Many people have tried this now and no one thinks of it as a gluten free cake. It’s just a delicious cake! Love the coconut + lemon + almond meal combination, and the springy, moist crumb. BONUS: Just about the fastest, easiest cake recipe I know.
Lemon coconut almond cake
This is a cake that is as delightfully easy to make as it is delicious to eat. Just put everything in a bowl and mix! There’s no need to whip softened butter or pull out your electric beater.
It’s been likened to the fan favourite orange cake in texture – springy yet with an appealing moistness about it. And the flavour! Adore, adore, adore the coconut lemon combination. Idea swiped from my local coffee shop where I’ve been eyeing lemon coconut cake bars for years. This is my copycat.
I don’t actually know if theirs is gluten-free. Mine is, because I’ve never come across a flour-based cake recipe with a crumb as moist as you can make using almond meal.
What you need for this lemon coconut almond cake
Here’s what you need to make this lovely cake:
Almond meal (aka ground almonds) – This is raw almonds that are blitzed into a fine powder. Easily found nowadays, sold in the dried fruit & nut section and health food section of grocery stores. Or make your own by blitzing raw, unpeeled, unsalted almonds in a powerful blender (I use a Vitamix) until it becomes a fine powder.
Almond flour can also be used (not as common here in Australia). It’s finer so gives the cake a slightly fluffier texture and less almond flavour. Hazelnut meal can also be substituted though you’ll have lovely hazelnut flavour instead of almond.
Butter – The fat in this recipe, gives it a beautiful buttery flavour.
Baking powder – This is what makes the cake rise.
Eggs – Make sure they are at room temperature so they incorporate more easily into the batter.
Coconut – Desiccated coconut which is finely shredded, unsweetened coconut. Standard shredded coconut (which is like fine strands) will work but you’ll get more coconut texture in the cake. I don’t think coconut flakes (shavings) will work in this cake, it’s not absorbent enough.
Sugar – Use caster / superfine sugar if you can because it is finer so it will dissolve easier. Otherwise, regular / granulated sugar can be used.
Vanilla extract – For flavour. Not to be confused with artificial vanilla essence which is…well, artificial. So not as nice!
Lemon – We are only using the zest in this cake, for beautiful lemon flavour. Because the zest is where all the lemon flavour is – the juice is mostly just sour.
Flaked almonds – for sprinkling on the surface. Adds lovely texture to the cake, looks good and protects the surface from browning too much. But you can skip it you don’t have it!
Salt – Standard inclusion in most of my sweet recipes these days. Just a touch, to bring out the flavours in this cake. Doesn’t make it salty!
How to make lemon coconut cake
Put everything in a bowl and MIX! How good would life be if all baking recipes were this easy??? (Though, my waistline begs to differ).
Melt the butter in a bowl using your microwave.
Wet ingredients – Whisk in all the other wet ingredients (eggs, vanilla, sugar – yes, sugar is considered a wet ingredient in baking because it liquifies when mixed with other wet ingredients).
Dry ingredients – Whisk in the almond meal, coconut, baking powder, salt and zest.
Pour it into a 20cm/8″ lined round cake pan. DO NOT skip lining the pan! Even greasing very generously is not enough to stop it from sticking to the pan, no matter how non-stick you think your pan is. (As you might have guessed, I’m speaking from first hand experience here).
Bake 40 minutes – Sprinkle the surface with almonds then bake for 40 minutes at 180°C/350°F (160°C fan) or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Cool for 1 hour before cutting to serve. I was a bit impatient in early versions and found that because the cake is quite moist, it can appear undercooked if you cut it while still warm. (But it’s not undercooked, it just looks that way if you cut while still hot!).
Serve it plain!
While some cakes I recommend serving with a dollop of cream, ice cream or other such accompaniment, this is a cake that definitely stands on its own two feet. Great flavour (lemon + coconut with a hint of almond) with a very moist crumb which is virtually impossible to replicate with flour-based cakes.
So it’s a great cake for taking places – such as for a work morning tea, book club, school bake sale. Just cut and serve. And those who are gluten-intolerant can enjoy it too. Though honestly, don’t just make this because you need a gluten-free cake. Make it because it’s just a really great cake that happens to be just about one of the easiest, quickest cake recipes I know. – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Easy Lemon Coconut Almond Cake
Ingredients
- 150g / 10 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 large eggs (55-60g/2oz each), at room temp
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup caster sugar (superfine sugar, Note 2)
- 1 1/2 cups almond meal (ground almond, Note 1)
- 1/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 cup desiccated coconut (US: finely shredded unsweetened coconut)
- 1 1/2 tsp lemon zest (1 large lemon)
- 1/4 cup flaked almonds , optional (Note 3)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan). Grease a 20cm/8” round cake pan (or springform pan) with butter then line with paper.
- Melt butter – Place the butter in a large microwavable bowl and melt in the microwave. Let cool for a couple of minutes.
- Wet ingredients – Add egg, vanilla and sugar and whisk until combined.
- Dry ingredients – Add almond meal, salt, baking powder, coconut and lemon zest. Whisk until combined.
- Bake 40 minutes – Pour into pan. Sprinkle over almonds. Bake 40 minutes. Cool 15 minutes in pan then carefully turn out onto cooling rack.
- Cool at least 1 hour before cutting slices to serve. Moist enough to serve plain – doesn't need cream or anything!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Eyeing end of day remnants in a glass cabinet like it’s a big juicy steak.
Siobhan says
Can you use vanilla extract instead of vanilla essence ?
PaulaG says
Absolutely delicious and I love that it’s gluten free!!! Nagi, you did it again!
BRENDA says
This was wonderful. Only changes I made was I only had sweetened flaked coconut so I used it but chopped it up with food processor, and I added a bit more lemon zest. I did add the sliced almonds (wonderful) to top. When cool I then added a glaze made of conf. sugar and fresh lemon juice-so glad I did, Was wonderful. Hubby already wants me to make it again even though it’s only been 6 days. Thanks Nagi
Loes says
I made this for a dinner with friends and it was gonna before I knew it! So tasty, so moist! I’d give 6 stars if I could!
Charli says
Hi, can you easy lemon coconut cake be frozen
Harrison Lyon says
Beautifully moist and easy to make cake – I’ve made it 3 times in the past fortnight.
I have added a lemon syrup drizzle using the juice, zest and icing sugar combined over the stovetop.
Keeps perfectly even with the drizzle.
Thank you!
I wish I could leave a photo!
Charles Pascual says
Very nice cake. Quick and easy to make. This recipe is a keeper. Thank you Nagi.
Marianne Egling says
Made this delicious recipe yesterday,an absolute winner.I did cut the sugar back to a half cup and did add some lemon juice.Made it in the airfryer as oven had the Greek baked chicken in it.
Christine says
Another Nagi winner! Easy, quick and so yum!!
Jenny says
This cake was just as you said, easy and delicious. Will definitely be making this again.Thanks Nagi.
Kim says
This was the first recipe I have tried from this site. I made it for a family lunch and do admit that I left out the lemon zest as my young grandson does not like it and prefers plain cakes. I added a bit more vanilla and was very pleased with the results. it was beautifully moist even 3 days later. I did cook it a bit longer and it was perfect.
AL says
Lovely, moist cake. I made individuals using a loose based individual dessert tin. 1 x qty of the recipe made 9 individual cakes, 7cm diameter x 3cm high. I baked them for 30 minutes and they were perfect, if anyone else is thinking of making individuals 🙂
Sarah says
My only change was to add more lemon zest. This cake is just fabulous! A favorite – I am making 2 more today! Thank you for this awesome recipe!
Kate Weldon says
Nagi, so sorry I now realize my mistake!!!! Whoops and apologies!
Kate Weldon says
Nagi please ignore my last comment I now realize what I’ve done!!!!!!!! Apologies.
Kate Weldon says
As previous comment this cake is fab but I now notice that the transfer from cups to metric is rather bizarre – would you kindly check please. Thanks.
Kate says
Further to previous comments, want to add that the cake is even better on days 2 and 3!
My second one is in the air fryer right now!
Pat says
Agree!! Improves with age.
Sophia S says
Hi Nagi, made this to the exact recipe however could not taste the lemon. Is it by any chance 1.5 tablespoons not teaspoons of lemon zest?
Cheers
Melissa says
So good, so easy 👌🏼
Merri says
Hi Nagi. Can millet flour be substituted for the almond flour?