Spiced Pumpkin Coconut Flour Cake

(In the bustle of preparing for Elena’s birthday, I forgot to take a picture of the cake without frosting, or a slice of it! Please excuse the lack of pictures)

I have had a bag of coconut flour for some time now. There was nothing in particular keeping me from using it, except perhaps all of those sourdough cakes I was experimenting with! So when, for Elena’s birthday, I was trying to think of a cake that would be easy to put together the day of, I thought of my coconut flour. Coconut flour is a high fiber, high oil, high protein, no gluten flour that tastes good too! Many people with blood sugar, weight, or yeast issues, find this flour helpful. I also understand that it is low in phytic acid, which means no “soaking” is required.

I wanted to make a pumpkin cake, but wasn’t able to find one using coconut flour and a sweetener I was willing to use. That dilemma resulted in this cake. Coconut flour requires the use of a lot of eggs (to hold it together), so I used the technique of making a chiffon cake (a high egg cake) from my trusty “Joy of Cooking”. I sweetened it with honey and maple sugar for a delicious “Fall” taste. But I am sure you could experiment with using the sweetener of your choice.

We all really enjoyed this cake. It is a bit more dense, but it’s also very moist and flavorful. The pumpkin flavor is perfect for this time of year too!

Spiced Pumpkin Coconut Flour Cake

I should mention that while the eggs do an excellent job in holding this gluten free cake together, it is still fragile. Make sure that you handle it with care. I did, in fact, have one of my layers crack down the middle while I was moving it. If this happens, don’t fear, it’s nothing a good frosting can’t hide!

Preheat the oven, 325 degrees

Prep two cake pans by greasing with coconut oil, lining the bottom with parchment paper, and greasing the top of the paper.

In a large bowl, sift together:
2 1/4 cups of coconut flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg, or ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves

In another bowl, add:
5 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cup of pumpkin puree
Melt gently together, and add to the above (make sure it’s not hot, or it will cook your egg yolks)
3/4 cup of honey
1/2 cup coconut oil

Mix this mixture on high speed until smooth, then add to the dry ingredients. Mix until smooth.

In a separate bowl, beat on medium speed until soft peaks form:
10 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
Gradually add, beating on high speed:
1/4 cup of maple sugar (I am assuming that rapadura would work as well. In my second cake, I actually left this extra sugar out with fine results)

Beat until the peaks are stiff but not dry. Use a rubber spatula to fold this mixture into your egg yolk/flour mixture. It’s a little stiff at first, but keep gently folding, and it will loosen up for you.

Divide into you two cake pans, and spread evenly. Bake until the top springs back when gently pressed and a toothpick comes out clean from the middle of the cake. (30-35 minutes, but start checking at 25 minutes).

Leave in pan for about 5 minutes, and then very gently turn out onto a cooling rack. Cool completely.

Frost with Honey Vanilla Frosting, or frosting of your choice and enjoy!