This vegan coconut cake is a simple and healthy-ish recipe made with a soft and moist wholegrain sponge cake and filled with delicious vegan coconut custard. This cake is perfect for kids and adults alike, for birthdays and special occasions. It's dairy-free, egg-free, but still moist and delicious. Everyone will love it!
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Check out our best plant-based dessert recipes!
Tips
- Take your time. Each component of this recipe is very easy to make, however when seen all at once it might seem daunting. Make sure you have time at hand, if not make the spongecake a day in advance.
- Use the syrup to moisten the spongecake. This is common practice in most Italian sponge cakes. It really makes a massive difference and it will make your cake super moist and yummy.
- Apply coconut with a small spatula. We tried applying the coconut with our hands, but that's very very messy.
Storage
Our vegan coconut cake keeps at room temperature for up to 4 to 5 days before turning stale. Keep it in a cool place, and cover it with an upside-down bowl or cake keeper. You can also store it in the refrigerator if you have space.
Similar recipes
- Vegan Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Jam
- Easy vegan lemon cake
- Vegan apple cake
- Chocolate strawberry cake
- Sponge cake with different fillings
You can easily customise your Sponge Cake with your preferred jam or custard. Chocolate, Pistachio and vanilla custard are some of our favourites that are perfect with a Wholegrain Sponge cake
- Chocolate custard for a perfectly indulgent cake experience.
- Pistachio custard for a creamy and irresistibly nutty cake.
- Strawberry Jam for a summer-y and fruity cake.
- Vegan vanilla custard for a neutral, general crowd-pleaser.
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For many more easy dessert ideas, check out our desserts category page.
Recipe
Vegan coconut cake
This vegan coconut cake is a simple and healthyish recipe made with a soft and moist wholegrain sponge cake, and filled with a delicious vegan coconut custard. This cake is perfect for kids and adults alike, for birthdays and special occasions. It's dairy free, egg free, but still moist and delicious. Everyone will love it!
Equipment
- Springform pan or cake pan, 18 cm diameter (7 inches)
Ingredients
For the sponge cake
- 240 g whole-wheat flour
- 240 g bread flour
- 21 g baking powder
- 400 g plant milk
- 250 g brown sugar
- 60 g sunflower seed oil
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the coconut custard
- 500 g plant milk
- 200 g coconut milk
- 70 g cornstarch
- 100 g sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the topping
- ½ cup shredded coconut
- 250 ml vegan whipped cream
For the syrup to moisten the cake
- 200 g water
- 100 g sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For the sponge cake
- Preheat the oven to 180C (356F). In a large bowl, add plant milk, oil, sugar, vanilla extract and mix well together with a spatula until the sugar is dissolved.
- Sift the two flours and the baking powder while adding them to the bowl with the liquids.
- With a spatula, incorporate the flour and the liquids together trying to break the lump. Do not over-mix. It whould only take you 1 or 2 minutes.
- Grease your springform pan with some vegetable oil, then dust it with flour and pour the cake batter in it.
- Bake for 50 minutes at 180C (356F). Check with a toothpick if it's cooked inside.
- Let cool down on a cooling rack before taking it out of the form and cutting it into 3 equal layers of about 2cm (0.8 inches) each. Use a serrated knife/bread knife to cut the cake.
For the custard
- In a pot off the heat, whisk together all the ingredients for the custard till there are no lumps in the liquid.
- Bring onto the heat, and keep whisking, on low-med heat, until the liquid truns into a thick custard. Then take off the heat and let cool down for 20 min, stirring occasionally.
For the syrup
- In a small pot on low heat, dissolve the sugar in the water, then add the vanilla and set aside.
Assembling the cake
- Place the base layer of the sponge cake onto a serving platter and brush it with ⅓ of the syrup.
- Cover it with a generous amount of coconut custard.
- Put the middle layer of sponge cake on top of the custard, applying some gentle pressure to fix it in place. Brush another ⅓ of the syrup on top, and cover with another layer of custard.
- Add the last piece of the sponge cake on top of the custard, but flip it upside down. Then with a spatula level off the custard coming out on the side of the cake.
- Brush the top layer with the remaining syrup, then cover the whole cake with your vegan whipped cream.
- Cover the whole cake with shredded coconut.
- Store in the refrigerator or eat straight away!
Notes
MEASUREMENTS
We recommend using the metric system for this recipe.
Nutritional Values
Nutrition Facts
Vegan coconut cake
Amount per Serving
Calories
328
% Daily Value*
Fat
9
g
14
%
Saturated Fat
4
g
25
%
Potassium
339
mg
10
%
Carbohydrates
58
g
19
%
Dietary Fiber
2
g
8
%
Sugar
30
g
33
%
Protein
6
g
12
%
Vitamin A
221
IU
4
%
Vitamin B6
1
mg
50
%
Vitamin C
4
mg
5
%
Vitamin E
3
mg
20
%
Vitamin K
1
µg
1
%
Calcium
158
mg
16
%
Folate
31
µg
8
%
Iron
2
mg
11
%
Manganese
1
mg
50
%
Magnesium
33
mg
8
%
Zinc
1
mg
7
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Heather
How much vanilla extract?
Nico
Hi Heather, 2 tsp for the sponge, 1 tsp for the custard, 1 tsp for the syrup, but if you like a stronger vanilla aroma feel free to add more. 🙂 Thanks!