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    You are here: Home | Recipes | Cake

    Vegan and Gluten-Free Coconut Birthday Cake

    Dec 5, 2022 by Faith VanderMolen

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Free of eggs, dairy, and gluten, this rich, creamy and nutty Vegan and Gluten-Free Coconut Birthday Cake is the perfect dessert for any occasion!

    Vegan and Gluten-Free Coconut Birthday Cake on a plate

    I turned 26 on Wednesday.

    Gulp.

    I know, I know. Everyone hates when I say "I'm getting old!" But seriously, where is the time going?! I'm already past a quarter of a century and 30 is just around the corner. Although I can sometimes get wrapped up in my age, I gotta say, I've been able to do some amazing things in my lifetime. I also have so much to look forward to...

    ahem...moving to China...

    I really am so excited about this upcoming year. Brett and I are ready to dive into life in a new country,  language learning, exploring, traveling, crowds and squatty potties. We've been living out of suitcases and traveling around Tennessee and Virginia for quite some time now, so we both are looking forward to unpacking and settling down in our new apartment (that we still have to find!). I still can't believe we leave on Monday!!

    But back to birthdays. My actual birthday on Wednesday was really chill. I was home alone at Brett's parent's house for most of the day and it was just what I needed. Brett has had a bunch of friends come into town at different times during the week and on Wednesday Brett, his friend Heath, and Brett's Mom went Kayaking while I stayed back to rest and get some things done around the house. While they were gone I got to Skype with a good friend, organize some of our China things, get in a workout, and bake this amazing Vegan and Gluten Free Coconut Birthday Cake. It was so good for me to get in some down time amidst all our traveling/socializing and before more of Brett's friends came in and the real partying started.

    And can I just say that this cake is dangerous. 

    Growing up, my Mom would often make an amazingly rich coconut cake for special occasions. It was always one my favorite desserts and I loved that it was so sweet that it would make my tongue tingle. A few days before my birthday I was trying to think of a fun treat to make for my birthday. Since we probably won't have an oven in China for a while, I knew I wanted to bake something.  Randomly I remembered my Mom's coconut cake. Why not "veganize" it?! 

    Vegan and Gluten-Free Coconut Birthday Cake fresh off the oven

    hot off the oven Vegan Coconut Birthday Cake

    My Mom's coconut cake recipe calls for boxed yellow cake, pudding mix, and lots of powdered sugar in the cream cheese frosting. I figured I could make a simple white vegan cake and then add in the shredded coconut and walnuts that my Mom's recipe calls for. Then for the frosting I would use vegan cream cheese and cut back on some of the powdered sugar. 

    You guys, it was a success! Brett parents and all of Brett's friends loved it and I couldn't believe how much it brought me back to my childhood. The texture of the shredded coconut and the crunch of the walnuts take this cake to the next level. And nobody would ever guess that I cut the sugar in the frosting way down. It's perfectly sweet and creamy. 

    Vegan and Gluten-Free Coconut Birthday Cake Collage

    Vegan and Gluten-Free Coconut Birthday Cake with frosting

    I will say that this cake was a rare and special treat for me. As you can see from most of the other recipes I post, I'm not a big fan of processed foods like, white flour, vegan cream cheese, and powdered sugar. However I think recipes like this Vegan and Gluten-Free Coconut Birthday Cake are great for anyone who has allergies, is new to a plant based lifestyle, or who just wants to make a cake to prove to the skeptics out there just how delicious a vegan diet can be. Nobody would ever guess that this cake is egg, dairy, and gluten free!

    I hope you have a special occasion coming up that you need a delicious cake for, because this Vegan and Gluten-Free Coconut Birthday Cake would be the perfect treat!

    I know you don’t count calories, but your readers might like to know that by veganizing the coconut cake, there are 133 fewer calories in your version than the original. I look forward to trying this recipe

    "Yo Mama" (a real commenter, see below!)
    frosted Vegan and Gluten-Free Coconut Birthday Cake with shredded coconuts and walnut

    Thanks so much for posting this recipe! I made this cake for my boyfriends birthday a couple of days ago and it turned out really well. I’d never made anything with gluten free flour before so I was pretty nervous about how it would turn out. I used Bob’s red mill gluten free blend (and did not add xanthan gum-as suggested on the package) and when it first came out of the oven the cake had a strange kind of grainy taste to it. I was worried but decided to go ahead and frost it anyway. I stored it in the fridge over night and took it to my sweethearts house the next day (along with 2 vegan/gf cupcakes from the store just in case my cake was inedible lol) but it turned out great. I guess letting it set over night gave the flavors some time to come together and it totally lost that grainy taste to it.

    The coconut, vanilla and walnuts came together really nicely and that frosting is DEVINE!!! Wish I could post a picture here ???? thanks again for the inspiration!

    Keirsten

    📖 Recipe

    Coconut Birthday Cake on a plate

    Vegan and Gluten-Free Coconut Birthday Cake

    Faith VanderMolen
    Being free of eggs, dairy, and gluten, this rich, creamy and nutty Vegan and Gluten-Free Coconut Birthday Cake is the perfect dessert for any occasion!
    4.59 from 12 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 50 minutes mins
    Course Desserts
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12 pieces
    Calories 734 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    Cake

    • 3 cups gluten free flour or all-purpose flour
    • 2 cups coconut sugar*
    • 2 teaspoons baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ cup coconut oil liquid and at room temperature
    • 2 cups non-dairy milk
    • 1 tablespoons vanilla extract
    • 2 tablespoons vinegar
    • 2 cups grated coconut
    • 1 cup chopped walnuts

    Frosting

    • 4 Tablespoons coconut oil divided
    • 2 cups grated coconut
    • 8 ounces vegan cream cheese
    • 2 teaspoons non-dairy milk
    • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

    Instructions 

    • Start by heating your oven to 350°F.
    • Grease two 8-inch round or square cake pans with non-stick cooking spray and dust with flour.
    • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
    • Add liquid coconut oil*, non-dairy milk, and vanilla extract; whisk until no lumps appear and batter is smooth.
    • Stir in grated coconut and walnuts.
    • Lastly, add the vinegar, stir about seven times, and quickly pour into the prepared cake pans.
    • Bake around 30 minutes, until cake begins to pull away from sides and/or toothpick inserted in the center pulls out clean.
    • Let sit for ten to fifteen minutes before carefully removing the cakes from the pan and letting them cool.
    • While the cakes is baking, prepare the frosting. In a skillet melt two tablespoons of coconut oil and add in the grated coconut. Stir continually over low heat until the coconut begins to toast and turn slightly brown. Remove the coconut from the pan and allow it to cool.
    • In a separate bowl cream together two tablespoons of coconut oil with the vegan cream cheese. Add in two teaspoons of non-dairy milk and then cream in the powdered sugar slowly, in small batches.
    • Stir in 1 ½ cups of the toasted coconut and leave the remaining ½ cup aside to add to the top of the cake at the end.
    • Place the frosting in the fridge for about 30 minutes to thicken up.

    Assemble the cake:

    • Place one of the circle cakes onto a plate and spread ⅓ of the frosting on top of it. Then place the second cake on top of the frosting and press to secure the cakes together.
    • Spread the remaining frosting onto the top of the cake and spread it evenly across the entire top and sides of the cake.
    • Garnish the top of the cake with the remaining toasted coconut.
    • If possible, place the cake in the fridge for about 1 hour to allow the frosting the thicken.
    • Cut and serve!

    Notes

    • Because I cut down the amount of powdered sugar in the frosting, it will seem a bit liquidy at first, but simply place it in the fridge for about ½ hour and it will begin to thicken up. It's delicious!
    • *You can also use regular cane sugar.
    • Cover any leftover cake with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for up to a few days.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1sliceCalories: 734kcalCarbohydrates: 82gProtein: 9gFat: 46gSaturated Fat: 30gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 517mgPotassium: 265mgFiber: 10gSugar: 53gVitamin A: 160IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 130mgIron: 3mg
    Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!

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    Comments

    1. Maya says

      March 28, 2021 at 6:59 am

      Can you freeze it? 🙂

      Reply
      • Faith VanderMolen says

        April 01, 2021 at 10:42 am

        Hi Maya! I'm not sure actually as I've never really frozen cake before. However, according to google, it is possible to freeze cakes. Just wrap the slices of cake well and freeze it for up to 3 months. Allow the cake to thaw in the fridge before enjoying!

        Reply
    2. Zulma says

      July 08, 2020 at 11:33 pm

      Hi! Can I substitute the flour for coconut gluten free flour and the vinegar can be apple cider? Thank you for sharing

      Reply
      • Faith VanderMolen says

        July 13, 2020 at 7:54 am

        Hi Zulma! I actually wouldn't recommend it. I find that this cake needs a gluten free flour blend (a gluten free flour that is a mix of multiple different flours) or else it will be too crumbly. Apple cider vinegar would work great though! I hope you can still try out this recipe!

        Reply
    3. mishka says

      January 02, 2018 at 6:38 pm

      hi-about to make this! all i have are 9" pans though...do you think it would work with 9" pans? thanks 🙂

      Reply
      • Faith says

        January 04, 2018 at 6:36 am

        Yes those should work fine! You just may need to adjust the baking time since the batter will be spread out thinner. I hope it works out for you!

        Reply
      • Anna says

        May 30, 2020 at 8:54 am

        Hi I’m about to make this cake and I would like to know which kind of gluten free flour did you use? Is rice flour ok for this recipe

        Reply
        • Faith VanderMolen says

          May 30, 2020 at 11:55 am

          Hi Anna! I definitely recommend a Gluten free 1-to-1 baking flour. They seem to substitute well for normal flour and are less crumbly. So I don't think rice flour would work, but I've never tried it!

    4. Keirsten Alexandria says

      February 24, 2017 at 8:16 pm

      4 stars
      Thanks so much for posting this recipe! I made this cake for my boyfriends birthday a couple of days ago and it turned out really well. I'd never made anything with gluten free flour before so I was pretty nervous about how it would turn out. I used Bob's red mill gluten free blend (and did not add xanthan gum-as suggested on the package) and when it first came out of the oven the cake had a strange kind of grainy taste to it. I was worried but decided to go ahead and frost it anyway. I stored it in the fridge over night and took it to my sweethearts house the next day (along with 2 vegan/gf cupcakes from the store just in case my cake was inedible lol) but it turned out great. I guess letting it set over night gave the flavors some time to come together and it totally lost that grainy taste to it.

      The coconut, vanilla and walnuts came together really nicely and that frosting is DEVINE!!! Wish I could post a picture here 🙂 thanks again for the inspiration!

      Reply
      • Faith says

        February 25, 2017 at 12:38 am

        YAY! So so happy it was edible:) I've also made this with normal flour and might even like it better that way. I'm so glad your boyfriend liked it and thanks so much for sharing your experience and the result!

        Reply
    5. Debra Moray-Brach says

      September 03, 2016 at 4:01 pm

      What kid of cream cheese did you use? I can only find it with palm in it. I will not use palm. I might have to make my own for this cake.

      Reply
      • Faith says

        September 03, 2016 at 7:44 pm

        Hi Debra! That's a good question. I made this over a year ago, but I believe I bought it at Trader Joes or Whole Foods. But you could definitely make your own with cashews too!

        Reply
    6. Anna E says

      February 23, 2016 at 6:34 pm

      Oh my goodness! Where in China? I'm moving to Shanghai this week and I follow a vegan/ mostly gluten free diet... I would love some tips & wisdom from your experience. I've lived in Tokyo, but I'm sure this will be a different experience, too.

      Reply
      • Faith says

        February 24, 2016 at 12:35 am

        Hey Anna! That's so exciting! Where are you from? I live in Sichuan province, in the West. Where I live it's so easy to follow a plant-based (gluten-free even) diet, but I don't know how Shanghai will be. We have an abundance of produce here and I made most of my food at home. Hopefully you'll have lots of produce in Shanghai too and maybe even some pre-made products in the stores. I do a LOT of shopping for specialty items on Taobao (Chinese amazon) and iHerb (which ships to China for an awesome rate!). I love using google translate when searching for things on Taobao. I type in English and then copy and paste the Chinese into the Taobao search bar and it brings up so many more items than if I was using English. I also brought a BUNCH of food with me when we first moved so that I knew I had some time to figure shopping out:) Let me know if you have any specific questions. I'm excited for you!! I love China:)

        Reply
    7. Yo Mama says

      August 10, 2015 at 10:49 am

      I know you don't count calories, but your readers might like to know that by veganizing the coconut cake, there are 133 fewer calories in your version than the original. I look forward to trying this recipe

      Reply
      • Faith says

        August 10, 2015 at 11:01 am

        That's awesome!! I hope you can find all the ingredients to make this in Ireland! You could always use all purpose flour and regular cream too!

        Reply
    8. Alyssa @ Renaissancerunnergirl says

      August 07, 2015 at 11:51 am

      This looks AWESOME although sadly I am gluten/tree nut free. I know what you mean about birthdays, i think in our 20s they are sort of a what-am-I-doing-with-my-life time of taking stock. Although honestly I'm jealous of where you are at 26 - married to a great guy and about to be off on a great adventure!

      Reply
      • Faith says

        August 07, 2015 at 11:58 am

        You could easily leave the walnuts out!! And so true about birthdays in our 20s. But I really am feeling so blessed to be where I am in life. Thanks Alyssa!!

        Reply
    9. Liz @ I Heart Vegetables says

      August 07, 2015 at 7:25 am

      We're almost birthday twins! I turn 27 today 🙂 This cake looks AMAZING! I definitely wouldn't mind having a slice or two of that! Happy belated birthday!!

      Reply
      • Faith says

        August 07, 2015 at 11:57 am

        Ah nice!!! Happy birthday too! Hope you do something fun to celebrate...and eat some delicious dessert too:)

        Reply
    4.59 from 12 votes (11 ratings without comment)

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