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Not going to lie, I tend to take a preference to almond flour recipes when it comes to keto baking. But, I know some readers are nut-free, just don’t like almond flour, or want a slightly lighter option, so it was about time I give you a coconut flour cake recipe that’s totally nut-free — and it turned out to be one of my best coconut flour recipes yet.
This gluten-free keto coconut cake packs natural sweetness and coconutty flavor into an easy, impressive dessert! Similar to my coconut cream pie, this cake offers buttery, toasted textures in every bite, all with no sugar whatsoever. Unlike many other cakes with coconut flour, this one bakes up moist, light, and sweet — never dry or gummy.
For a flavorful cake recipe like this, the right coconut flour makes all the difference. I have been baking this cake exclusively with Wholesome Yum Coconut Flour and been so impressed by the results! Since it only contains premium organic coconuts, this flour is perfect for a variety of sweet and savory recipes.
Certain dishes with coconut flour can become dry, so I also use Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend in the batter to lock in extra moisture (an unexpected side effect of this sweetener), all while keeping this recipe sugar-free.

Why You’ll Love This Coconut Flour Cake Recipe
- Bright coconut taste
- Light, moist cake
- Creamy, fluffy frosting
- Low carb, gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, and keto-friendly
- Perfect for birthdays, holidays, or any special day

Ingredients You’ll Need
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for cake with coconut flour, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Coconut Flour – Truly the best flour for this cake! If you’ve made coconut flour desserts before, you know that it absorbs a lot of moisture — which is why it’s not interchangeable with any other flour. But a little known fact is that different brands of coconut flour can actually vary in their density, consistency, and moisture absorbency properties, leading to different results in baking. Wholesome Yum Coconut Flour is the brand I used for testing this recipe (and all my coconut flour recipes) and recommend using. White flour or almond flour won’t work here, but I do have lots of other almond flour recipes, including cakes.
- Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – A cup-for-cup sugar substitute that tastes exactly like the real deal, with zero net carbs and no aftertaste! This natural sweetener tastes the best in this sugar-free cake and keeps it perfectly moist, but other sweeteners may work okay. Check my keto sweetener guide to learn more about sweeteners. Use a granulated sweetener, not a liquid option like maple syrup.
- Softened Butter – Keeps the cake batter rich and moist. Use unsalted butter here, or coconut oil as a replacement if necessary, though the flavor and texture will be different. Either way, make sure your fat is softened at room temperature, which will allow it to cream with the sweetener.
- Eggs – Help bind the cake batter. Flax eggs may also work, but I haven’t tried them.
- Coconut Milk Beverage – This is the liquid kind that usually comes in a milk carton from the dairy section (even though it’s dairy-free). I don’t recommend using full-fat coconut milk from a can, as it’s too thick and the purpose of the milk here is to thin out the batter. Unsweetened almond milk is also fine to use if you are not nut-free, or otherwise hemp milk works as well.
- Sour Cream – Adds richness and moisture to the coconut cake batter, and also absorbs moisture from the coconut flour without requiring a gazillion eggs. Any type of plain yogurt (including homemade keto yogurt or dairy-free coconut yogurt) should work as a substitute, though I haven’t tested it.
- Vanilla Extract – For richer flavor.
- Baking Powder – Helps the cake rise. Don’t confuse this with baking soda, which needs an acid to activate, otherwise it’s just bitter and doesn’t induce rising. Technically we do have an acid here (sour cream), but the amount of baking soda needed would be different and I haven’t tested to confirm it works.
- Keto Buttercream Frosting – The best fluffy topping! You’ll need to scale the recipe up to 18 servings to make enough for this cake (you can do it instantly in the recipe card!). If you prefer, you can make cream cheese frosting instead.
- Unsweetened Coconut Flakes – Optional, but they make the finished cake look extra special.

How To Make Keto Cake With Coconut Flour
This section shows how to make coconut flour cake, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Cream butter and sweetener. In a large bowl or mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter and Besti together until fluffy.
- Add wet ingredients. Beat in eggs, followed by coconut milk, sour cream, and vanilla extract.


- Add dry ingredients. Add coconut flour, baking powder, and sea salt to the liquid batter. Whisk or beat until uniform.
- Bake. Divide the coconut cake batter between two 9-inch round cake pans. Smooth the tops with a spatula and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.


- Frost. Prepare buttercream frosting according to instructions here. Add a single layer of the gluten-free coconut cake to a cake stand and frost the top with frosting. Add a second cake layer to the top of the first and spread more frosting on the top and sides of the cake.
- Top. Toppings are not required, but toasted coconut flakes look so pretty! You can also garnish with your favorite keto fruit (I used raspberries and currants).


Storage Instructions
- Store: Keep leftover cake in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Place uncovered slices (or the entire keto coconut cake) in the freezer until solid. Once solidified, wrap tightly in several layers of foil or plastic wrap. To thaw, unwrap and thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

More Easy Coconut Flour Recipes
Coconut flour tastes delicious in so many baked goods! Try it in these recipes:
Tools To Make Coconut Flour Cake
- Springform Pans – Help cakes remove easily. No sticking!
- Hand Mixer – This one is compact and includes storage for the attachments. You can also use a stand mixer to make the process more hands-off.
- Cake Stand – The perfect elegant way to frost and serve cake, all in one place.
Gluten-Free Keto Coconut Cake Recipe
Coconut Flour Cake (Keto, Gluten-Free, & Super Moist!)
This easy coconut flour cake recipe features super moist layers of naturally sweet, coconutty flavor. You'll love this gluten-free keto coconut cake!
Recipe Video
Tap on the image below to watch the video.Like this video? Subscribe to my YouTube cooking channel for healthy recipes weekly! (Click the bell icon to be notified when I post a new video.)
Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them. Please turn Safari reader mode OFF to view ingredients.
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (176 degrees C). Line the bottom of two 9-inch springform pans with parchment paper.
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In a large bowl, use a hand mixer at medium speed to beat together the butter and Besti sweetener for 3 minutes, until light in color and fluffy.
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Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Beat in the coconut milk, sour cream, and vanilla extract.
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Beat in the coconut flour, baking powder, and salt, until the batter is smooth.
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Divide the dough among the two lined cake pans and smooth the tops with a spatula. Bake for about 20 minutes, swapping the pan oven positions halfway through if needed, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let coconut flour cake layers cool completely in the pans before removing.
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Make the keto buttercream frosting according to the instructions here. Before you begin, adjust the amount on the recipe card to 18 servings. This will make the 3 1/2 cups needed to frost the cake.
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Place one layer of cake onto a cake stand. Frost the top with 3/4 cup frosting. Place the second layer of cake on top and frost it with another 3/4 cup frosting. Finally, frost the sides with the remaining frosting.
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Optional Step: Add the coconut flakes to a large skillet over medium heat and toast for about 2 minutes, until golden. Add the toasted coconut to the top and sides of the frosted cake.
Last Step: Leave A Rating!
Share your recipe picture by tagging @wholesomeyum and hashtag it #wholesomeyum on Instagram, or in our free low carb support group, too – I’d love to see it!
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 slice, or 1/12 of entire cake
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
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40 Comments
Nancy
0The cake looks very dense and with a large crumb. Definitely not light like the
regular white flour/cake flour cakes.
Debbie B.
0Hi- This looks very good…I want to try it, but wondering if I can use almond milk? Thanks
Wholesome Yum A
0Hi Debbie, Yes you can use almond milk instead.
Tracy
0This is the first cake I have tried that is actually sooo nice. I cut strawberries with a little sweetener and water boiled down and put it on the side to. Thank-you x
Carma
0My cake came out ok but the amount of sugar seemed way over the top. I used my usual monk fruit blend but 2 cups made it inedible for my taste, thankfully the buttercream/cream cheese frosting was divine in the center and I whipped coconut cream for the topping and sliced bananas on the side. My guests said they enjoyed it! Thank you for the recipe.
Yolanda
0Hi, I would like for me to be able to print this. ty
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Yolanda, You can find the print button right under the video on the recipe card.
Elizabeth
0I have been looking for a coconut flour cake recipe that I could add lemon to. Do you think I could substitute the milk for lemon or partly?
The recipe looks delicious!
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Elizabeth, I do not recommend subbing lemon juice for the milk. I have never tried it but just adding lemon extract to the cake might be a better option.
Irina
0Unfortunately it didn’t work for me. I’m on a strict diet. I cannot have eggs and butter. Thus I used, as recommended, substitutes: flaxseed meal and coconut butter. And results was very bad. It looked like moister baked out leaving only dry flour. The cake did not bake inside and it did not change in color inside in a bit. I was so excited about the recipe, and cried after. I wish somethere exist real recipe for gluten, dairy and sugar free people.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Irina, The recommended substitution for butter was coconut oil, not coconut butter. The two are very different. That was likely the issue.
Joanne
0Easy to make and smells delicious. Can’t wait to try it. I’m going to whip heavy cream and sandwich the layers together with cream and sugar-free jam. A bit like an English Victoria sponge cake. Question – I had to bake mine for 30 mins so that the centre set as it was still very wobbly at the 20 min mark. Of course the cake has now browned more than I would like (even after laying parchment paper over the top for the extra 10 mins). Why might mine have taken an extra 10 mins, and is there anything I can do to prevent excessive browning? Need to perfect this in time for company coming over the weekend. Thanks!
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Joanne, Maybe using foil on top of the pan in the last few minutes of baking would work to keep it from browning too much.
Di Burk
0Thank you for all your hours in the kitchen and on computer. Your recipes have made my KETO journey delicious and on track. I love baked goods made with coconut flour or a combo with it. I am a little confused on coconut milk as you say not the canned type, but the reference takes me to a canned coconut milk. I’m in the USA. Should I use milk substitute carton coconut milk?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Di, Sorry about that! It should be the kind in a carton. I just corrected the link. I’m so glad you like my recipes, that means a lot! Hope you’ll enjoy this cake, too.
Shawna
0This Coconut cake is amazing. I made it into cupcakes and so delicious and great for single serving macros.. and paired with the buttercream.. a sure hit! Would be an Amazing spring addition to any keto meal!
Anna Churgai
0I made the coconut cake and buttercream icing last night. I didn’t have springform pans so I used a 9 x 13-inch pan lined with parchment paper. I cut the cake in half to make 2 layers after it cooled. I iced it and added coconut flakes. I refrigerated it overnight. Today I cut 14 generous slices and froze 13 of them. I ate a slice and was very impressed: just the right sweetness and heaviness, and very moist. A real treat!
Moop Brown
0These cake looks like the perfect texture and I really like that it’s gluten free and keto as well.
Tracy
0My family couldn’t believe it was gluten free and keto. So delicious and moist!
Michele
0I love coconut cake but this is even better since it is gluten free! Thank you for the recipe.
Debbie
0This coconut flour cake is so good!! My husband is on a strict keto plan and I Made this for his birthday. It was a real treat!!
Amy Liu Dong
0I have never use a coconut flour for a cake and that sounds interesting.
I’ll be saving this for my future reference. Thanks for sharing!
Freya
0This was so fabulous, no one guessed it was keto! The coconut gave it a lot flavour and moistness too!
Gwynn
0Such a delicious recipe and so easy to make too! My family loved it,
Liz
0This cake sounds delicious! I love your presentation – so pretty! I will have to give this recipe a try soon! Thanks for the share!
Amy L Huntley
0Making this for Easter! So moist and full of coconut flavor!
Doris Layhe
0I am in coconut heaven! I froze some of this cake in individual slices to just take out when I have a craving!
Megs
0Such an easy and delicious cake, everyone loved it. Thanks for all your awesome recipes.
Veenaazmanov
0Never tried making a Coconut Flour Cake. Definitely delicious and healthy too. I plan to make my weekend special.
Wholesome Yum A
0This is a great cake! It came out super moist with loads of coconut flavor. It’s so perfect for the spring and summer.
Katie
0I love using alternative flours for baked goods. Coconut flour is such a great ingredient to have!
wilhelmina
0I love how tender and delicious this cake baked up. The frosting was the perfect touch. It was a hit!
Glenda
0Wa delectable gluten-free cake! It was more moith I expected and tasted as scrumptious as any standard coconut cake!
Sharon
0This recipe is the perfect thing to bake when you have a craving for cake, but you want something healthy too. Delicious!
Kristyn
0What a pretty cake!! We love coconut & the frosting is delicious! We like adding the berries on top for added sweetness!
Colleen
0Everyone in my family loved this cake, even the gluten eaters. Thanks so much for this recipe!
Katerina
0Oh my goodness this cake is absolutely incredible! I LOVE coconut and this is the perfect dessert for me!
Shelby
0This cake is amazing and such a lighter option than a traditional one- both the kiddos loved it!
Taylor
0This cake was AMAZING! So moist and delicious, with the best coconut flavor. Loved that creamy buttercream on top with the coconut flakes. I’ve been having a piece in the morning with my coffee and it is just perfect!
Robin
0I love coconut and this is my new favorite cake!