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Pumpkin Coconut Bundt Cake-Ciambella di Zucca e Cocco

Pumpkin Coconut Bundt Cake is super soft and filled with warm fall spices and the lovely addition of coconut. A great dessert idea for the holidays! Totally vegan and totally delicious!

overhead image of pumpkin coconut bundt cake
This is the kind of cake I like to bake on a rainy Sunday before Halloween. Spicy and full of pumpkin moistness. No need for any thick frosting. Better to save the sugary stuff for what was coming the day after Halloween.

Pumpkin Coconut Bundt Cake-Ciambella di Zucca e Cocco

I may have eaten one too many Heath bars on Halloween night. I can’t resist them. My kids have since safely hidden their candy stashes before I had a chance to sift through it.

Earlier today I got lucky and found a tiny pack of Swedish Fish. My 2nd favorite Halloween candy.

This cake is very easy to make. The trickiest part is toasting the coconut. You can’t get distracted and check your twitter or text your mom. No quick emails. Keep an eye on it and make sure it turns out this color. It could go from this perfectly toasted coconut to burnt coconut in a matter of minutes. If you love pumpkin, you have to try this pumpkin bread. For the bread lovers, this pumpkin challah bread is incredible!

Every region in Italy has a different traditional recipe for it. Soft and moist in the middle, a ciambella is perfect for breakfast dipped in a hot cup of caffè latte. In the meantime, you must try this recipe. It is delicate and wonderful. Perfect the way we enjoyed it on another rainy afternoon.

overhead image of slice of pumpkin bundt cake

Like they say in Italy: non tutte le ciambelle riescono col buco.  You win some and you lose some. Not every thing comes out as planned.

How to toast coconut in the oven?

Spread the shredded unsweetened coconut in an even layer over a large baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 5-8 minutes. Stop to stir every two minutes. Watch closely as it will burn quickly towards the end. It may take a full 8 minutes. I say 5 minutes because every oven is different. I have burned coconut by not checking on it for one extra minute and let me tell you, it smells awful and is so disappointing to throw out all the coconut. Baking mishaps do happen!

We used unsweetened coconut to keep it less sweet. You could also use sweetened shredded coconut if that’s all you have at home, but cake will come out sweeter.

image of toasted coconut on baking tray

My love for pumpkin in sweet or savory recipes is great. I will be sharing some super yummy links on a new post coming up soon…so hang tight for a PUMPKIN PARTY!

In the meantime, you must try this delicious vegan pumpkin cake recipe.

How to make a pumpkin coconut bundt cake

Pumpkin Coconut Bundt Cake-Ciambella di Zucca e Cocco
yields: approx 10 servings

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup coconut oil (or another mild flavored oil)
1 cup organic sugar
4 tbsp. flax meal
1/2 cup lukewarm water
1 cup almond milk (or coconut milk)

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tsps. vanilla extract
1 15 oz. can pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a Bundt cake pan.
Spread shredded sweetened coconut on a baking sheet and bake until lightly toasted. Stir the coconut around or else it will toast too much on one side. Takes about 5-8 minutes to toast. Watch closely as it will burn quickly towards the end. When lightly toasted, set the coconut aside.
In a small bowl, add the almond milk (or regular milk)and apple cider vinegar. Let sit a minute. In a medium sized bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, and cinnamon.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil and sugar together until fluffy.
Mix flax meal and water, let sit for one minute. Slowly add the flax seed mixture to the oil mixture. Whisk in the vanilla and and almond milk. Stir in the pumpkin puree.
Add the flour mixture 1/2 cup at a time to the wet ingredients. Stir well after each addition and scrape down the sides of the bowl while mixing.
Pour batter into prepared cake pan and bake for about an hour or until wooden skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
After cake has cooled for about 1/2 an hour, turn it out of the pan and dig in! Smile
Hope you try this recipe and that you’re having a wonderful week! Thanks for stopping by.

slightly updated from Nov 2011

Print Recipe

Pumpkin Coconut Bundt Cake-Ciambella di Zucca e Cocco

Pumpkin Coconut Bundt Cake is super soft and filled with warm fall spices and the lovely addition of coconut. A great dessert idea for the holidays!
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time55 mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Bundt Cake, coconut, pumpkin, vegan
Author: Savoring Italy

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon ground ginger
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup coconut oil or another mild flavored oil
  • 1 cup organic sugar
  • 4 tbsp. flax meal
  • 1/2 cup lukewarm water
  • 1 cup coconut milk or almond milk
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tsps. vanilla extract
  • 1 15 oz. can pumpkin puree NOT pumpkin pie filling
  • 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a Bundt cake pan. Or spray the pan with baking spray (my preferred method).
  • Spread shredded sweetened coconut on a baking sheet and bake until lightly toasted. Stir the coconut around or else it will toast too much on one side. Takes about 5-8 minutes to toast. Watch closely as it will burn quickly towards the end. When lightly toasted, set the coconut aside.
  • In a small bowl, add the almond milk (or regular milk)and apple cider vinegar. Let sit a minute. In a medium sized bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, and cinnamon.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil and sugar together until fluffy.
  • Mix flax meal and water, let sit for one minute. Slowly add the flax seed mixture to the oil mixture. Whisk in the vanilla and and almond milk. Stir in the pumpkin puree.
  • Add the flour mixture 1/2 cup at a time to the wet ingredients. Stir well after each addition and scrape down the sides of the bowl while mixing.
  • Pour batter into prepared cake pan and bake for about an hour or until wooden skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
  • After cake has cooled for about 1/2 an hour, turn it out of the pan and dig in! Dust with confectioner's sugar and any leftover toasted coconut before serving (optional).

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Dionne Baldwin says

    Can I nick-name this pumpkin love cake? It looks so delicious and sweet and moist! I love that it's vegan! I swore I'd never convert but you're making it seem so easy…

    I hope you've had a great week so far!

    Reply

  6. foodwanderings says

    Gorgeous! Love all the ingredients in it! I do not like pumpkin desserts and now you made me like it. lol. Seems like it has been rainy lately in Florida so cranking up the oven makes perfect sense! 🙂 Again you made vegan look attractive!

    Reply

  17. kita says

    Um, I would like a slice of this for breakfast, please. I'm sure the post office would understand. Well, you would probably have to send lots of slices so it could make it back to me with at least one bite for me to taste!

    Reply

  18. Amy says

    I agree, no need for frosting on this deliciousness! I love that you have combined coconut and pumpkin spice! I would have never thought to marry the two flavors, but I can see how it would work. I'll bet it was gone very quickly ;)!

    Reply

  26. Lizzy says

    It's times like these when I truly wish my family liked coconut! I could probably eat the whole cake myself, but that probably not be in my best interest 🙂 Fabulous dessert, Lora!

    Reply

  28. Jamie says

    Mmmm we ate a ciambella in Italy last weekend (has it already been a week???) but yours looks so much more delicious, moister and I love pumpkin cakes! Perfect! And I love that expression… gotta use it now.

    Reply

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