Keto Cake Baking: Coconut Flour, Baking Powder Magic

Coconut flour is a tricky ingredient to work with. It behaves very differently from other flours, including almond flour, and is a very thirsty flour alternative. It has an astonishing capacity for soaking up eggs and liquids.

However, once you get the hang of it, coconut flour can make some of the best keto cakes and muffins you've ever tasted. It's also useful in many savoury recipes.

- Coconut flour is not an easy flour to work with, especially if you are new to the keto diet.

- You can't just substitute coconut flour for regular flour or other low-carb flours. It's very dense and requires a lot of eggs to bake properly, so direct substitutions will result in failure.

- Coconut flour is a very thirsty flour, so you may need to add more liquid to your batter.

- It's important to use fresh, good-quality baking powder when baking with coconut flour.

- When measuring coconut flour, it's best to weigh it rather than using cups as it is very absorbent, and each extra gram can make a difference.

- Coconut flour baked goods can be incredibly moist and fluffy if you get the ratios right.

- If you love coconut, you can enhance the flavour by using coconut extract in your batter.

- You can serve coconut flour cake with a variety of toppings and frostings, such as keto cream cheese frosting, Greek yogurt frosting, or chocolate frosting.

How to make a keto cake with coconut flour

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter
• Eggs
• Canned coconut milk
• Sweetener (stevia or granulated sweetener)
• Vanilla extract
• Coconut flour
• Kosher salt
• Baking powder
• Powdered sweetener (optional)

Method

• Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease the bottom and sides of an 8-inch nonstick round cake pan with unsalted butter.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, coconut milk, sweetener, and vanilla.
• Whisk in the coconut flour. Keep whisking until the batter becomes smooth and free of lumps. If the batter seems very thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of water.
• Using a rubber spatula, stir in the kosher salt and baking powder.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Smooth the top out.
• Bake until the edges are golden brown and pull away from the pan, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. The cake will not brown on the top.
• Place the pan on a cooling rack. Let the cake cool for 15 minutes, then invert it, bottom side down, onto the cooling rack and allow it to cool for 15 more minutes.
• If using, dust the cake with a powdered sweetener, then slice and serve.

How to make a keto cake with coconut flour and cocoa powder

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups of coconut flour
• 1/4 cup of cocoa powder
• 2 1/4 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1/3 cup of water or milk of choice
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup of granulated erythritol or regular sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Grease an 8-inch pan and line it with parchment paper. In a large bowl, stir all the ingredients together until well combined, then spread the batter into the pan. If needed, use a second sheet of parchment paper to smooth it down. Bake on the center rack for 14 minutes. Some ovens may require more baking time, so continue cooking until the cake is firm. Let the cake cool completely before frosting.

Tips:

• If you want to make a double-layer cake, simply double the recipe and bake in two 8-inch pans.
• For a paleo cake, sweeten with either erythritol, date sugar, or coconut sugar.
• For a vegan version, use a vegan egg replacer.
• For a gluten-free cake, use almond flour instead of coconut flour.

How to make a keto cake with coconut flour and eggs

Ingredients

• Coconut flour
• Eggs
• Butter
• Sweetener
• Vanilla extract
• Milk
• Baking powder

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.
• Line a cake pan with parchment paper and grease the sides with butter.
• Separate the eggs and beat the egg whites until stiff.
• In a separate bowl, cream the egg yolks, vanilla extract, and sweetener until pale and frothy.
• Add the melted, cooled butter and milk and beat.
• In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.
• Add the dry ingredients to the egg yolk mixture and blend until combined.
• Fold in the egg whites in batches using a spatula, being careful to keep the air bubbles intact.
• Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for about 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Allow the cake to cool completely before removing it from the pan and serving.

How to make a keto cake with coconut flour and butter

Ingredients

• 6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons almond milk, unsweetened
• 1/2 cup coconut flour, sifted
• 2/3 cup powdered sweetener (e.g. erythritol monk fruit sweetener)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Optional Sugar-Free Vanilla Icing

• 1/3 cup powdered sweetener
• 4 tablespoons double cream (heavy cream) or 2 tablespoons almond milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

• Line a 7-inch or 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper and grease the sides with butter. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Separate the eggs and beat the egg whites until stiff (about 3 minutes). This creates sturdier air bubbles, ensuring the batter stays fluffy and the cake doesn't collapse.
• In a separate bowl, cream the egg yolks, vanilla extract, and sweetener until pale and frothy. Add the melted, cooled butter and almond milk, and beat.
• Mix together the sifted coconut flour and baking powder, and add to the egg yolk mixture. Blend until combined.
• Fold in the egg whites in batches using a spatula. Carefully stir and fold until well-combined, keeping the air bubbles intact.
• Pour the batter into the springform and bake for about 40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Check the cake after 20 minutes to ensure it doesn't over-brown. If necessary, place aluminium foil over the top to avoid burning.
• For the optional icing, mix together the ingredients, adding more cream/milk or sweetener as needed until it is spreadable. Pour over the top of the fully cooled cake and spread it around the sides. Let the icing set before serving.

Tips

• For a chocolate version, add 4 tablespoons of cocoa powder and 2 additional tablespoons of almond milk to the batter.
• For a lemon glaze, mix 4 tablespoons each of melted butter, cream, and powdered sweetener, plus the juice of 1 lemon. Let the glaze cool and thicken, then spoon over the cake.
• To make the cake 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).
• To make a layer cake, slice the cake in half and fill with whipped cream and sugar-free strawberry jam. Alternatively, use two cake pans to make two sponge layers. Reduce the baking time to about 30 minutes.
• To make the cake fruity, add a handful of blueberries or raspberries to the batter, or add lemon zest.
• For a different flavour, try extracts such as almond, orange, or coconut.
• Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days. It can also be frozen in freezer bags for up to 3 months.

How to make a keto cake with coconut flour and cream cheese

Keto Coconut Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This keto-friendly coconut cake is a delicious and healthy dessert option. It is gluten-free, sugar-free, and dairy-free. The recipe uses coconut flour, eggs, coconut cream, coconut extract, and desiccated coconut to create a moist and fluffy crumb with an intense coconut flavor. The cake is then topped with a creamy cream cheese frosting and crispy toasted coconut.

Ingredients:

• Coconut flour
• Eggs
• Full-fat canned coconut cream
• Coconut extract
• Unsweetened desiccated coconut
• Baking powder
• Cream cheese
• Powdered erythritol

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 9-inch cake pan with coconut oil or butter. In a large bowl, beat the eggs with coconut cream, erythritol, coconut extract, and vanilla until light in color. Beat in coconut flour and baking powder until the batter is shiny and lump-free. Stir in the desiccated coconut. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool before frosting.

For the frosting, beat together cream cheese, coconut cream, coconut extract, and powdered erythritol until fluffy. Spread the frosting on top of the cooled cake and sprinkle with toasted desiccated coconut.

Tips:

• Measure the coconut flour precisely and ensure it is fine, fresh, and lump-free.
• Use full-fat canned coconut cream and shake the can before measuring.
• Check the cake frequently while baking to prevent overbaking and drying out.
• The cake can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days or frozen for later enjoyment.

Frequently asked questions