electric mixer.

Step 2: In a separate bowl, cream the egg yolks, vanilla extract and sweetener until pale and frothy. Add the melted, cooled butter and beat.

Step 3: Mix together the dry ingredients and add to the egg yolk mix. Option to also add a pinch of salt. Blend until combined.

Folding the whipped egg white into the cake batter.

Step 4: Fold in the egg whites in batches using a spatula. Carefully stir and fold until well-combined, ensuring you're keeping the air bubbles intact...

...until it looks like the image above.

Step 5: Pour the batter into the springform and bake until golden.

It is done when a skewer or toothpick inserted comes out clean and the top is raised and feels springy to the touch.

Chef Katrin's Top Tips

Stiff egg whites. Take your time with beating the egg whites. It creates sturdier air bubbles which ensures your batter stays fluffy and the cake does not collapse.

Check during baking. Check the cake after 20 minutes to make sure it does not over-brown. If necessary, place aluminium foil over the top to avoid burning.

Let it cool fully. Keto coconut cakes are very fragile when hot and firm up as they cool. Let it cool fully before you remove it from the cake pan.

Recipe FAQs

Is coconut flour keto?

Yes, coconut flour is perfect for a keto diet! It is rich in healthy fats, high in fibre and low in carbs. Read more about its benefits here.

What is coconut flour made of?

It is made from dried and ground coconut flesh. Coconut flour is not only gluten-free, but also safe for most people with a tree nut allergy who cannot tolerate almond flour.

Can I use a different cake pan?

Yes. You could use a loaf pan to make a coconut flour pound cake.

How can I make a chocolate version?

Add 4 tablespoons cocoa powder and 2 additional tablespoons of almond milk. For a single serve version, try my keto chocolate mug cake.

Topping Ideas

You can serve this cake without any toppings. But if you like, choose one of the following:

Sugar free whipped cream

Caramel sauce

Strawberry sauce

Sugar free vanilla icing (as seen in the images): Mix ⅓ cup powdered sweetener with about 2 tablespoons of almond milk or 3-4 tablespoons heavy cream. Add ½ teaspoon vanilla extract until you have a spreadable consistency.

Keto cream cheese frosting: Chop 2.2 oz / 65 g room temperature butter into chunks. Whip the butter and 4.4 oz / 125g cream cheese together using an electric whisk until thick. Whisk in ⅓ cup / 53g powdered sweetener and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Place in fridge for 10 - 15 minutes for the frosting to stiffen up.

Lemon glaze: Mix 4 tablespoons each melted butter, cream and powdered sweetener plus the juice of 1 lemon. Let the glaze cool and thicken, then spoon over the coconut flour cake.

... or simply dust with powdered sweetener. Wait until it is fully cooled to prevent the sweetener from melting.

Variations

Dairy-free: Replace the butter with coconut oil and the cream in the frosting with full fat coconut milk (use only the firm coconut cream part).

Layer cake: Slicing the cake in half and fill with whipped cream and sugar free strawberry jam. Or use two cake pans to make 2 sponge layers. Reduce the baking time to about 30 minutes.

Make it fruity: Add a handful of blueberries or raspberries into the batter. Or, add lemon zest.

Change the flavor: Try other extracts such as almond, orange or coconut extract.