I would like to introduce you to my favorite coconut cake that just happens to be vegan.
This is a variation of recipe that I came across years ago and filed away under the ‘find an excuse to make it’ category. Sadly I have lost the original source. I was saving this cake for a day when I would be recruited for a desert challenge that might also feature a vegan judge. Years later, It finally happened! I had to save the day with desert!! Ok, not really. Truthfully, I probably had waited years to make it because my older sister doesn’t like coconut and she and my husband are chief taste testers. Oh, and living in the south I ate with very few vegans because I often use copious amounts of animal by products.
Now in my North Eastern neck of the woods, the vegetarian and vegan quotient is much better represented. It is a wonderful new source of inspiration in my cooking. It gives me a great excuse to develop new dishes that are meal worthy, not just side dishes on a plate.
This cake is in fact vegan but it is so good no one will guess the animal products have been replaced. The first time I made these for a crowd I proudly announced that I had made amazing vegan cupcakes. I was sure there would be a run on the desert table, my cupcakes were Amazing! The vegan representation loved them and took home leftovers, but I was left with.. well… leftovers. That shouldn’t happen. In the following days the people who took home leftovers now wanted recipes. They were a sleeper hit!
I made them again at a later date telling no one that they were vegan and the secret ingredient was tofu. The cupcakes were huge success that time. There were no leftovers. Lesson learned. Tell only the people with food restrictions and allergies that the dish prepared was made with them in mind.
After making and devouring the cake a few times, I had a feeling that the cake could be amped up. For our birthday, my twin sister and I decided to turn a coconut cake into an Almond Joy cake. To make it Almond Joy-tastic we made an almond filling with toasted chopped almonds and coconut cream. We then covered the whole thing with a bittersweet chocolate ganache. Success! A favorite candy bar turned cake! I highly recommend you try the add-ons.
Rich Coconut Cake
You will need:
Wet:
- 8oz vanilla silken tofu (half a standard package)
- 2c raw sugar
- 2c coconut milk
- 12oz un-toasted coconut flakes
- 1c canola oil
Dry:
- 4 1/4c a.p. flour
- 1 1/2ts baking powder
- 1 1/2ts baking soda
In a large food processor puree the Wet ingredients until thick and uniform. If your food processor is small, pulse the coconut flakes and half of the tofu. Pour mix into larger bowl and mix in remaining Wet.
Add the Dry ingredients and stir until incorporated.
The batter will be somewhat thick.
Bake in lined or greased pans. For 45min-1hr at 350 degrees.
This will yield approx 3 dozen cupcakes or two 9” round cakes for stacking.
Top with coconut frosting.
To make frosting, cream together:
- 1c coconut cream.
- 1/2c vegan margarine
- 1lb powder sugar.
Beat frosting and allow to rest 5-10 min before topping cakes.
I think that coconut oil would be a good addition here too.
Nancy Warner 
