Coconut Cake

Easter just came and went and what better way to celebrate with a coconut cake?  So I set out to find a cake that would be wonderful for Easter dessert!


I started out using GF Goddess's coconut cake: found here (but of course I changed it).  I wanted 3 layers so I 1 1/2-ed the recipe:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and line three 8-inch cake pans with a circle of parchment paper.


In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients:

2 1/4 cups tapioca starch
1 1/2 cups brown rice flour
3/4 cup sorghum flour
3/4 cup organic coconut flour2 3/4 cups organic cane sugar
3 teaspoons xanthan gum
4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Add in and beat:

4 1/2 free-range organic eggs, beaten, or egg replacer *I separated the last egg into a bowl and then just scooped out about 1/2 of it -- not an exact science at all*
1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup shortening

1/4 cup coconut oil

      *instead of just using 3/4 cups of oil, I separated that into 3 different 1/4 cups and did oil, shortening, and coconut oil since I am not a fan of straight oil*
1 1/2 14-oz can organic light coconut milk  *this was about 3 cups of coconut milk*
2 teaspoon lime juice
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
*my batter needed a little extra liquid, so I added 1/4 cups of rice milk*

*Mine baked for 33 exactly and turned out perfect*

Continue to beat until smooth. It should resemble a slightly thick and sticky cake batter.


Using a silicone spatula, divide and scoop the cake batter into the three prepared cake pans and spread evenly. Use wet hands, if necessary, to smooth out the tops. Bake in the center of the pre-heated oven, side by side for 33 minutes, or so, until firm and springy. A cake tester inserted into the center should emerge clean. Cool on a wire rack.

So, now that the cake was made, what to do about the frosting?  When researching for cakes, I found a Bobby Flay coconut cake that he had done for a "Throwdown" episode.  The cake had a custard filling.  That sounded wonderful.  But how to make a custard without dairy?  Why not try my new favorite ingredient, coconut milk?

There is light coconut milk which resembles more of a milk consistency and just regular coconut milk.  This is a thick and rick consistency -- something that resembles more of a cream consistency.  This could work....

Coconut Custard:

1/3 cup rice milk

3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk

1/3 cup light coconut milk 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

4 large egg yolks

1/3 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons vodka

2 teaspoons lime zest

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Combine the milks and vanilla in a medium nonreactive saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat.


Whisk together the yolks, sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl. Slowly whisk the warm milk into the egg mixture then return the mixture to the pot over medium heat and bring to a boil, whisking constantly, until thickened. Scrape the mixture into a bowl and whisk in the vodka. lime zest, and vanilla extract. Let cool to room temperature then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours.

Then comes the tricky part....

Finishing the Custard:

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 cup rice milk

Combine these two in a small saucepan -- be sure to whisk out all the lumps!  Heat on medium heat, stirring constantly, until it becomes thick.  Once thick and smooth, remove from heat and let cool.  [Note that once the mixture starts to go thick, it gets thick fast so keep stirring and don't cook it too long!]

Add to the custard along with 2 heaping tablespoons of shortening and about a 1/3 cup of powdered sugar.  Beat all of the ingredients together until custard is smooth.

(The boys -- my fiance and his friends -- who taste tested the custard decided that it was just amazing on its own!!)

The Frosting:

1 bag of powdered sugar

1/2 cup shortening

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon coconut extract

enough hot water to make the frosting the desired consistency (I usually use around 1/4-1/2 cup)

Mix all the ingredients together -- add the water as needed.  Super easy!

Now to assemble the cake.  Take the three cooled layers and shave off the tops to make them all flat and smooth on top. 

Place one layer, cut side up, on a plate.  Spoon about half of the custard filling onto the layer -- put don't spread it out all the way to the edge, leave about an inch all the way around.  Place the next layer on -- cut side up again.  The custard will squish out to the edges!  Put the rest of the custard on doing the same as the first layer. 

Place the last layer on -- this time cut side down.  Finally frost the cake as you wish!  And if you want, put some shredded coconut on the sides of the cake.

[*By the way -- the foil is around the plate to make sure that the plate stays clean.  Just take 3 or 4 pieces and fold around the side of the plate.  Frost away then pull out the foil!  Et Voila -- a perfectly frosted cake and a clean plate!]

The cake being served at our "family" Easter Dinner!!!

The final product turned out pretty good.  I would tweak a few things next time -- like maybe using some rice milk mixed with coconut milk and I probably would not use sorghum flour.  I like the lighter textures of the not as "healthy" gluten free flours.  But, I still ate it and I still ate some seconds :)