Coconut Cake
- Oct 4, 2025
- 2 min read
Updated: Apr 4
Light, tender, and delicately scented with coconut, this classic cake bakes up soft and balanced with a fine crumb—simple, comforting, and quietly elegant.
Forage Baker's Note
Flour matters.
Gluten-free flours—and even wheat flours—can vary widely in weight per cup, which is why we recommend using a kitchen scale for best results. If measuring by volume, gently scoop Heritage Baker’s Flour into a measuring cup and level with a knife. This yields approximately 125g per cup. Packing the cup can result in excess flour and a denser cake, while spooning may under-measure. For cakes, sifting the flour helps create a lighter, more even crumb.
Sweeteners matter too. Sweeteners affect both texture and moisture. For best results, we recommend Homestead Sweetener or traditional sugar. Homestead Sweetener is a 1:1 replacement by volume and weighs approximately 140g per cup. Granulated sugar weighs about 200g per cup. Substitutions may produce a drier or more delicate cake.
Working the Batter
Coconut cake batter benefits from room-temperature ingredients and gentle mixing. Melted fats should be warm—not hot—when incorporated. After mixing, allowing the batter to rest briefly helps the flour hydrate fully and results in a smoother, more consistent crumb. Glass pans bake more gently and may require a slightly lower temperature and longer bake time than metal.
Recipe
Makes:12 cupcakes or 2 (6-inch) cakes or 1 (8–9-inch) cake
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
2½ cups Heritage Baker’s Flour (312g)
1¼ cups Homestead Sweetener (175g)
3 tsp baking powder
Wet Ingredients
6 large egg whites (180g)
½ can full-fat coconut milk (200g)
¼ cup coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly (60g)
2 tsp coconut extract (10g)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line or grease cake or muffin pans.If using glass pans, reduce oven temperature to 325°F and extend bake time slightly.
Sift flour into a bowl and whisk in sweetener and baking powder.
In a large bowl, combine egg whites, coconut milk, melted coconut oil, and coconut extract.
Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture and whisk until smooth and fully combined.
Let batter rest for a few minutes, then whisk briefly once more.
Pour batter into prepared pans.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.
Bake Times
1 (8–9-inch) cake: 30–34 minutes
2 (6-inch) cakes: 26–30 minutes
12 cupcakes: 18–22 minutes
