This healthy coconut spice cake is moist, soft, and fluffy – a perfect coffee cake! The cake is made of a few simple ingredients like coconut flour, almond flour, xylitol, and flavorful spices, which makes this cake gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, low-carb, and refined sugar-free!
Cakes are best served with fresh tea or coffee. How about learning how to make this coconut spice cake rich in fiber and healthy fat with a scent of spices that ensures good digestion and makes you feel satisfied?
Table of Contents
INGREDIENTS FOR THIS COCONUT SPICE COFFEE CAKE
- Coconut flour – You can use brown, white, or homemade coconut flour. However, if you use white coconut flour to make this spicy cake, it is important to add two extra eggs to the recipe, as white flour tends to be drier and absorbs more liquid than brown or homemade flour, and our goal is a soft and fluffy cake and not dry!
- Almond flour – A very nutritious and low-carb flour, that makes this coconut spice cake moist and hearty! See how to make your homemade almond flour.
- Arrowroot starch – Gives lightness to the batter and makes the cake very fluffy. You can substitute for potato or corn starch.
- Chia seed – To give your coconut spice cake a nutritional boost of fiber, omega-3s, and protein. You can substitute for poppy seeds as they are also good sources of protein and dietary fiber.
- Coconut oil – Use softened coconut oil, not hard and not liquid. It needs to resemble an ointment texture.
- Xylitol – To make this cake sugar-free, I used xylitol. Xylitol has a low glycemic index. This means that consuming it does not cause glucose spikes in the body. Xylitol is a good sugar substitute for people with diabetes. Using xylitol makes the cake low-carb.
- Eggs – Contribute to the light texture and make the coconut spice cake very fluffy. I suggest using free-range eggs!
- Honey – It’s an optional addition if you need extra sweetness.
- Spices – I used cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom. This combination of spices gives this coconut cake tons of flavor and makes this cake super tasty. They also improve digestion and decrease the glycemic response.
- Orange zest – Adds more flavor to this coconut spice cake.
- Salt – Improve the flavor of the other ingredients.
- Baking powder – To make the cake rise, soft and fluffy.
- Water – or coconut milk, if necessary!
HOW TO MAKE GLUTEN-FREE COCONUT SPICE CAKE
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F for 10 minutes. Prepare the bundt pan by greasing it with coconut oil and sprinkling it with organic corn flour. Set it aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix coconut flour, almond flour, arrowroot starch, and chia seeds.
3. In another large bowl, place the coconut oil and xylitol. With the help of a stand or hand mixer, beat until it forms a smooth and fluffy cream, then add the eggs, one at a time, continue beating, and lastly, add the honey.
4. Stir the wet ingredients with the dry ones until you have a homogeneous batter.
5. Add the spices, orange zest, salt, and baking powder and stir until all is incorporated. If necessary, add some water (see tip below).
6. Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Check with a toothpick for doneness.
7. Remove from the oven and let it rest in the tin for about 10 to 15 minutes before unmolding.
TIPS FOR THIS SUGAR-FREE SPICE CAKE RECIPE
This is an easy and simple recipe, but here are some tips to help you make a perfect coconut spice cake the first time.
- Be sure to use the coconut oil in the ointment texture. Beating soft coconut oil with xylitol makes it easier to form a smooth and fluffy cream. This technique makes the cake soft and fluffy.
- Do not skip adding starch, as this as well contributes to softening and fluffiness of this cake.
- Use eggs at room temperature. Using warm eggs makes it easier to incorporate them into the coconut oil and xylitol cream.
- If necessary, add a little water to the batter and the end of the preparation. If you feel that the batter is not soft and smooth enough or easy to mix, add a bit of water until you feel that the batter isn’t too dense. However, there is no specific amount. Add a bit and feel the batter (I added 2 tbsp). Bear in mind that the batter should not be very liquid!
- The spice cake is ready when it is lightly browned, firm to the touch, and when a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Let the spice cake rest on the baking sheet for 10-15 minutes before placing it on a cooling rack. Gluten-free cakes still cook after being taken out of the oven. Therefore, they need the rest time to firm up and not break when removing it from the pan. To remove, run a sharp knife with a thin blade around the edges of the cake. Place cooling rack over cake and invert cake onto rack. Then let the spice cake cool completely before serving.
ADDITIONS TO SUGAR-FREE COCONUT CAKE
Try adding some of your favorite flavors to this coconut spice cake. See some ideas below (take it easy though, so you don’t change the chemistry of the cake too much).
- 1/4 cup chopped soft nuts, such as walnuts or pecans.
- 1/4 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup raisins or dried cranberries
HOW TO STORE AND SERVE THIS GLUTEN-FREE AND LOW-CARB CAKE
To keep this spice cake moist, store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. However, you can freeze this coconut spice cake in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
This gluten-free and low-carb spice cake is perfect and worth make it! Have it as it is, or sift some powdered xylitol on top, add some jam and nut butter, or pure some strawberry sauce on top of the cake!
To make the strawberry sauce, boil some frozen strawberries in a saucepan until thick, and pour it over the coconut spice cake!
This coconut spice cake is fluffy and soft. For those who like fluffy cakes, you need to try this recipe. Besides, it doesn’t take much work to do it!
Equipment
- 2 Large bowl
- Stand ou Hand Mixer
- Spatula
- Baking tin
- Bundt pan
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- ¾ cup + 3 tbsp (90 g/3.2 oz) almond flour
- ½ cup + 1½ tbsp (60 g/2.1 oz) coconut flour
- 2 tbsp (20 g/0.7 oz) arrowroot starch, or potato, corn starch
- 1 tsp chia seeds, or poppy seeds
Wet Ingredients:
- ½ cup (100 g/3.5 oz) soften coconut oil, + for greasing the form
- ¾ cup (80 g/2.8 oz) xylitol powder*
- 4 eggs
- 1 tbsp honey, (optional)
Other Ingredients:
- ½ tsp cardamom powder
- ½ tsp nutmeg powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 1 tsp of salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
- Water*, if necessary (see note)
- Organic corn flour to sprinkle the baking tin
Instructions
- Add the xylitol to a blender or coffee grinder, and blitz for a few seconds to make xylitol powder.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C /350F for 10 minutes. Prepare the bundt pan by greasing it with coconut oil and sprinkling it with organic corn flour. Set it aside.
- In a large bowl, mix ½ cup + 1½ tbsp (60 g/2.1 oz) coconut flour, ¾ cup + 3 tbsp (90 g/3.2 oz) almond flour, 2 tbsp (20 g/0.7 oz) arrowroot starch, and 1 tsp chia seeds. Set aside.
- In another large bowl, place ½ cup (100 g/3.5 oz) soften coconut oil and powdered ¾ cup (80 g/2.8 oz) xylitol powder*. With the help of a stand or hand mixer, beat until it forms a smooth and fluffy cream. Then add 4 eggs, one at a time, continue beating, and lastly, add 1 tbsp honey.
- Stir the wet ingredients with the dry ones until you have a homogeneous batter.
- Add the ½ tsp cardamom powder, ½ tsp nutmeg powder, 1 tsp cinnamon powder, 1 tsp orange zest, 1 tsp of salt, and 2 tsp baking powder and stir until all is incorporated. If necessary, add some water (see notes).
- Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Do the toothpick test and if it comes out dry, your cake is ready.
- Remove from the oven and let it rest in the tin for about 10 to 15 minutes before unmolding.
Notes
- xylitol – cup measurement of a powder.
- If necessary, add a little water to the batter and the end of the preparation. If you feel that the batter is not soft and smooth enough or easy to mix, add a bit of water until you feel that the batter isn’t too dense. However, there is no specific amount. Add a bit and feel the batter (I added 2 tbsp). Bear in mind that the batter should not be very liquid!
