You’ll love this fluffy and moist keto coconut cake with cream cheese icing made without sugar alcohols. It’s a delicious low carb dessert that is also very simple to make!
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I don’t eat desserts very often. I’ve found that the longer I eat keto, the less and less I crave sweets. I just no longer have much of a taste for them.
But every now and again, the cravings strike. And one day, I found myself craving cake.
So I went through my recipes to see what I could make. I came across a coconut pie I once made from yellow squash, which gave me an idea. I also had a bag of coconut chips sitting in my pantry.
That’s how I decided to try out a recipe for a keto coconut cake! And let me tell you, I’m so glad that I did.
Why you'll love it
This cake is moist, fluffy, and just what you need to satisfy a sweet tooth. The coconut flavor makes it unique from a typical chocolate or vanilla cake. It tastes so indulgent, but only has 3.8 net carbs per serving.
It's also a sugar-free coconut cake made without sugar alcohols. While sugar alcohols are safe for a keto diet, they can cause weight loss stalls. Some people also have sensitivities to them.
Plus, this cake recipe is one of the easiest to make. If you’re looking for a delicious cake to satisfy a dessert craving that’s a breeze to make, look no further!
Ingredients
If you do a lot of baking, you likely have most of the ingredients needed for this keto coconut cake recipe. You may be surprised that there's yellow squash added, but it's the secret to getting a moist cake.
Here's an overview of the ingredients you'll need:
- Coconut flour gives a light spongy texture.
- Baking soda and baking powder provide the leavening.
- Salt enhances the taste.
- Eggs bind the cake ingredients together.
- Coconut oil adds liquid and moistness.
- Vanilla extract adds sweetness and enhances the flavor.
- Liquid sweetener sweetens the cake and the frosting.
- Yellow squash is grated to add plenty of moisture.
- Flaked coconut gives the cake the coconut flavor.
- Cream cheese is used as the base for the frosting.
- Butter adds creaminess to the frosting.
Quick tips
- Use a rubber spatula. The batter is very thick so you'll need a rubber spatula to spread it out evenly in the pan.
- Add coconut extract. If you want a stronger coconut flavor in the cake, you can mix in a teaspoon or two of extract.
- Change the flavor. You can omit the coconut flakes and replace the coconut stevia drops with another flavor of stevia drops. Adding lemon extract and lemon zest is a great alternative to coconut!
Instructions
To make this delicious coconut flour cake, just follow these simple step-by-step directions.
Prepare batter
The coconut flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt are whisked together first. Then the eggs, coconut oil, vanilla extract and liquid sweeteners are stirred in.
It's best to use a whisk to combine the dry and wet ingredients together well.
Once you have the base for the cake batter, coconut flakes are stirred in.
Bake cake
Spread the cake batter into a 9x13-inch baking pan. You may want to grease it first, but I used an ungreased seasoned stoneware pan.
It takes about 25 minutes for the cake to cook completely. It should be lightly browned on the top and edges. You can insert a toothpick in the center to test for doneness. If it comes out clean, the cake is done.
Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
Make frosting
To make the frosting, just beat together the cream cheese, butter, and liquid sweeteners until light and fluffy.
Toast coconut
The cake tastes best with toasted coconut sprinkled on top of the frosting. Dried coconut can burn easily when baking so keep an eye in it while toasting. It should take about 3 to 5 minutes at 375°F for the coconut to turn golden brown.
Frost cake
To complete the cake, just spread on the frosting and sprinkle on the toasted coconut. That's it!
️ Serving suggestions
This sugar free coconut cake is super tasty plain. But it looks a lot prettier with frosting and toasted coconut chips on top. would look prettier so I topped it off with frosting and toasted coconut chips. You can choose to serve it either way.
Also, the keto cream cheese icing recipe is a nice one to have that doesn’t use a powdered bulk sweetener. I’m going to try it with my zucchini spice cupcakes next!
Related recipes
The most popular low carb cake recipe on this site is probably my German chocolate cake recipe. The secret ingredient for keeping it incredibly moist is none other than zucchini.
I’ve actually made a yellow squash cake before. However, that recipe requires you to cook the squash first.
Looking for a few other keto treats to satisfy your sweet tooth? Check out a few of these favorites:
- Keto Chocolate Cupcakes are deliciously moist and made with a sugar-free cream cheese hazelnut “Nutella” frosting.
- Sugar free cupcakes with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting use a sugar free icing that adds a natural pink color and fruity taste.
- Keto Cheesecake Balls with lemon and coconut flavors are a quick no bake snack that combines two great flavors.
- A coconut flour Keto Pumpkin Mug Cake whips up in less than 2 minutes for a yummy paleo friendly treat.
- Carrot cake Keto Muffins with Cream Cheese filling are like having a cheesecake inside a muffin!
I also love these no bake coconut cookies by Adrienne at Whole New Mom!
Follow us on FACEBOOK, PINTEREST, and INSTAGRAM for even more tasty keto-friendly recipes!
Recipe
Keto Coconut Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Video
Ingredients
CAKE:
- ½ cup coconut flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs beaten
- ¼ cup coconut oil liquified
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon coconut stevia drops
- 1 teaspoon monk fruit liquid extract
- 2 cups grated yellow squash
- 1 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
FROSTING:
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup butter
- ½ teaspoon coconut stevia drops
- ½ teaspoon monk fruit liquid extract
- unsweetened flaked coconut toasted, optional
Instructions
CAKE:
- Stir together coconut flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Mix in eggs, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and sweeteners until well blended.
- Stir in grated squash and coconut chips.
- Pour mixture into a greased 7x11 or 8x8 inch pan.
- Bake at 350F for about 25 minutes or until top is browned and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Place on a rack to cool.
FROSTING:
- Cream together cream cheese and butter.
- Add coconut stevia extract and monk fruit extract.
- Whip until light and fluffy.
- Frost cake and top with toasted coconut, if desired.
Notes
Low Carb Sweeteners | Keto Sweetener Conversion Chart
Nutrition
Additional Info
Notes on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts as it has been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
Copyright
© LowCarbYum.com - Unauthorized use of this material without written permission is strictly prohibited unless for personal offline purposes. Single photos may be used, provided that full credit is given to LowCarbYum.com along with a link back to the original content.
First published on May 16, 2016. Updated on May 8, 2020, with new images and additional recipe tips.
Randi O
I used your recipe to bake a layer birthday cake. I was able to get 4, 6” rounds from 1.5 of the recipe. Doubled the cream cheese frosting for extra to coat the entire cake and between layers. I did use powdered monk fruit in the icing to have a bit sturdier icing. Gorgeous caramel color on the outside of my layers. Lightly sweet, super coconutty, and tasty!
Joan Mahon
What can I use instead of grated squash---can I make this cake by just eliminating that item ???
Lisa MarcAurele
You could use grated zucchini. It's added for moisture and bulk.
Carol
Thank you for publishing sugar free desserts without sugar alcohols. I'm sensitive to them, even erythritol. I have a hard time finding recipes I like that don't use them.
Dee
I’d like to make this into cupcakes. About how long should the be baked for?
Same temp?
Lisa MarcAurele
I'd do the same temperature and check them after 10-15 minutes for doneness.
Molli
In the recipe it says to stir in coconut chips but coconut chips are not listed in the ingredients list. Are the "chips" the flaked coconut? Thank you, this sounds yummy!
Lisa MarcAurele
Yes. Flaked coconut is often called coconut chips. Sorry about the confusion.
Karyn Chylewski
Every time I've used coconut flour, the end result is so dense and dry!! I've become very hesitant and mostly stick with almond flour. Do you think almond flour would work here?
Very excited to try this for my Easter dessert, thank you!
Lisa MarcAurele
The grated squash should ensure the cake isn't dry. Did the other recipes include grated squash or zucchini? Almond flour could work if you make additional changes.
Gypsy
Made this yesterday but didn't have the coconut stevia or monkfruit, I used coconut flavouring and liquid stevia. It tasted OK, but it didn't rise very much. It was a bit disappointing. Do you have any tips?
Thanks
Lisa MarcAurele
Are you sure your baking powder was fresh? If so, you may want to try adding more.
Sharon
Hi Lisa! If I leave out the coconut flakes would I have to increase the coconut flour for binding purposes or decrease the egg or oil? Thank you! Looking forward to making this!
Lisa MarcAurele
I think it should be okay without the flakes as they are not added for any binding.
Sharon
Has anyone tried this recipe without the squash? I have all the ingredients except the squash on hand. Wondering if I could add some heavy cream in place of the squash.... what do you think? I can't wait to try this. I have loved all your recipes that I've tried and I've tried Many of them! Thanks!
Lisa
The squash is added for moisture as well as help hold things together. You can try heavy cream for the moisture but may need a little more flour to replace the binding.
Anne Odell
This was delicious. I will make this again. I baked it in an 8 X 8 pan and it took 30 minutes to bake.
Lisa
Thanks for the feedback Anne!
Chelsea M
I'm trying to make a marscapone frosting for my low carb vanilla and matcha cake (with blueberry compote). How can I tweak the cream cheese frosting recipe? Thanks!
Lisa
You can use mascarpone in place of cream cheese. It's creamier so adjust the other ingredients as needed.
TheaMaria
Wow, this cake is impressive. But the frosting was way too much - will make 1/2 to 3/4 as much next time. I had to modify based on the sweeteners I have. Like another reviewer I like to measure by weight. Quantities of key ingredients as follows:
CAKE
Coconut flour - 49 g
Erythritol - 105 g
Stevia extract powder - 1/8 tsp
Coconut extract - 1/2 tsp
Squash - 11 oz
FROSTING
Erythritol, powdered - 50 g
Stevia extract powder - 3 tiny scoops (could probably cut to 2)
Coconut extract - 1/2 tsp
Lisa
Thanks for sharing the weight measures!
Patricia
This cake batter is unlike any batter I have ever seen it is so thick! I followed the directions and this batter does not pour! Just seems like there is not enough liquid in it. It’s in the oven now but I doubt if it will be edible. Are you sure you didn’t leave something out?
Matthew
Hello, looks like a great recipe, just wondered if I can make replace the coconut oil with coconut butter instead? Or just add some extra, because I don't have flavored Stevia drops but want to have a good amount of coconut flavor.
Thanks 🙂
Lisa
I'd just add in extra coconut.
Kathy
OMG this is so good. Even better the next day. I grated my squash and squeezed out the water. No cooking it.
Lisa
I'm glad you liked this one as much as we do!
Anne Odell
I have to agree - it's even better hours later after it has been in the fridge for hours. Yummy!!
Rosallie
This recipe is awesome! Will definitely make again. I made just a few changes. I used 1/4 c liquid Sukrin in place of the monk fruit extract in the cake and 1/8 c for the frosting. The other things weren't really changes just the way I like to do things. I like to use the weight of coconut flour because a cup measure can vary so much in the actual amount and especially with coconut flour a little can make a huge difference...I used 56g. I also like to weigh shredded stuff for the same reason and my squash weighed in at 11 oz. I freaked when it said to 'pour' the mixture into a pan, it was in no way pour-able, lol, must have been right to be thick as the taste/quality was excellent. I also made it into cupcakes, 10 of them; lightly pressed in to each indent just to the top. The cake was light and fluffy and the frosting was smooth and creamy...simply awesome. Thank-you so much for sharing this recipe!
Lisa
Thanks for sharing your method Rosallie! I agree, it wasn't "pourable." Probably not the best choice of words.
Amanda
What are the chunks shown mixed in the icing? You don't mention them in the recipe.
Lisa
It's toasted coconut on top. I'll add that as an optional ingredient.
Irina
What can I substitute monk fruit extract with? Can I use coconut flavored liquid stevia extract instead( the same proportion)?
Lisa
1 teaspoon monk fruit extract is equivalent to about 1/4 cup sugar. So, you could use 1/4 cup Swerve for the cake and 2 tablespoons Swerve Confectioners for the icing.
Irina
Thank you.
Irina
Thank you Lisa. But I really like coconut flavor and I have coconut flavored liquid stevia extract. In what proportions I can use that?
Lisa
Use half as much stevia extract as the monk fruit.
Suparna
Just curious as to why you're moving away from sugar alcohols? I was under the impression they were safe and healthy to use? I've only been keto for a couple of months and the amount of new info to absorb can get overwhelming! Thanks in advance. 🙂
Lisa
Sugar alcohols tend to cause weight loss stalls and or weight gain for me.
Lana
Can I use zucchini instead of yellow squash in this recipe? I don't have squash 🙁
Lisa
You could, but I find yellow squash goes better with coconut.
Nicole
Yum! I love the texture and how moist it is. Instead of making a cake, I made 12 cupcakes. I didn't feel like making the frosting and they're not very sweet (which is perfect since I wanted to eat this for breakfast ?) so I cut one in half and put cinnamon butter on it instead of the frosting. I only have regular powdered stevia which was fine but can't wait to buy some of the coconut flavored stevia for next time. Thank you for a recipe without sugar alcohols!
Lisa
I ate the cake for breakfast too. I'm liking things less sweet these days.
Ron
Lisa,
Thank you for clearly saying "3.8g net carbs per serving subtracting fiber", since that is the simple "normal" formula used by non-diabetics (and you identified how: "subtracting fiber"). Excellent!
As I mentioned yesterday in another recipe, the diabetic net carbs gives a different result because the formula used for diabetics has more factors.
The diabetic net carbs is 7.1g (the formula factors being 2 times the sugar subtracted from the fiber, and any positive result then subtracted from the total carbs). So, in this recipe, 1.9 sugar g's times 2 = 3.8g, then 3.3g fiber with 3.8g doubled sugar subtracted results in a number below zero (which is always converted only to zero), and then zero is subtracted from the 7.1g total carbs = 7.1g net diabetic carbs.
The results for normal folks and the results for diabetics are sometimes identical and sometimes quite different. The net ALL depends on the sugar factor for diabetics. In this case, the diabetic net carbs are almost double the normal net carbs; however, both are still SO low as to be of almost minor concern if a person has good portion control (rats!).
The only thing that blinds diabetics is when no sugar is reported (and while this may seem logical when the value is zero to normal folks, since sugar kills diabetics through time, clear identification of our poison is essential to our own taking care of ourselves).
While this recipe has a sugar value above zero and it is therefore reported, please give us diabetics confidence to move forward by always showing zero when that applies (unlike the past where you said "If there are sugar carbs, I do enter it", suggesting the logic that if there are no sugar carbs that you do not enter or report it). I understand your convenience and logic, and I hope you can show zero in the future when that applies to accommodate the needs of diabetics who cannot calculate their net diabetic carbs if nothing at all shows for sugar.
I got long, Lisa, but my original goal was to thank you for saying "3.8g net carbs per serving subtracting fiber", which clearly identified the factors in your formula for normal folks.
Don't think about showing the diabetic net carbs, since that is a minority concern I think. We can figure it out for ourselves as long as we have some number to fit in our formula for sugar, other than nothing was reported (we dare not assume or risk that this means zero for us diabetics!).
I'm reading your site more than I am in the kitchen. Isn't that silly! However, you are arming me with what I need to know to take more natural care of myself with less dependency on pharmaceuticals. Thank you!
Lisa
Going forward, I will add the sugar count number, even if it is zero. Not sure if I'll ever have the time to fix the older recipes though. I am having someone convert my recipe format so they all match to the one with the nutrition info in the top right. That seems to be the format most prefer. However, I'll need to go in and do the nutritional calcs as it gets very confusing so it's best if I do them myself.
Bonnie
Thank you for a recipe without sugar alcohols!!! My system is very sensitive to them. Can't wait to try this. I love cream cheese frosting as well. Can I use flaked coconut instead of chips?
Lisa
Flaked coconut is the same thing as coconut chips.
Kathy
I know what you mean about not liking things that sweet anymore. I’m always amazed at how much sweetener/erythritol are in all the low carb dessert recipes. I automatically cut the amount called for by 50% and have had no problems. Looking forward to making this cake - will definitely come in handy when trying to figure out what to do with all that squash from the garden! (I hope).
Lisa
I'm really starting to prefer savory dishes. 50% is a good rule of thumb for me too when adjusting any sweetened recipes.
Pam
Sounds wonderful! Where do you get your coconut chips?
Lisa
I get them at Amazon.
Michele Clow
Hi Lisa,
For the Monk Fruit Extract, do you think it would make a difference if the monk fruit was dry/granular instead of liquid? I ask because I'm always looking for the "best" and most economical way to purchase.
Lisa
I think you could add the dry monk fruit concentrate in with the dry ingredients instead of using the liquid. I just bought some powder, but haven't experimented with it yet. I always preferred liquid stevia to the powder so I thought the monk fruit might be the same way which is why I started with the liquid.
Georgia calonico
could you use all monk fruit in a powdered form. I do not care for stevia
Lisa MarcAurele
You can, but you'll likely need more liquid for the frosting so you can add some heavy cream or almond milk as needed.
Kim | Low Carb Maven
This sounds interesting Lisa. I have used zucchini in chocolate cakes, but never squash in a yellow cake before. I'll have to try. Pretty photos.
Lisa
Thanks Kim! I've been wanting to experiment more with using grated squash in cakes since my chocolate zucchini cake has been so popular.
Effie F Cook
I'm on a low carb diet.Am I suppose to subtract fiber from the carbs?And then count the net carbs?I'm on 60 carbs a day.Thanks.
Lisa MarcAurele
If you are doing 60 carbs a day, I'd recommend counting total carbs, not net.