My children have been stuck with me and my veggie creations for the past month; these final days of summer, they are not drawn into the kitchen so quickly. Sure, they eat the vegetable dishes I make, however they are not particularly excited by my recent culinary explorations.
Imagine their interest the other day then, at the very end of their summer vacation, when I offered to bake cake with them (and the four friends they had over). They were immediately game for the project.
Since there were six children in all, of course we had to make six cakes –one for each. Following is the recipe we used for our messy adventure.
- 1 cup coconut flour, sifted
- 1 teaspoon celtic sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 12 large eggs
- 1 cup grapeseed oil or palm shortening
- 1 cup agave nectar or honey
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- In a large bowl, combine coconut flour, salt and baking soda
- In a medium bowl, blend together eggs, grapeseed oil, agave and vanilla
- Mix wet ingredients into dry and blend with a mixer or hand blender until smooth
- Pour batter into a bunch of well greased and floured pie, tart or cake pans
- Bake at 350° for 20 minutes
- Cool completely
- Decorate and serve
Don’t be scared off by the dozen eggs, this recipe makes enough cake for a large crowd, so they are divvied up in numerous servings.
I had initially envisioned this project as resulting in a towering mass of cake, however, the children each wanted to frost their own. My younger son and Josh whipped up a batch of whip cream and heaped their creations with sprinkles. For the dairy free children, we used this vegan chocolate frosting.
Have a great time and be sure the children help you clean up –if you let them join in the fun.
At the end of the project each child dug into their own unique gluten free cake with fork and knife.
Marleigh says
Yes, yes, yes!!! I love this recipe. I halved it as I just needed enough for me and my husband. I was in the mood for a coconut poke cake so I poked it, poured coconut milk and then frosted with coconut whipped cream and toasted coconut. One of the best cakes I’ve ever baked. It made me think of those Pepperidge farm cakes we used to find in the freezer. This will be my new base cake for whatever my imagination can think of next. Thank you, thank you.
Elana says
Marleigh, so glad to hear you loved this recipe :-)
Crystalyn Johnson says
Hi, Elana!
If I cut the recipe in 1/2 and baked cupcakes instead, how many cupcakes would 1/2 the recipe make? I just want to make a few for my husband’s birthday. I don’t need to feed 16 people!
Thank you,
Crystalyn
Alie says
Has anyone made these as cupcakes or as one cake?
Kim MacRabie says
I did not read through all of the comments so forgive me if someone already tried this. I just wanted to report that I used this recipe for my 6 year old’s birthday cake but I subbed honey for agave, coconut oil for the grapeseed, and I baked it in a 11X13 lasagna pan. It came out fantastic, very moist and not too coconut, which you might expect due to the coconut flour and oil I used. This is a keep and easy! I also separated the eggs and whipped the whites and added them last. I’m not sure that part is necessary.
Crunchy Hot Mama says
So glad to have found your substitutions…I was just going to ask what to replace those ingredients with. Can’t wait to make this for my daughter’s 4th birthday!
Mary Grace says
Hello Elana. I have a wedding cake to make in September and have been looking for a recipe I can use. The groom needs it to be dairy free, and a hand full of gets are gluten free. How dense is this recipe? this all the eggs and so little flower I am thinking it comes out rather light in texture? Do you think it would hold up to any kind of professional decorating? I have only ever used a box gluten free mix…so I have almost NO experience with gluten free or dairy free baking….
Sara says
Hi Elana,
As a mostly paleo eating family for the past year, your recipes have been a lifesaver for helping my children (12 and 9) not feel deprived or cheated from fun food.
With Christmas approaching, I have a challenge I’m hoping you might help me with. Usually, we make donuts for Christmas morning. Facing the idea of paleo donuts, I find I’m completely at a loss for what to do.
I’ve been considering taking this cake recipe and trying to shape and fry it. Any advice?
Thanks, Sara
mylinda says
Just mixed the batter. I got 2 nine inch cake pans filled a little under half way. I hope they turn out good. I’m nervous. Keeping my figures crossed…
Vicki says
Elana,
We love your recipes! The peppermint patties are incredible.
Any tips for making this as a 13×9″ cake?
Also, same question for the chocolate cake with coconut flour!
Thank you for all you do!
Vicki
Sophia White says
Hi Elana,
Firstly I would like to thank you for all your wonderful recipes! I made this as a valentines cake and it was absolutely fantastic!
The only aspect that wasn’t quite so perfect was that the frosting didn’t seem to set completely. I put it in the fridge for 2 hours but it was still jelly like, so I moved it to the freezer and it set more, but did melt a bit when out of the fridge and was not as solid as your chocolate frosting – have you had this problem before or is it just supposed to be a different consistency to the choc one?
For the interest of readers I always substitute extra virgin coconut oil for grapeseed oil in all Elana’s recipes, as I believe it is healthier to heat saturated plant fats than polyunsaturated. It has worked perfectly every time.
Elana, have you heard of coconut palm sugar? From my research it seems like the healthiest sweetener option, apart from stevia and it tastes delicious! Just thought it may be of interest to you if you haven’t tried it already.
Thanks, Sophia
Jen says
Elena,
I’ve been a fan of your site for a year or so now. No problems with celiac, etc. but am diabetic, so I find your low-glycemic value & protein-rich recipes to be enormously helpful in staying healthy.
I just tried this recipe out for the first time tonight, with a slight change: I made 20 cupcakes, cooked at 350 degrees for 8 minutes, then I gently pushed 1/4 slice of fresh pineapple on top and cooked for another 5-8 minutes. It’s a huge success and tomorrow I get to introduce diabetic & gluten-intolerant friends to what I’m calling “Pina Colada Cupcakes”! Thanks Elena!
jennifer wood says
Dear Elana
Just wanted to share my SCD legal, 3-layer Coconut Flour wedding cake with Honey Buttercream Frosting and Raspberry Filling with you.
Here is a public link to a photo album on my Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=44149&id=1325738607&l=d20dca7248
I found your website from nomorechrohns.com. I got inspired by all the coconut flour recipes and lot of them really work with just subsituting the honey for the agave nectar. I also have worked out of Bruce Fife’s book.
Anyway, I think my cake turned out really well and everyone thought it was delicious. I made about 10 layers before finding the recipe that worked. I did try adapting your oil based cakes but wasn’t able to reliably get one to work with the honey.
For the three layer cake, I made two recipes of the 2 layer cake, using half of the batter from the second batch to make cupcakes.
Here are the recipes if your contact form can take this much info:
SCD Coconut Flour Butter Cake – Adapted from Cooking with Coconut Flour by Bruce Fife and Joy of Cooking
Makes two 8 or 9 inch cake pans or 12-24 cupcakes
½ c butter
½ c SCD compliant coconut milk*
12 eggs
½ -3/4 c honey
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1 c coconut flour
Have everything at room temperature. If honey is very stiff or hardened, warm in microwave for 20 seconds at a time or in hot water. Then pour into a lightly greased measuring cup – use a light flavored oil to grease your cup.
Sift the flour, salt and soda into small bowl.
Separate eggs into two mixing bowls. Measure coconut milk and set aside.
Beat egg yolks and vanilla on medium speed until thick and pale yellow. Then beat in butter, and then pour in honey – total beating time 3-5 minutes.
On low speed, alternate additions of dry ingredients in 3 parts and coconut milk in 2 parts to the egg, butter, honey mixture. Start and end with dry ingredients.
Whip egg whites to soft peaks – stiff but not dry.
Fold in whites in 4 parts.
Line 8 or 9 inch cake pans with parchment paper, cutting out circle for the bottom and separate strips for the sides. You can also try buttering and flouring the pans, though I have not tried this.
Pour batter into pans.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes until springy to the touch and toothpick comes out clean or with a few crumbs. Do not overbake.
Let cool and then turn out.
Frost and fill with frosting and filling of choice. See Honey Buttercream recipe below. For my wedding I filled with a raspberry puree – cooked raspberries with lemon juice, sieved, and stabilized with gelatin. Could also just add puree to the frosting for the filling. Lemon or orange curd could be a great filling as well and I am sure there are many other SCD possibilities out there.
* I use Natural Value non-organic coconut milk. I trust this brand because it is never emulsified when I open it up – the cream has risen to the top which I believe indicates that there are no stabilizers in there. I warm it gently in a pot of water to make it liquid and smooth again. Other people trust the Trader Joes light coconut milk. Homemade is always the best, but is time consuming. I think homemade almond milk could work as well. Don’t know about other alternatives – leaving it out, using water, using watered down yogurt….
Honey Buttercream Frosting
Frosting for a 2-layer cake, filled and frosted
This is an adaptation of an adaptation on Rose Levy Berenbaum’s Honey Buttercream. For the adaptation I found on the web, go to http://www.grouprecipes.com/52767/honey-buttercream.html. This author says “It’s probably my favorite frosting ever, and when you pair it with a fresh fruit filling? Oh, MAN – it’s the taste of spring.”. I think it is fabulous too, though without the optional flavoring, some find it too much like a pure butter taste. I have also included directions for sterilizing the eggs if you so choose – steps 1a and 2a, which I took from the osted.classic buttercream frosting directions in Joy of Cooking.
Ingredients
* 6 large egg yolks ROOM TEMPERATURE (this is important)
* 1/3 cup of honey+ 1/3 cup of honey or more (to taste)
* 2 cups unsalted butter (softened)
* 1 tsp vanilla and grated rind from one orange (optional) or other flavoring of choice. Raspberry puree is also divine and lemon or orange curd is a suggestion
Special Equipment
* heatproof glass measuring cup
* heatproof mixing bowl
* candy or instant read meat thermometer
* electric mixer (thought could do this by hand)
Directions
1. Have a greased heatproof glass measure near the range.
1a. Set a skillet of water to simmer on the stove.
2. In bowl, beat the yolks w/ an electric mixer until pale in color. Meanwhile, heat 1/3 cup of honey to a roiling boil (I go ahead and do this with a whole cup of honey because it makes it to pour the later additions as well). Immediately transfer the honey to the glass measuring cup.
3. Beat 1/3 cup honey into the yolks into a steady stream. Make sure you don’t allow the honey to fall on the beaters or they will spin it into the sides of the bowl. If using a stand mixer, pour a small amount of honey over the yolks w/ the mixer turned off. Immediately beat on high speed for 5 seconds. Stop the mixer and add a larger amount of honey. Beat at high speed for 5 seconds. Continue with the remaining honey.
2a. Set the bowl in the skillet of simmering water and whisk until the temperature is 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Take off the heat, wash and dry beaters, then beat again until mixture is room temperature.
4. Gradually beat in the butter*. When it reaches the correct consistency, beat in the remaining honey. Use immediately, or place in an airtight bowl & refrigerate up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before using & rebeat to get it to the right texture. This can also be frozen.
*ok, this is where it can go horribly, horribly awry. If you start getting a horrific, chunky blend of butter and egg, run the bottom of the bowl under some hot water, or stick it on a double boiler for a couple of seconds just to warm it up! The butter will melt, you keep beating it, and then you get a light, shiny, delicately flavored frosting. According to the original adapter, “I also add way more honey after I beat it to the right consistency because I love honey. I love honey a lot
audrey says
Thank you so much for this! I’m making it for my younger sisters birthday right now and everything is turning out amazingly!
Aimee says
Elana,
I stumbled across your website last night and I must say I am extremely delighted! My soon-to-be 3 yr old son (in a week!) is on a trial gluten/casein/soy free diet and I’ve been terrified at what I am going to do for his birthday cake. Not only that but I have recently converted vegan family members who I want to cater to as well.
I want to try this cake recipe although I only have rice and tapioca flour on hand. How do you think this recipe will fare using either of these ingredients? I also plan to use Ener-G egg replacer instead of the eggs.
Any help would be well appreciated. Thanks!
elana says
phos -Well, first of all treats made with coconut flour can be very springy, they aren’t usually spongy though. I would love to help you have success with this recipe. Can you tell me if you changed any of the ingredients? Thanks.
phos says
i tried this cake recipe for my sons 1st birthday. it came out very sponge-like. it had the same texture as a rum cake. what did i do wrong? i would like to make it again.
elana says
Heather,
You are welcome! Glad it was enjoyed by all and good luck in the salad department, I know how that is.
Elana
Heather says
Thankyou for this recipe. I have been making it ever since you posted it. It is great! My kids are pretty much on the SCD and its nice to be able to give them a cake that looks and tastes like a normal wheaten cake.
Hubby tasted it and asked if it was for us or the boys, he couldn’t tell which is saying something.
Thanks for all your recipes, I read your blog all the time, you inspire me. Now just to get the kids to eat all your yummy salads!
elana says
Rich Ann,
What a great story; thanks for sharing it with us!
Yes, I have a 10 year old, so I can understand the adjustment you are going through in getting used to the 11 year old thing.
Thanks Again,
Elana
Rich Ann says
Hi, Elana. I am looking forward to trying the pumpkin recipes posted recently. I wanted to write though and tell about the success my 10 year old daughter had with making this cake recipe. She made a double recipe and filled 24 ramekins so that each child in her class plus the teacher could have their own cake for her birthday celebration. I contributed to the effort by making some of your chocolate frosting which she took in a bowl to school today so that she could frost on the fly. From the reports coming in all Grade 5 children loved the cakes! Thanks so much for your efforts! Now to me getting used to saying I have an 11 year old…
elana says
Dear Tracy,
Please see my faq’s for the answer to this question.
Thanks,
Elana
Tracy says
hi elana.. just a question about the flour used.. do you think it would come out ok with almond meal? i have allergys to coconut.. thanks in advance.. Tracy
elana says
Angela -Thanks for your kind words. I’m so glad to be of help to you and the people you cook for!
Elizabeth -Thanks for your comment. Glad you are enjoying the spinach cake. I will be sure to include a pizza recipe in my cookbook. For now you might try adapting a cracker recipe to a pizza crust.
Athena -I think it tastes good, wouldn’t share it with you all if I didn’t, though I am a big fan of coconut flour in baked good recipes, they are so light and fluffy.
Athena says
I’ve always been afraid to try a coconut flour based cake because it seems like all of those eggs would make the cake taste REALLY eggy and sulfury. I’ve run into this problem with even 6-egg coconut flour recipes.
Does it taste this way when you make it?
elizabeth says
Dear Elana,
Thank you for the wonderful recipes. It is a welcome relief to be able to make one meal or treat that all family members enjoy.
Have you ever made a wheat free pizza with success? I have not.
If so, any advice.
Thanks.
Liz
PS I have spread news of your website to many of my friends. They were especially interested in the spinach cake. It is delicious.
Much success to you. I can’t wait for your book to hit the shelves.
Angela says
I can’t wait to try this! Thank you so much for sharing your expertise and experience with us. I often have to cook for a group whose members cover a wide range of food allergies and intolerances- Elana’s Pantry is my first, and almost always, last stop for the perfect recipe!
elana says
Laura – Thanks, and I’m so glad you found my blog and that we are in touch!
Kelly – I didn’t think about that –using this cake theme for a birthday party. That’s a great idea, thanks.
Rachel – You are welcome. Hope the party is great.
Linda – We used 6 different size tart pans from small to large and everything in between.
Mariella – I think it would work well as a lemon cake with a bit of zest added; in terms of a chocolate cake, I’m not so sure. Here is a recipe for chocolate cake using coconut flour.
Mariella says
Dear Elana,
I’ve just been diagnosed with celiac and with a month to go before my kids’ birthday. Thanks so much for this cake recipe, we can all enjoy the same cake now. Do you think it would work as a chocolate cake if I added cocoa to the mix? Or a lemon cake with lemon juice and grated rind added?
Mariella
Linda says
What size pan do you use to bake it in?
Rachel says
Elana, sounds decadent! :-) I think we’ll give this a try for our upcoming fall party. . . we too enjoy letting the kids make their “own”! Thanks so much – you’ve already taken 1 piece off my plate for planning – yay!
Kelly says
Elana! I love it! What a great birthday party this would make – bake your own cake and decorate it! Thanks!
Laura at Wild Parenting says
And now, heaven! Thanks for this. Can’t wait to try it.