3 Ingredient Coconut Cake (No Eggs, Dairy, Butter or Oil)

This coconut cake is soft, moist and fluffy. The cake itself only needs 3 ingredients and it doesn’t require eggs, dairy, butter or oil. The versatile cake can be used for a snack cake, afternoon tea cake, layer cake, cupcakes and more.

This is my family’s favorite cake right now. I’ve made it as a simple afternoon cake, cupcakes, and also as a layer cake. I love the flavor and texture of this cake and you can’t tell that it is made without dairy, eggs, butter or oil.

Ingredients

• Coconut milk: Make sure to use full fat canned coconut milk for this recipe. The drinking type of coconut milk doesn’t contain enough fat. The coconut milk adds moisture, fat and coconut flavor to the cake. Most coconut cakes contain shredded coconut but I found that the coconut milk is enough to create a lovely coconut flavor for this cake.
• Sugar: The cake is sweetened with regular granulated sugar.
• Self-rising flour: Self-rising flour is flour that already has a leavening agent added to it. You can also make your own self-rising flour by combining all purpose flour, baking powder and salt.
• It is possible to make a frosting for this cake using the same ingredients as the cake to truly keep this a 3 ingredient recipe, but I did use canned coconut cream instead of coconut milk for the frosting because you can get more cream out of a can of coconut cream. You would need a few extra cans of coconut milk if you wanted to use that to make the frosting.

How to Make Coconut Cake

• The sugar and part of the milk are first mixed together. The flour is then mixed in with a spatula. Once you have a smooth batter, mix in the rest of the coconut milk.
• Pour the batter into your prepared baking pan and bake until done. If you are making this into a two layer cake, you will need to make two of these cakes.
• If desired, you can decorate the cake before serving.

Expert Tips

• This cake can be used as a simple snack or afternoon tea cake. It can also be baked into cupcakes or used for a layer cake.
• I made this cake as a two layer cake but you can also make it as a 3 layer cake. If making a 3 layer cake, I recommend making 3/4 of the recipe for each cake layer.
• Make sure to use canned coconut milk, the kind meant for cooking and baking, in this recipe. The coconut milk meant for drinking does not contain enough fat.

More Coconut Recipes

• 4 Ingredient Coconut Cake
• 3 Ingredient Coconut Donuts
• 2 Ingredient Coconut Truffles

3 Ingredient Coconut Cake

Servings: 8 slices

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes minutes

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

This coconut cake is so moist, soft and fluffy. It ony needs 3 ingredients and is made without eggs, dairy, butter or oil, but you won't be able to tell. The cake can be enjoyed as a simple snack or afternoon tea cake, or can be turned into a fancier layer cake for special occasions.

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Ingredients

Cake ingredients for One layer of Cake

• 1 cup (8 fl oz/237 ml) canned full-fat coconut milk whisk the contents inside the can so the milk and cream are evenly mixed before measuring
• 3/4 cup (151 g) granulated white sugar
• 1 cup (135 g) self-rising flour see note before starting

Instructions

• Please note that this recipe and instructions are for a single cake layer for those that just want to make a simple coconut cake. If you want to make a layer cake you will need to make two of these. I share more details for making a two layer cake in the recipe notes. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 7-inch round cake pan with non-stick cooking spray and line the bottom with a parchment paper round.
• In a large bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup coconut milk and sugar (the full 3/4 cup) until evenly combined.
• Add the flour. Use a spatula to mix it in until you have a smooth batter. The batter will be very thick but I found that only adding in half of the coconut milk initially will make it much easier to achieve a lump-free batter. Once you have a smooth batter, add in remaining 1/2 cup coconut milk and mix in with your spatula until the additional coconut milk is evenly incorporated.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and use an offset spatula to smooth it evenly across.
• Bake for about 45-60 minutes or until the cake is done. Baking time will vary depending on the coconut milk you use. Some brands have more fat than others. When the cake is done, if you apply light pressure on the surface it should bounce back. The cake does take a while to cook so if you aren’t sure if it is done, it is better to bake it a little longer.
• Let the cake cool for about 10-15 minutes in the pan before removing it and placing on wire rack to finish cooling. Let cake cool fully before cutting or decorating. Store uneaten cake in fridge or freezer.

Video

Notes

• Canned coconut milk note: Make sure to use full fat canned coconut milk. It needs to be full fat, otherwise your cake will not have enough fat which will affect the texture. It also need to be canned coconut milk, the type used for cooking and baking and not the type designed for drinking. Canned coconut milk contains more fat than the drinking kind. I tested this recipe with Thai Kitchen Organic Coconut Milk.*
• Self-rising flour note: There are 2 main kinds of self-rising flour sold in the US. One that is a lower protein (2 grams per 1/4 cup serving) flour and one that has a regular amount of protein (3 grams per 1/4 cup (30g) serving). The amount of protein affects how much liquid is absorbed. For this recipe, I tested it with Gold Medal self-rising flour* (regular amount of protein). Please use a self-rising flour with a regular amount of protein (3 grams per 1/4 cup), or make your own self-rising flour with the recipe below.
• *These product links are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
• Homemade self-rising flour: Whisk together 1 cup all purpose flour, 1.5 teaspoons baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Make sure your all purpose flour has a regular amount of protein (3 grams per 1/4 cup). Most brands in the US contain this amount but there are some brands with higher protein (4 grams per 1/4 cup) such as King Arthur Flour and Bob's Red Mill, which will not work well for this recipe.
• Optional Coconut Cream Frosting:
  • Please note, this will only make enough frosting for partially frosting a single cake layer. If you want to make a layer cake covered in frosting, you will need to double this recipe.
  • 1 (13.66 fl oz) can coconut cream, chilled in fridge overnight (I used Whole Foods Coconut Cream)
  • 1/4 cup granulated granulated white sugar or 1/3 cup powdered sugar
  • Shredded coconut, optional
  • To make the frosting, open the can of chilled coconut cream and scoop out only the solid white part. (How much solid white will vary depending on the brand and each can. Sometimes it's mostly or completely white and sometimes you will have some liquid at the bottom). Add the coconut cream and sugar to a stand mixer and beat at highest speed until you have a thick whipped cream consistency. If your cream is a little grainy, you may need to add a small amount of the liquid from the can until you have a light and fluffy frosting. Frost the top of the cake with frosting and garnish with shredded coconut if desired. 
  • You can also make the frosting with chilled cans of coconut milk, but you would need a few extra cans because you won't have as much cream from coconut milk compared to a can of coconut cream.
  • I prefer using powdered sugar in the frosting because it makes the frosting a little thicker but it also works with granular sugar. If you want to thicken the frosting even more, you can add a little cornstarch or gelatin.
• Layer Cake instructions
  • To make a 2 layer cake like in the recipe photos, you will need to make two cakes and double the frosting recipe. Once the cakes are cooled, level them if needed. 
  • Cover the surface of one cake with a layer of frosting and place the second layer on top. You can then either frost just the top of the cake and keep the rest more naked or frost the whole cake. You can also add shredded coconut over the frosting.
  • If you want to make a 3 layer cake, I recommend make 3/4 of the recipe for each cake layer.
• A single cake can serve 8-10. If you are making a layer cake, you can cut the slices thinner and serve about 12-14.
• Nutrition estimate is for a single layer of cake with no optional frosting. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice, Calories: 162kcal, Carbohydrates: 29g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Sodium: 184mg, Sugar: 18g, NET CARBS: 29

The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.

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