This Soft and Fluffy Eggless Coconut Cake is light and incredibly delicious! It’s bustling with sweet coconut flavor and finished with a rich and creamy cream cheese frosting. Easy to make with simple ingredients. The recipe includes step-by-step photos and lots of tips.
BEST Eggless Coconut Cake Recipe
I shared this eggless coconut cake years ago in my cookbook, but I figured it was time to re-share it in case some of you may have missed out.
This egg-free cake is flavorful and elegant yet very traditional and simple to make. It’s perfect for celebrating special occasions since it’s not only incredibly delicious but also beautiful and crowd-pleasing.
Eggless Coconut Cake Recipe Highlights
- It has a soft & fluffy crumb.
- It’s super moist.
- Intense coconut flavor.
- Easy to make.
- Simple Ingredients.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
Ingredients Notes & Substitutions
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
- Flour: Standard all-purpose flour works best here; skip the cake flour, bread flour, and wheat flour.
- Baking powder & baking soda: Make sure they’re not expired or too old.
- Salt: I prefer kosher or sea salt. If you only have table salt handy, I recommend reducing the amount to half.
- Coconut milk: Make sure to use canned coconut milk. Refrigerated coconut milk is more of a beverage than a baking ingredient. It is often watered down and filled with additives, so I recommend avoiding this type of milk for this recipe.
- Vinegar: You can use apple cider vinegar or white vinegar.
- Butter: I prefer to use unsalted butter, but if you only have salted butter handy, you can use it. In this case, skip the salt called in the recipe.
- Sugar: Regular white granulated sugar o caster sugar.
- Yogurt: You can substitute plain yogurt for plain sour cream. I recommend using the full-fat versions.
- Coconut extract: For extra coconut flavor!
- Vanilla extract: For optimal flavor, reach for pure vanilla instead of imitation. Even better, try homemade vanilla extract!
- Unsweetened shredded coconut: I recommend using unsweetened shredded coconut so the cake is not too sweet. If the coconut you got is shredded into long skinny shreds I recommend pulsing them in a food processor so they’re smaller.
Step-by-Step Recipe Photo Tutorial
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
1 – Preheat the Oven & Prepare the Cake Pan(s)
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line two 8-inch (20-cm) round cake pans with parchment paper. Lightly grease with baking spray with flour.
2 – Make the Egg-Free Coconut Cake Batter
Mix dry ingredients: Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.
Combine the coconut milk and vinegar.
Beat the butter at medium to high speed until creamy. Add the sugar and until creamed and pale, scraping down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Then add the yogurt, coconut extract, and vanilla; continue beating to combine.
Add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the coconut milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Fold in the unsweetened shredded coconut.
Evenly divide the batter between the prepared pans.
3 – Bake
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in their pans on wire racks for 10 minutes, then remove them from the pans. Allow the cakes to cool completely, right-side up, on wire racks before removing the parchment paper.
4 – Assemble & Decorate
Decorate the cake as your heart desires! I frosted it with Cream Cheese Coconut Frosting and then I covered it with toasted coconut flakes. More details are in the recipe card below.
Eggless Cake Success Tips
Measure the ingredients correctly. I highly recommend using a kitchen scale.
Preheat the oven for at least 15 minutes before starting the recipe, giving it plenty of time to reach the ideal temperature.
Don’t overmix the batter. Instead, mix just until the ingredients are evenly distributed throughout.
Bake the batter as soon as it is ready.
Don’t open the oven door until your baked good has set. Leave the oven closed until the minimum time is stated in the recipe.
Every oven is different, so baking times always have to be taken with a grain of salt. Oven thermostats can be wildly off, affecting baking time, so keep an eye on yours.
Recipe Important Notes
Extra White Cake. If you want to keep the crumb of the cake lighter in color, substitute pure vanilla extract for clear vanilla. I like McCormick Culinary Clear Imitation Vanilla Extract.
Use all room-temperature ingredients, including the yogurt. Why? Warm ingredients bond together very easily, creating an evenly textured baked good. Cold ingredients do not emulsify together, period.
Make sure to use canned coconut milk. Refrigerated coconut milk is more of a beverage than a baking ingredient. It is often watered down and filled with additives, so I recommend avoiding this type of milk for this recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can leave the shredded coconut out of the cake batter. No other changes are necessary.
Give the can a good shake before opening so you get all of it.
Coconut cream is too thick for this cake batter. I recommend sticking with canned coconut milk.
I use McCormick coconut extract. LorAnn Coconut Bakery Emulsion is a good option too.
Storing & Freezing Instructions
Unfrosted cake layers can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days. A frosted cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To freeze, skip frosting the cake. Instead, let the cake layers cool completely, wrap the cake or slices tightly in plastic wrap, and place them in a plastic double-zip quart freezer bag. Freeze the cakes for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before frosting and serving.
Keep in mind that the cakes will lose some of their fluffiness if refrigerated or frozen.
More Eggless Coconut Recipes You’ll Love!
- Eggless Coconut Cupcakes
- Eggless Coconut Cream Pie
- Eggless Coconut Macaroons
- Coconut Panna Cotta with Chocolate Sauce
- Browse more recipes…
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Recipe Card 📖
Soft and Fluffy Eggless Coconut Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Eggless Coconut Cake:
- 4 cups (560 g) all-purpose flour
- 5 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups (480 ml) canned coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) vinegar
- 1 cup (230 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (60 g) plain regular yogurt
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) coconut extract
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (100 g) unsweetened shredded coconut
Coconut Frosting:
- 1 1/2 cup (345 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 8 ounces (227 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 6 cups (720 g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) pure coconut extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
To Assemble and Decorate:
- 1/4 cup (25 g) unsweetened shredded coconut
- 2 cups (200 g) toasted coconut flakes
Important
Don’t forget to check out the step-by-step photos above in the post—they’ll guide you through the process and make everything super clear!
Instructions
Make the Eggless Coconut Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line two 8-inch (20-cm) round cake pans with parchment paper. Lightly grease with baking spray with flour.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into a large bowl.
- In a mixing bowl or liquid measuring cup, combine the coconut milk and vinegar. Set aside.
- Using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer, beat the butter on medium-high speed until creamy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the sugar and beat on high speed for 4 minutes, until creamed and pale, scraping down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Then add the yogurt, coconut extract, and vanilla; continue beating to combine, about 1 minute.
- Turn the mixer to low and add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the coconut milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat until just combined, 30 to 45 seconds. Do not overmix. Fold in the unsweetened shredded coconut.
- Evenly divide the batter between the prepared pans.
- Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in their pans on wire racks for 10 minutes, then remove from the pans. Allow the cakes to cool completely, right-side up, on wire racks before removing the parchment paper.
Coconut Frosting:
- Using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth and creamy, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low, add 1 cup of the confectioners’ sugar, and keep mixing until incorporated. Once incorporated, add the remaining 5 cups of confectioners' sugar; beat on low speed for 1 minute, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the coconut extract and salt and continue beating until the frosting is smooth, fluffy, and spreadable, scraping down the bowl once or twice.
Assemble and Decorate:
- Level the tops of the cakes with a cake cutter or a long, serrated knife as needed.
- Line the edges of a cake platter with four strips of parchment paper to keep the platter clean.
- Place the first cake layer on the platter. Spread 1 1/2 to 2 cups of frosting evenly over the top, then sprinkle on the unsweetened shredded coconut. Top with the second cake layer, pressing lightly to adhere. Then spread the remaining frosting evenly over the top and sides of the cake. Gently press toasted coconut flakes onto the cake sides. Remove the parchment paper and serve.
- Extra White Cake. If you want to keep the crumb of the coconut cake lighter in color, substitute pure vanilla extract for clear vanilla. I like McCormick Culinary Clear Imitation Vanilla Extract.
- Use all room temperature ingredients, including the yogurt. Why? Ingredients bond together very easily when they’re warmer, which creates an evenly textured baked good. Cold ingredients do not emulsify together. Period.
- Make sure to use canned coconut milk. Refrigerated coconut milk is more of a beverage than a baking ingredient. It is often watered down and filled with additives, so I recommend avoiding this type of milk for this recipe.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Eggless Baking Frequently Asked Questions
You’ve asked, and I’ve answered! Read on for a handful of answers to the most frequently asked questions about eggless baking.
