Fluffy chocolate cake layered with chewy dark chocolate coconut bars and a whipped coconut frosting. This Chocolate Coconut Cake is an absolute dream with rich chocolate, sweet coconut, and triple layer action of pure deliciousness!
I’ve always been a coconut chocolate fan but this layered cake outranks everything else. It’s soft, moist, and fluffy with the chewy coconut bars in the center of every bite … so good. And don’t forget about the thick top layer of whipped coconut cream frosting, it takes this cake over the top!
If you’re looking for another tasty coconut creation, be sure to check out my Banana & Coconut Cream Cake. Super moist and tasty, it’s just like a banana & coconut cream pie, but in cake form!
Ingredients
Eggs – Adds structure and holds this gluten free chocolate cake together.
Coconut Oil – Make sure to melt the coconut oil then let it cool to room temperature before adding to other ingredients. This keeps it from clumping with any cold ingredients.
Almond Milk – Feel free to sub with any plant based milk, just be sure to use an unsweetened version.
Maple Syrup & Coconut Sugar – Two of my favorite refined sugar free sweeteners.
Cocoa Powder – Make sure to use unsweetened cocoa powder. I find that using a high-quality brand makes a huge difference – my favorite is from Rodelle.
Almond Flour – My favorite gluten free flour to bake with. I use Bob’s Red Mill as their blend is extremely fine ground and blanched so it gives the best texture in baked goods.
Baking Powder & Baking Soda – Helps this gluten free chocolate cake rise and be fluffy.
UNREAL Dark Chocolate Coconut Bars – I absolutely love all of the UNREAL candies. They’re made with better-for-you ingredients without sacrificing flavor. These UNREAL Dark Chocolate Coconut Bars are my current favorite!
How to Make Chocolate Coconut Cake
- Preheat oven to 350F and line an 9”x5” square pan with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine wet cake ingredients – eggs, coconut oil, almond milk, maple syrup, and coconut sugar. Stir until combined.
- In a separate bowl, stir together dry ingredients until evenly combined.
- Add dry ingredients to the wet, and stir together until just combined.
- Pour ½ of the cake batter into the parchment lined 9”x5” pan and spread in an even layer.
- Top with a single layer of unreal coconut bars (3 rows of 4 mini unreal coconut bars), followed by the remaining cake batter.
- Bake at 350F for 30 minutes, or until a knife or toothpick inserted comes out crumb-free. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
How to Make Coconut Cream Frosting
Vegan whipped frosting made with thick and luscious coconut cream. I absolutely love making frosting with chilled coconut cream. The texture is light and airy because of the whip yet it gets so thick and creamy … I could eat this by the spoonful!
All you’ll need is coconut cream, vanilla bean paste, and optional maple syrup to add a touch of sweetness. The key to whipped coconut cream frosting is to chill the coconut milk overnight so that the cream separates from the watery liquid.
Then all you do is scoop out the thick white part (the cream) from the chilled cans, making sure to leave any clear liquid (the milk), otherwise it won’t whip up! Add the cold coconut cream to a large bowl and use a hand mixer to blend it on medium until it’s smooth, light, and fluffy (about 5-8 minutes). Stir in vanilla bean paste and whip again until combined. Frost the cake and enjoy!
UNREAL Dark Chocolate Coconut Bars
I grew up eating almond joys and anything with chocolate + coconut. That’s why the UNREAL Dark Chocolate Coconut Bars are one of my favorites. The chewy coconut inside the crisp chocolate shell is just deeelicious.
For this chocolate cake I wanted to really highlight the full texture and flavor of the bars so that’s why it’s layered. A bite of extra goodness in every slice!
And besides baking with these bars, I love them for a quick sweet or snack. They’re made with better-for-you ingredients (organic coconut, organic cassava syrup, and dark chocolate) plus they’re certified vegan, gluten free, and fair-trade.
Nothing better than a sweet treat that’s good for you too!
How to Store Chocolate Coconut Cake
This chocolate cake with coconut frosting is best enjoyed chilled due to the melty nature of the coconut cream whipped frosting. Plus the coconut chocolate flavors pair better together when cold (at least in my opinion!)
I’ll typically bake in a pan that has a matching cover for storage, otherwise you can also use plastic wrap. The coconut cream frosting will start to melt if it’s not kept cold so be sure to store it in the fridge!
You can also try freezing a slice or two for that emergency dessert stash we all keep in the freezer … please tell me I’m not the only one?!
Simply slice the cake and place in parchment lined tupper ware. Defrost it in the fridge overnight and dive in once the cake is thawed enough for you to enjoy!
If you try this recipe, please let me know by leaving a comment and rating in the boxes below! I always love to hear from you, and it also helps other people find this recipe when they search online for the BEST Chocolate Coconut Cake 🙂
Ingredients
Wet:
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup coconut oil melted
- ¼ cup almond milk
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- ½ cup coconut sugar
Dry:
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 ⅓ cups almond flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 bags Unreal Coconut Bars – 12 mini unreal coconut bars + 4 optional garnish
Coconut Cream Frosting:
- 2, 13.5 oz full fat coconut milk refrigerated overnight
- 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
- Optional: 1 tbsp maple syrup
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
- Preheat oven to 350F and line an 9”x5” square pan with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine wet cake ingredients – eggs, coconut oil, almond milk, maple syrup, and coconut sugar. Stir until combined.
- In a separate bowl, stir together dry ingredients until evenly combined.
- Add dry ingredients to the wet, and stir together until just combined.
- Pour ½ of the cake batter into the parchment lined 9”x5” pan and spread in an even layer.
- Top with a single layer of unreal coconut bars (3 rows of 4 mini unreal coconut bars), followed by the remaining cake batter.
- Bake at 350F for 30 minutes, or until a knife or toothpick inserted comes out crumb-free. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
Coconut Cream Frosting:
- From the cans of chilled full fat coconut milk, scoop out the thick white part only, making sure to leave out any clear liquid. Add the coconut cream to a large bowl and use a hand mixer to blend it together on medium until it's smooth, light, and fluffy (~5 minutes). Stir in vanilla bean paste and whip again until combined.
- Top the cooled cake with the whipped coconut cream frosting and garnish with extra chopped unreal coconut bars. Cut into 8 slices and enjoy!
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