The Best Vegan Coconut Cake (single layer)

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This easy single-layer Vegan Coconut Cake is created without eggs and is completely dairy-free. With a luscious and sweet coconut cream frosting sprinkled with shredded coconut, this is the best vegan coconut cake recipe.

A slice being taken out of the cake to show the texture of the cake before eating.

🍰 Why You Will Love This Recipe

Easy vegan vanilla cake.

Creamy vegan coconut cream frosting.

Eggless.

Dairy-Free.

Vanilla cake is made in one bowl.

The frosting is also made in one bowl.

If you have been looking for a single-layer, 8-inch, easy vegan coconut cake, look no further.

This vegan coconut cake has an easy one-bowl, egg-free, and dairy-free vanilla cake with a whipped coconut cream frosting.

To make a successful eggless and dairy-free cake, apple cider vinegar is included as a replacement for the eggs.

You can see this work in my Eggless Vanilla Cake too.

It reacts directly with the baking powder and baking soda by activating them which makes the cake expand and rise in your oven.

The baked vegan coconut cake with the whipped coconut frosting before slicing.

You don’t need any electric beaters for the cake, only the frosting. I used a canned coconut whipping cream, such as this one here or here. It works great as a dairy-free alternative to traditional whipping cream.

If you’re interested in more vegan cake recipes, try my beautiful Hummingbird Cake and this easy Eggless Banana Cake.

For more easy vegan recipes, my current favorites are these Vegan Fudgy Brownies and this morish no-bake Dairy-Free Caramel Slice.

Remove one slice of cake with the coconut frosting and shredded coconut.

📋 Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

Plain Flour – also known as all purpose flour in the US.

Baking powder – gives lift to the cake. For best results use aluminum-free baking powder and make sure it’s not expired. You can test if your leaveners still work with this guide.

Baking soda – helps the cake rise.

Caster sugar – you can use either golden/raw or white caster sugar.

Coconut milk – use coconut milk from a carton, not canned coconut milk, which will be too thick for this vegan coconut cake. You can also use almond milk or any neutral flavoured dairy-free milk.

Extra virgin olive oil – a quality extra virgin olive oil will produce the best results. Don’t use any other vegetable oil as they can add too much flavor that changes the result.

Apple cider vinegar – must be apple cider vinegar and not white vinegar.

Vanilla extract – you can use vanilla extract with or without seeds. I have not tested this cake using a vanilla bean paste.

Coconut whipping cream – comes in a can. I use this brand here or here. As an alternative, use regular canned coconut cream but scoop out only the coconut cream solids and discard the liquid. Depending on which brand of coconut whipping cream you use, it will need to be refrigerated overnight for best results.

Maple syrup – A pure maple syrup without any added sweeteners works best.

Shredded coconut – You’ll love the texture the shredded coconut offers. As an alternative, use either desiccated coconut or flaked coconut.

🥣 Step By Step Instructions

There is a full and detailed recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Note: This recipe uses canned coconut whipping cream that needs to be refrigerated overnight before use. Or make the cake the day before and frost it the next day.

1) In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk through the sugar until well combined.

2) Pour in the milk, oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Gently fold and mix with a spatula until incorporated and no streaks of flour remain, ensuring not to over-mix the batter.

Sifting together the flour, baking powder and baking soda then whisking through the sugar. Pouring in the liquid ingredients then mixing until incorporated.

3) Pour batter into the prepared baking pan. Smoothing out the top. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle, comes out clean and it’s lightly golden on top.

Pouring the batter into the lined or greased cake pan and baking it for 30-35 minutes.

4) Beat cream for a few seconds until it’s creamy. Pour in maple syrup and vanilla, and beat until fluffy and soft peaks form, ensuring not to over-beat.

5) Dollop frosting onto your cooled cake and spread it out. Sprinkle over shredded coconut. Serve and enjoy!

Making the whipped coconut frosting and spreading it over the cooled cake.

💭 Tips For Recipe Success

Make sure to measure your baking ingredients accurately to achieve the best results. Check out my helpful guide on how to measure basic ingredients.

Do not over-mix this cake batter as it will result in a tough cake texture after baking.

For best results, use a canned coconut whipping cream chilled overnight for the frosting as opposed to regular canned coconut cream.

Before making the frosting, chill your mixing bowl in the freezer for 15 minutes. This helps the coconut cream hold its thick texture.

⏲️ Storage Instructions

Store in an airtight container, refrigerated, for 3-4 days. Or at room temperature away from humidity for 2-3 days.

Freeze this cake without the coconut frosting by allowing it to completely cool after baking. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then wrap it again in foil. Freeze for up to 3 months.

To defrost, remove it from the freezer and place it in your refrigerator, still wrapped, for a full 24 hours until thawed. To serve, make the frosting and serve.

Close up image of the vegan coconut cake and frosting before it's been sliced.

💬 Recipe FAQ’s

Can I make this cake gluten-free?

I have not tested this vegan coconut cake using gluten-free flour. I would suggest trying it out using a pre-made and good quality all purpose plain gluten-free flour blend from the store.

Can I use regular milk?

Yes. It won’t be vegan but it will still be egg-free.

Can I use regular canned coconut cream?

Yes. It still needs to be refrigerated overnight and you only need the coconut cream solids on top, discard the liquid.

Can I add shredded coconut to the cake batter?

Yes. Try adding 1/4 cup of shredded coconut to the cake batter at the same time you mix through the sugar. It will change the texture of the finished baked cake but it will add extra delicious coconut flavor.

Slicing the baked frosted cake and removing one slice to serve.

🥄 Related Recipes

Eggless Vanilla Cake

Vegan Fudgy Brownies

Eggless Banana Cake

Simple Lemon Yogurt Cake

If you enjoy this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐️ star rating and a comment review below. I love to hear what you think and it’s much appreciated. Thank you! Your email address will not be published. Sam x

First published in November 2018, this recipe was updated in November 2023 to include new step-by-step images, expert recommendations, storage guidelines and more.

2 Comments

Yoshi says:

June 22, 2021 at 2:54 pm

Hi, the cake looks amazing would love to try but I’m just wondering see if we could use gluten free flour instead ..

1. Samantha says:
  
  June 23, 2021 at 11:22 pm
  
  Hi Yoshi, thank you! If you have a good quality plain all purpose gluten free flour that you have had success with in baked goods, I would suggest that. As I haven’t made this cake gluten free myself, I cannot guarantee it will have the same end result. I can only recommend you use a good GF all purpose flour in place of the flour in this recipe, 1:1 ratio so you would use 2 cups for your gluten free flour. Hope that helps 🙂