Simple Coconut Flour Cake (gluten and grain free, paleo)
Not every cake has to be an extravagant ordeal. Sometime uncomplicated is better. I’m on a mission to create a
Simple Coconut Flour Cake that is not dense or too eggy. Is it possible with coconut flour? Yes, it is!
If you have ever baked with coconut flour, you know that it is not like other flours.
It is EXTREMELY absorbent and requires a totally different ratio of
fats, eggs, and liquids than regular flour. Don’t even try to
substitute coconut flour in your favorite cake recipe 1:1. What you
will end up with is a dry, dense mess. Believe you me!
But all is not lost. With a bit of creativity and experimentation,
it is possible to make a simple white cake that is fluffy and light.
Now I’m not talking angel food cake light here.
It IS coconut flour after all. But this cake is the closest thing that I have had to regular white cake using my favorite grain and nut free flour.
Coconut flour, in my opinion, is the healthiest of all baking flours.
Grains such as wheat, barley, and spelt all contain gluten which can be
very difficult to digest and cause digestive issues for many folks.
Many gluten free flours are extremely processed and often contain corn,
oats, and rice. The problem is that these grains can all have
potentially damaging inflammatory effects on the body. I do love the
way almond flour tastes, but eating too many nuts can
What I love about coconut flour:
Because coconut flour is not a grain-based flour, it
is non-inflammatory. It does not enzyme inhibitors like many nut and
seed flours, which can wreak havoc on digestion. It is also full of
healthy fats from coconut oil, which are primarily medium-chain
saturated fatty acids (MCTs). MCTs have been shown to improve
metabolism. The body uses them quickly for energy rather than storing
them in fat tissue. It also is very low in Omega-6 oils.
Where can I find coconut flour?
Coconut flour is sold in most health food stores. It can be found in
some larger grocery stores in the specialty area. I have heard that
ethnic stores like Indian stores also carry coconut flour.
Now onto that recipe:
Like I said, this cake is a simple and basic white (well, actually
yellow) cake recipe. It’s mildly sweet and will go well with any
amazing frosting or whipped cream/coconut cream that you like. It makes
a perfect cake for any birthday celebration or for strawberry
shortcake. The trick to making it fluffy and light is to fold in some
egg whites just before baking.
I learned that from GOOGLE. Seriously, I did. GOOGLE pointed me to this post on whipping and folding egg whites.
See the end of this post for frosting ideas for this lovely cake.
Happy Eating!
Simple Coconut Flour Cake
makes one 9 inch round cake
Ingredients:
1/2 cup coconut flour (I use THIS
brand)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp unrefined salt (I like THIS
brand)
3 eggs
1/2 cup of ghee
or coconut oil , melted (where to buy good quality coconut oil)
1/4 cup full fat coconut milk (where to buy BPA and additive free coconut milk)
1/3 cup real maple syrup or honey
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 egg whites
ghee or coconut oil for oiling pan
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350’F. Oil a 9″ round cake pan and line bottom of pan with unbleached parchment paper cut into circle to fit the bottom.
- In a large bowl, sift together coconut flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In another bowl, whisk together 3 eggs, fat of choice, coconut milk, maple syrup/honey, and vanilla until foamy.
- Add wet to dry and mix well to combine.
- In another large bowl, beat the egg whites with a hand mixer until thick soft peaks form. Fold very gently into cake batter.
- Bake for 28-30 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean and cake is golden.
NOTE: There is fine art to whipping and folding egg whites.
It is helpful if you use a VERY clean bowl, make sure that no egg yolk
gets into the whites, and use room temperature eggs.