Plush Coconut Cake

This recipe is from Smitten Kitchen. “Plush” truly is the best way to describe this vegan coconut cake! It was absolutely delicious, and the texture was remarkable. It would also be a great base for a confetti cake. I would recommend topping it with something, like large white confetti sprinkles or coconut flakes, because even though I followed the recipe to a T, the glaze eventually gave it a “wrinkled fabric” look that wasn’t the most appetizing thing (but, again, it tasted fantastic).

Last time I went to the grocery store, they were out of many ingredients, including eggs and coconut milk. You don’t need eggs for this cake, but the coconut milk is pretty much non-negotiable. If you don’t have a can of it in your pantry, consider buying coconut milk powder (like this) to tide you over.

2 cups plus 3 Tbsp. (285 g.) all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. fine sea salt
1 cup (200 g.) granulated sugar
½ cup (110 g.) coconut oil, warmed just enough to liquefy
1 can (13.5 oz.) coconut milk, divided
1 Tbsp. plain vinegar
¾ cup powdered sugar, for the glaze

Preheat oven to 350 °F. Line the bottom of 9-inch round cake pan with a fitted round of parchment paper and coat the bottoms and sides with nonstick cooking spray.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt and granulated sugar in the bottom of a large mixing bowl. Add coconut oil, 1 ½ cups coconut milk, and vinegar and whisk until batter is smooth.

Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 25-30, or until the top is springy and a tester inserted in the center comes out batter-free. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then cut around it with a knife to ensure it is loosened and flip it out onto a cooling rack to cool the rest of the way.

Whisk together ¾ cup powdered sugar with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the leftover coconut milk, adding a little at a time, until it is smooth but not too runny. Add a pinch of salt, if you wish. Once cake is fully cool, spread over the top of the cake and smooth to the edges with a knife or small offset spatula, where it will find its way down the sides decoratively on its own.