Dairy Free Coconut Cake

Total time2 hr 5 min

Prep time30 min

Cook time35 min

This layered coconut cake leans on full-fat coconut milk in both the batter and the finished coating, giving it a deep, toasty coconut flavor from edge to edge. A flax "egg" and applesauce keep the crumb moist and tender, while a flurry of shredded coconut folded right into the batter adds little pockets of chew in every slice. The frosting whips up light, glossy, and sweet, easy to swirl into soft peaks with an offset spatula before you press on a final coating of shredded coconut for that classic snowball look. Baked in two rounds and stacked tall, it's the kind of showstopper cake that looks like it came from a bakery case but comes together with straightforward pantry staples. It's a great pick for a dairy free celebration table, since the coconut flavor is the star rather than an afterthought. Slice it thick — this one holds up beautifully whether you're serving it the same day or the next.

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Ingredients

12 servings

For the cake

2 tbsp ground flaxseed
Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Flaxseed Meal - 16 Oz Carrington Farms Organic Milled Flax Seed Paks Gluten Free Spectrum Essentials Cold Milled Organic Premium Ground Flaxseed - 24 oz Barlean's Organic Forti-Flax Premium Ground Flaxseed Carrington Farms Flax Seeds Milled Gluten Free Organic (Ground)
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6 tbsp water
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
Chef's tip
Use a stick or block-style dairy-free butter - not a soft tub spread - and swap one-for-one.
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

For the frosting

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
Chef's tip
Use a stick or block-style dairy-free butter - not a soft tub spread - and swap one-for-one.
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
¼ cup full-fat coconut milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt

For serving

1 ½ cups sweetened shredded coconut, for topping (optional)

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
2
In a small bowl, stir together the ground flaxseed and water until combined. Set aside for 5 minutes until the mixture thickens to a gel-like consistency.

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