You don’t have to be on a gluten free diet to appreciate Yotam Ottolenghi’s Flourless Coconut Cake ~ this super moist, super decadent pound cake is completely grain free and a must try.
I know we all have lots of choices for dessert recipes, between cookbooks, blogs, magazines, and Pinterest, I bet you’re swimming in possibilities. But one of my goals I have here at tvfgi is to help you cut to the chase and find those gems you might not otherwise discover.
I found this flourless coconut cake in Yotam Ottolenghi’s newest book, Sweet, which I got for Christmas this year. It’s his first book dedicated to desserts and I wasn’t sure what to expect, I think of him more as a savory kind of guy. But since he’s been a major inspiration for me in the past few years, I was anxious to give his ‘sweet’ side a chance. This simple cake is unique and delicious, I think you’re going to love it.
I’ve always been fascinated by flourless cakes, and I’ve done a few before. ..a classic FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE, and a couple of flourless citrus cakes, GLUTEN FREE TANGERINE and FLOURLESS MEYER LEMON. The minute I read the name of this cake I knew I wanted to try it ~ it rounds out the bunch with an entirely different flavor profile. Just putting the words ‘coconut’ and ‘flourless’ in the same sentence conjures up all sorts of deliciousness.
To be honest, when I pulled this flourless coconut cake out of the oven I wasn’t super impressed. It didn’t look like much, and there were a few ragged chunks stuck in the corners of my loaf pan, which I carefully patched back on. It wasn’t until I sliced off the end piece and took a taste that I realized I had a winner on my hands. It’s sooooo moist and the coconut flavor is fabulous.
Of course, no surprise, the ganache glaze made a good cake a great cake. The two flavors are legendary together.
The almond flour and the shredded coconut give it just enough structure to hold together, but that’s it. As you can see from the photos, it’s not a tall fluffy cake, the texture is almost creamy! It’s a sophisticated little dessert that would go great with an after dinner espresso.
TIP: Don’t skip the parchment lining for this cake, it’s essential to getting it out of the pan so you can slice and serve it.
*recipe slightly adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi’s Sweet.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 2/3 cup shredded coconut (the sweetened kind)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (or seeds of one vanilla bean)
- 4 large eggs
- 1 2/3 cups almond meal (or almond flour)
- 4 ounces dark chocolate, cut in small pieces
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp corn syrup
- 1/2 tsp vanilla or seeds from 1/2 pod
- 3 Tbsp water
- 1 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces
Instructions
- Set oven to 350F
- Butter a standard (9x5") loaf pan and line with parchment paper with overhanging ends.
- Beat the butter and sugar together for several minutes until pale and fluffy. Beat in the coconut, salt, and vanilla.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Mix in the almond flour. Spoon the mixture into the loaf pan, smoothing out the top. Bake for about 50 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then carefully lift out of the pan and continue to cool on a rack. Frost with the ganache when completely cool.
- To make the ganache ~ put the chocolate in a bowl and set aside. Combine the sugar and corn syrup in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for a couple of minutes, until the mixture is golden colored. Remove from heat and carefully pour in the water and vanilla. If the mixture seizes, just put it back on the heat and heat until melted. Pour this hot mixture over the chocolate and let sit for 3 minutes. Whisk to combine, then add the butter, a bit at a time, whisking until everything is smooth and glossy.
- Glaze the cake with the ganache.
Make it your own ~
- You can bake this in a round pan with a removable bottom, like a spring form or tart pan, but keep in mind, it will be quite flat.
- You could theoretically do without the chocolate glaze for a plainer cake, the flavor is so nice, but it won’t look as purdy ;)
Don’t forget to pin this wonderful flourless coconut cake for later!
56 Comments
Shazar
December 8, 2019 at 5:39 pmYes one of the best!! I changed it quite a bit but was still delicious. Used palm sugar and less.. added a bit more almond meal because it was very runny when I put it in the tin – and some flaked coconut – used coconut sugar for the ganache – and then sprinkled toasted almond flakes on top. great!! yum…
Sofie
July 25, 2019 at 9:45 pmDo you think this could work as a layer cake with a filling in the middle? Would it hold up it’s own weight? Looks very moist! Thanks!
Sue
July 26, 2019 at 7:29 amI don’t think so, it’s soooooo delicate!
Donna Grubbs
July 23, 2019 at 6:42 amGreat Flavor! Is the cake suppose to sink big time in the middle? I baked it an extra 10 minutes as it definitely wasn’t ready in the recommended time. Could be my oven as I’m having to continually adjust the baking temp in an oven that needs to be replaced.
Sue
July 23, 2019 at 11:11 amIt does sink a bit, it’s so super moist. I think I under-baked mine a little bit, too, but oven temperature is always an issue. Try an oven thermometer, I can’t get along without mine.
Billie Szumiak
April 21, 2019 at 9:59 pmMade this cake today for Easter. It was a big hit! So delicious!!!
How would you recommend storing leftover cake? (I know, it’s shocking that we had leftovers! haha)
Sue
April 22, 2019 at 7:00 amIt’s totally shocking that you had leftovers, Billie! I would probably store any leftover loosely covered on the counter.
Wendy
April 9, 2019 at 10:41 amI’m planning to make for Passover, but there’s already another chocolate dessert. I was thinking of replacing the ganache with lemon curd — any thoughts on this? Also, do you think it would work with margarine (or other dairy-free ingredient) instead of butter, or should I just let guests know it has dairy in it?
Sue
April 9, 2019 at 11:37 amI think it would work with lemon curd, but I’m not sure about the substitutions. I wonder if coconut oil, in solid form, would work?
Terri Hayes
December 22, 2019 at 12:29 pmSince the coconut has a tropical flavour, I made a passionfuit curd for the topping….delicious!
Ronson
February 6, 2019 at 7:52 pmAny Keto sugar substitute ideas? the sugar adds a gooey texture that will be hard to imitate with stevia or monk fruit. could you add monk fruit/stevia to phylum husk or another binder? Any ideas will help. I have failed miserably at trying to make Tahani cookies with alanine(sugarless amnio acid) & monk fruit. lol Have you tried Tahani yet…!!!?
Thanks
Ron
Sue
February 6, 2019 at 8:00 pmGosh I haven’t been so adventurous Ron, I’m afraid I can’t help you here, maybe another reader will chime in?
Lydia de Villiers
January 6, 2019 at 9:50 pmCan I substitute the sugar with xylitol and how much should I add when doing so?
Sue
January 22, 2019 at 8:39 amI haven’t worked with xylitol Lydia, but please let us know how it goes if you try.
Lorraine Parente
December 8, 2018 at 8:54 amCan this be made ahead and frozen?
Sue
December 8, 2018 at 9:05 amSure, but I would definitely glaze it after defrosting.
Jane ORourke
November 26, 2018 at 5:11 pmTwo totally unrelated questions. Is there a way to make this both nut-free and gluten-free? also, could you substitute reg flour if you didn’t care about being gluten-free?
Sue
November 27, 2018 at 7:32 pmThat’s a tough one Jane, because this is such a unique recipe I’m not sure if you could substitute the almond flour for a nut free flour like oat or regular flour, you would probably just have to experiment to see if it works.
Laura Dembowski
April 18, 2018 at 1:12 pmI made this and absolutely positively LOVE it! I posted about it on my blog and would love if you would check it out.
Sue
April 18, 2018 at 1:56 pmOh cool, I’m heading over now!
robyn
March 10, 2018 at 6:58 pmJust made the cake and it is extremely greasy. I’m wondering what I might have done wrong,. I reviewed all the ingredients and I added everything correctly but its almost like the butter just settled in the bottom of the cake. Any ideas. I’m a well seasoned baker and have not had this kind of problem before.
Sue
March 10, 2018 at 7:22 pmThe cake is definitely moist and buttery, Robyn. I had a little melted butter coating the bottom of the pan when I turned the cake out. I even reduced Ottolenghi’s original amount of butter by a bit. But it shouldn’t be settled at the bottom. All I can think of is that maybe your butter and sugar didn’t get creamed together for long enough?
Alene
August 2, 2018 at 5:57 pmI, too, had a dense cake from the bottom up. I wouldn’t serve it like that, but it tastes good. I only had blanched almond flour, extra fine. I thought maybe that might have caused it. I also creamed the sugar and butter for about 15 minutes. It never became one batter, just lots of small balls. I bake a lot, but not sure about this one.
LENA
March 23, 2018 at 12:17 amSubstitute butter with Greek yogurt or ricotta: 1/4 butter and 1/2 yogurt. Almond meal absorbs liquid so leave batter for 10 – 15 minutes before baking. Suggestio: you can substitute sugar with honey and add a a dash of baking soda to break acidity. Try this and bon appetite!
Gill
February 25, 2018 at 10:02 amHi Sue — do you know of a replacement for the corn syrup in the ganache? Planning to make this cake this afternoon — a good rainy day thing to do!! Thanks for all the great recipes.
Sue
February 25, 2018 at 10:09 amJust leave it out, Gill, it’ll be fine! Have fun :)
Laura | Tutti Dolci
February 24, 2018 at 10:39 pmThis is such a dreamy cake and the ganache glaze looks divine!
Heidi
February 18, 2018 at 1:52 pmHello Sue! Any chance there is a paleo version? Would you recommend any substitutions? Thank you!
Sue
February 18, 2018 at 2:34 pmI’d say coconut sugar for the refined sugar, Heidi, and maybe solid coconut oil for the oil.
Sylvia
February 18, 2018 at 3:48 amI am not a good baker, but using your recipe, all the cakes turns very well and delicious.
Thank you so much, can’t wait for another flour free cake recipes.
I don’t eat normal sugar either, so I will definitely try the coconut sugar.
Sue
February 18, 2018 at 7:36 amThanks Sylvia, and I bet you’re a better baker than you think ;)
Jeff the Chef
February 17, 2018 at 8:38 amThis looks so good! Unfortunately, my husband doesn’t like coconut. I know it’s hard to believe that anyone could marry a guy that doesn’t like coconut, but he has other qualities that make up for it. Did I mention that he grew up in Hawaii! That just makes the “I don’t like coconut” thing just a little bit much. Anyway, next time I want to make a dessert that I can have all to myself, it’s going to be this.
Alene
February 15, 2018 at 5:03 pmThank you Sue! I also buy his cookbooks and always save his recipes in the NY Times. But I didn’t buy Sweet because I have to be gluten free and figured that I couldn’t use most of the recipes. So thank you for this. I will be certain to try it.
Tricia @ Saving Room for Dessert
February 15, 2018 at 6:29 amI bet the texture is out of this world delicious and that ganache looks incredible. I have been curious about this cookbook so thanks for sharing!
Angie@Angie's Recipes
February 14, 2018 at 10:22 pmHave to get that book too! The cake looks sinfully delicious and inviting with that chocolate glaze!
Elisa
February 14, 2018 at 8:58 pmCould this cake be frozen?
Sue
February 14, 2018 at 9:05 pmI think it would freeze well, and I’d do the ganache glaze after you defrost, if possible.
Beverly Giangiacomo
February 14, 2018 at 4:47 pmI am not eating regular sugar. Could I substitute maple syrup or coconut sugar in this recipe?
Sue
February 14, 2018 at 5:11 pmI think coconut sugar would work better because it’s more similar to granulated sugar, so go for it!
Albert Bevia
February 14, 2018 at 2:44 pmI am a fan of Yotam Ottolenghi, so I have to get that book! this coconut cake sounds and looks truly incredible, I too am fascinated by desserts that don’t use flour…thank you for this most awesome post :)
Sue
February 14, 2018 at 3:35 pmHis style is so fascinating and inspiring, I buy every one of his books ~ thanks Albert :)
Pat
February 14, 2018 at 1:36 pmPlease give me a lead with the Coconut. It comes in a can and it comes in the freezer. What brand is best?
Sue
February 14, 2018 at 2:03 pmHmmmm, the kind I buy comes in a bag! It’s sweetened shredded coconut, the brand is Baker’s, but any shredded coconut should work ~ here’s a link to what I get, to give you an idea…HERE.
Rose Lucy
February 14, 2018 at 10:25 amSUE . I HAVE RECENTLY BOUGHT A SMALL BAG OF COCONUT FLOUR , CAN I SUBSTITUTE THE COCONUT
FLOUR FOR THE ALMOND FLOUR?
Sue
February 14, 2018 at 10:38 amCoconut flour is so different from other flours, Rose, that it’s really hard to say. It absorbs a lot of liquid, so you need about 1/3 as much of it, and then you will need to add more eggs. I can’t give you an exact formula, because it’s tricky. I usually don’t recommend making that substitute because it’s such a wildcard.
Laura
February 14, 2018 at 10:20 amHi Sue,
Can’t wait to try it as your receipes are always great. I know I can trust them to not be flops and wasteful of ingredients. I have made your other flourless cakes many times. Laura
Sue
February 14, 2018 at 10:39 amOh thanks Laura, I appreciate it :)
Laura
February 24, 2018 at 2:38 amHi Sue,
Made the cake yesterday and it is wonderful. I used a simple white chocolate ganche and it is just so good. Next time I may just serve it without an icing as it is that good. Thanks again. Laura
Sue
February 24, 2018 at 8:54 amOh good Laura, I’m glad. It’s such an unusual cake, isn’t it?
Marnie
February 14, 2018 at 9:59 amHi Sue?. I am on an a low oxalate diet and unfortunately nuts are forbidden. Could I substitute coconut flour for the almond flour?
Any low oxolate recipes would be welcomed. Many thanks..I always look forward to your recipes??
Sue
February 14, 2018 at 10:35 amHey Marnie ~ I’m not familiar with a low oxalate diet, I’m going to do a little research. As for the coconut flour, you’d have to experiment…coconut flour acts very differently from other flours ~ it absorbs a lot of liquid, for example and can throw off the balance of wet to dry in a recipe.
Lydia
February 14, 2018 at 8:56 amThe measurment on the almond flour doesn’t sound right what 12/3cup
Sue
February 14, 2018 at 9:07 amIt’s 1 and 2/3 cups, Lydia, the numbers in my recipe plugin read a little funny when I do fractions.
John / Kitchen Riffs
February 14, 2018 at 7:31 amI got Mrs KR that book for Christmas. Looks nice, although she hasn’t made anything from it yet. I’ll definitley show her this — sounds SO good. Thanks!
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers
February 14, 2018 at 4:57 amThis cake looks fabulous! I bet it has fabulous flavour and texture. Need to add this one to my baking list :)
Sue
February 14, 2018 at 5:37 amThe texture is everything with this cake…well, and the coconutty flavor.