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.
Has anyone tried subbing with 4 flax or chia eggs. If so, how’d it turn out?
It works well with egg replacer (tapioca) for an egg free version 🙂
Awesome. Thank you.
I’m going to try with chia seeds.
I’ve made this cake 2 times now and both times people hunted me down to tell me how good it was. Subbed *coconut oil* for the butter and *honey* for the sugar. Also, slightly messed up the recipe both times, so I think this recipe is pretty much fail-proof!
Hi Bri, we love this cake and I have a friend who is dairy free as well as GF. Can I ask how you subbed the coconut oil for the nutter please? 1:1 ?
Glad to know it works with coconut oil too.
Oh Nagi, you’ve done it again!!! That cake didn’t last 24h.. it was that yum and easy to make ! Another keeper ! Thanks once again for sharing your beautiful recipes
Hi Nagi. Do you think I could make two of these and layer them to make a celebration cake for someone who is gluten free & lactose intolerant. If so what type of icing/frosting would you recommend?
So excited to try this cake! 🙂 do you think it could be made egg free? what would you use instead? thanks
Just made this wonderful cake. Very moist. Easy recipe to follow. Instead of using almond flakes, I used Slivered almonds which gives the cake a nice crunchy topping. I baked it in the air fryer at 180°C for 32 minutes.
Would like to know if anyone has tried to freeze it. Thank you
Amazing cake but it wasn’t ready at 40 mins. Had to cook for 55. Have the same issue with Nagi orange cake . Maybe it my oven ?
Love this delicious and moist cake. I’ve made it with orange zest as well and a mix of almond flour and meal and it works great
A fabulous recipe, never fails! I’ve made this several times to share during a break in rehearsals and within 10 minutes there’s not even a crumb left 😀
A friend made this for me…loved it. Is it suitable to freeze?
Has anyone made this as individual small cakes? If so any tips on bake time or how successful it was. Thanks
I made this twice both as cupcakes and it took 10-12 minutes to cook to golden brown and firm to touch.
Yes, I’ve made this wonderful (no-fail) recipe in 3 (greased and lined on bottom) mini springform pans. Only takes 30 mins to bake them to perfection) on pre-heated baking tray. enjoy!
Hi Judith. I mixed up the batter then on pouring it into the cake tin realised it was far too big. So I used the batter to make 10 cup cakes instead.. I cooked them for 20 minutes. The tops were brown and firm and the base firmed up after cooling. They were delicious. Hope this helps.
Thanks Adele. That is very helpful. I made the cake as a whole and it was delicious. Next time I will make in cupcake pans.
Loved the cake, I would like to know if it can be frozen.
A friend made this and I loved it. Is it suitable to freeze?
Phenomenal! Super easy, super moist with a fine crunchy crust. Cooked mine in air fryer, worked well 🙂
Such an easy and tasty cake to make. The consistency is perfect and the flavours come together so well. Definitely not too sweet, well balanced. Thanks Nagi x
I just made this recipe…where has it been all my life? Once again, a no-fail, simple and absolutely delicious recipe. Thanks, Nagi!
It’s a good cake, the recipe is easy to follow the only thing is that it was pretty sweet. Next time I would do 2/3 instead of the normal amount. I also added an extra lemon worth of zest and I’m glad I did because the lemon flavor really came through.
Great recipe – easy and delicious. I substituted 4 limes for the lemon. Many thanks. NO JUNK EMAIL PLEASE – I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU
Easy and amazing!
Hi Nagi, absolutely delicious. but every time i make it, the middle sinks down (its cooked through fine) but its been weighed down by the almonds. Any ideas? or maybe i should add the almonds in the last few mins of the cook?
This cake is divine. Love the recipe and aptly named easy to bake. I just need help as my cake sinks in the middle. Can you advise where I went wrong.
I also have this problem! It’s amazing but otherwise sunken in the middle with the almonds. I’ll try put them on later next time.
I have just one problem with this cake. How do I stop myself eating the whole lot in one go!! So quick and easy to make, and beautifully moist and tasty with a great texture. Thank you Nagi x