Every coconut lover knows the homely drupe packs big flavor inside its hairy shell.
This flourless coconut cake is moist, tender, and downright snackable.
Its gluten-free, Easter-worthy, Passover-friendly, but simple enough to serve as an everyday snacking cake.
With only six ingredients, this cake is a straightforward path to contentment.
I was never one of those kids that needed to be convinced to like coconut.
This cake has the same coconut-centric style.
Its made with coconut flour, which hydrates and binds very differently than wheat flour.
The other key ingredient in this recipe is eggs.
They function as both a binder and lightener.
I normally would say leavener in this context but this cake doesnt really go anywhere.
The eggs are separated so that the whites can be whipped and folded into the thick dough.
Instead, the beaten egg whites aerate the batter to produce a dense, yet gorgeous, velvety crumb.
The cake toasts and caramelizes along the edges, and the top becomes golden, signaling doneness.
Each forkful is a delicate coconut love story.
Whisk those together thoroughly.
(For a stronger coconut flavor, replace the vanilla extract with coconut extract.)
In a large bowl, stir the coconut flour, sugar, and salt together.
In a third bowl, whip the egg whites to a firm peak.
you could do this manually with a whisk, with a hand mixer, or a stand mixer.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula.
This is where youll witness the power of coconut flour.
The liquid will just disappear.
The mixture will be crumbly and thick, but moist.
Fold in the egg whites in four installments.
The batter will feel kind of like soft polenta.
Since the mixture is thick, it wont seep or melt down into the corners like other cake batters.
If air pockets get in there, theyll stay there.
Bake in a 350F oven for 50 minutes, or until browned and firm to the touch.
Flip the cake out onto a cooling rack, and flip it over again so its top-side up.
Cool the cake completely before cutting or it might not keep its shape.
(Im confident this cake would freeze very well, but I havent tested that yet.)
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Line a 9-inch cake pan with a slather of butter and parchment paper.
Whisk the egg yolks, coconut milk, and vanilla extract together in a large measuring cup.
Combine the coconut flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites to firm peaks.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir.
The mixture will be thick.
Fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture in four additions.
The batter will remain thick, with the consistency of soft polenta.
Bake at 350F for 50 minutes, or until browned on top and the edge is deeply toasted.
When you press the center it should be firm and bounce back slightly.
Loosen the edge with a paring knife and let cool for 10 minutes.
Invert onto a baking rack, and invert again so it is top-side up.
Let the cake cool completely before garnishing (if at all) and serving.
