This Almond Flour Coconut Lime Cake is filled with delicious tropical flavors of coconut and fresh lime and topped with coconut whipped cream and toasted coconut. It’s also naturally gluten-free and dairy-free!
I have an entire collection of almond flour recipes, but citrus almond flour cakes are one of my favorites to make! They have such a perfect rise and tender crumb, and who doesn’t love a pop of citrus in their desserts!?
This coconut lime cake is based on my almond flour lemon poppy seed cake, and it’s also closely related to my lemon almond flour cake and orange almond flour cake. All of these recipes have amazing texture and flavor, and are infused with fresh citrus juice and zest.
What makes this coconut lime cake a little extra is the addition of a ridiculous amount of coconut. It has shredded coconut in the batter, which adds incredible texture, and it’s topped with whipped coconut milk and toasted coconut.
Table of contents
What makes this almond flour coconut lime cake so good?
- Have I mentioned the amazing texture and flavor? This cake is fluffy and tender and the coconut adds a tropical flavor without producing a dry cake. The lime flavor is fresh but mild, and the thick layer of coconut whipped cream on top is perfection.
- The cake is gluten-free and dairy-free so great for those with sensitivities to gluten and dairy.
- It’s a super easy cake to make. Just one layer, which can be made in advance, and it stores well in the fridge for days.
Ingredients and substitutions
Below is a brief overview of some of the ingredients and recommended substitutions. The recipe card at the end of this post includes the exact ingredients and quantities used.
- Almond flour – As I do with all of my almond flour cake recipes, I recommend using fine blanched almond flour instead of almond meal. Almond meal is made with raw almonds with the skins left on, so it has a slightly coarser texture.
- Limes – You’ll need 2-3 limes to get 2 tablespoons of zest for this cake. You’ll also need 1 or 2 of those limes to get 2 tablespoons of juice for the batter. For the best flavor, I don’t recommend using bottled lime juice.
- Coconut – I know sweetened shredded coconut is usually easier to find, but I prefer to use unsweetened. This helps control the amount of added sugar in cake recipes, and unsweetened coconut just toasts better. (I have tips below on toasting coconut). If you can’t find unsweetened, you can still use sweetened, just note it may change the taste and texture of the cake slightly.
- Oil – The recipe calls for olive oil but extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil or vegetable oil will also work.
- Coconut milk – Make sure you’re using full fat coconut milk that has been refrigerated for at least 24 hours. This gives the coconut cream time to separate from the water in the milk and harden. (I usually chill mine for at least 3-4 days just to be sure). I’ve tried a few different brands and I have the most success with Thai Kitchen brand.
- Powdered sugar – This will sweeten the coconut milk whipped cream and thicken it a bit too.
- Vanilla – I used vanilla extract but if you have coconut extract you can definitely use that instead for extract coconut flavor.
How to make coconut lime cake with almond flour
Below is a brief overview of the steps to make this recipe along with photos. For further details, please see the recipe card at the end of this post.
How to toast coconut
If you don’t have toasted coconut, you can just use un-toasted shredded coconut but I like to use toasted for added taste and texture. You can also buy toasted coconut, but it’s usually sweetened, so I prefer to make my own using unsweetened coconut. I also find that unsweetened coconut toasts better.
To toast, just preheat your oven to 350F. Spread the shredded coconut out in a thin layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Toast the coconut for 5-7 minutes. At the halfway point, give it a little stir to help it brown evenly. Keep an eye on it as it can burn quickly. Once browned, remove from the oven and let cool.
Measuring ingredients
For convenience, US cup measurements are included in the recipe card for this recipe. To ensure greater accuracy, however, weight and volume measurements are also provided. So, if you see grams (g), you’ll want to use a kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients, and if you see milliliters (ml), you’ll want to use a liquid measuring cup. Smaller quantities of ingredients are provided in teaspoons and tablespoons.
Storage and freezing tips
Refrigerate: Once topped with the coconut whipped cream, the cake should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. It will last for up to 5 days.
Freeze: If you would like to make the cake ahead and freeze it, you’ll want to omit the topping. Just let the cake fully cool and then wrap it in a few layers of plastic wrap. I usually place it in a resealable freezer bag. It will last in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw at room temperature before making and adding the whipped topping.
Key recipe tips
- Rub zest together with sugar. This helps release the oils from the lime zest and enhance the cake’s lime flavor.
- Carefully measure almond flour. If you don’t have a kitchen scale to weigh your almond flour, you’ll want to measure it by using the spoon and level method in a dry measuring cup.
- Be careful not to over mix. Gently fold in the dry ingredients until just incorporated. Over mixing the batter will result in a dense cake.
- Coconut whipped cream. I mentioned it above, but it’s worth repeating. In order for the coconut whipped cream to work, you need to use full fat coconut milk that has been chilled for at least 24 hours.
Recipe FAQs
While it might be tempting to use coconut flour in this coconut lime cake, I don’t recommend it. Almond flour has a unique texture with a high fat and moisture content. Coconut flour is more absorbent than almond flour so a 1:1 substitution would not work in this recipe.
This cake has been tested in an 8-inch square pan. You can make it in a 9-inch square pan, but the cake won’t be as tall and you’ll need to reduce the baking time by about 5 minutes.
Absolutely! While I think the pairing of coconut and lime works well, you can substitute orange or lemon zest and juice.
More almond flour cake recipes
- Almond Flour Cranberry Orange Bread
- Almond Flour Strawberry Cake
- Vanilla Almond Flour Cupcakes
- Cherry Almond Cake
- Almond Flour Banana Cake
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below!
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PrintAlmond Flour Coconut Lime Cake
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cooling Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 16 pieces
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American, Canadian
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Almond Flour Coconut Lime Cake is filled with delicious tropical flavors of coconut and fresh lime and topped with coconut whipped cream and toasted coconut. It’s also gluten-free and dairy-free!
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 1/2 cups (260g) fine blanched almond flour
- 1/4 cup (23g) unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup (110g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons lime zest (from 2–3 limes)
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the topping:
- 2 cans (400ml each) full fat coconut milk, refrigerated for at least 24 hours
- 1/4 cup (30g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/3 cup (35g) toasted shredded coconut (see note below)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square pan and line it with slightly overhanging parchment paper.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the almond flour, coconut, baking powder and salt.
- In a small bowl, combine the sugar and lime zest. Rub between your fingers to release the oils from the zest. The mixture should feel wet.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar/zest mixture, oil, lime juice and vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and gently fold in until just incorporated. Do not over mix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and use an offset spatula to spread out evenly. (The batter will be thick).
- Bake for 23-25 minutes, or until the top of the cake starts to brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool in the pan before adding the whipped cream.
- To make the coconut whipped cream, scoop the solidified milk solids from the cans of coconut milk. (Discard the liquid or save for another recipe). Add to a mixing bowl and use an electric mixer to beat together until smooth and fluffy (about 1-2 minutes). Add the powdered sugar and beat together for another minute.
- Spread the topping onto the cooled cake and top with toasted coconut.
Notes
- You can buy toasted coconut or toast it yourself. Just spread the unsweetened shredded coconut out on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake at 350F for 5-7 minutes, or until golden brown. Stir the coconut after 2-3 minutes to ensure it browns evenly, and keep an eye on it as it burns quickly.
- While you can simply add the sugar and zest to the wet ingredients separately, I like to rub them together so the oils release from the lime zest. This enhances the lime flavor in the cake.
- If you don’t have a kitchen scale to weigh your almond flour, make sure to measure it by using the spoon and level method in a dry measuring cup.
- In order for the coconut whipped cream to work, you need to use full fat coconut milk that has been chilled for at least 24 hours so the milk has time to harden. (I normally chill the cans for 3-4 days just to be sure).
- Be sure to check out the other sections above the recipe card for more detailed advice and suggestions for making this recipe.
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