Coconut flour is making a splash in the baking arena . Have you tried baking with it yet? It is not a simple substitute for white flour and can be a bit complicated to figure out. If you have only baked with regular flour, you will be in for a surprise if you treat coconut flour the same way. It is an excellent low carb and gluten free baking ingredient, but you need to be aware of a few things before you begin baking. It will absorb a lot of liquid, so if you are not careful, your baked goods can be quite soggy.
Start baking with coconut flour by using a familiar recipe:
Baking does require some getting used to. After testing a few recipes, you might even have discovered a new ingredient that you will enjoy using. Try to start with a familiar recipe, and as your experience increases, you can begin to experiment with other recipes. Why should you even bother with coconut flour, when there are so many choices available that are not as difficult to figure out? Coconut flour offers a unique set of properties that makes it an attractive alternative, especially for those people looking for low carb and or gluten free recipes.
Coconut flour is good for you because:
- It is high in fiber. 2/3 of it’s carbohydrates are soluble fiber. Anyone with high cholesterol will enjoy this fiber benefit.
- It helps with metabolism. Coconut flour is high in healthy fats, the ones that are good for you! These fats not only help your metabolism, they also help regulate blood sugar levels.
- It can help digestive health. It can lower the LDL, or the bad cholesterol, and help keep your heart healthy.
Coconut flour is better for you than an almond flour because it is lower in fat, has less calories, and is higher in fiber. One of the best things about coconut flour is that it is nut free and gluten free. Those people with gluten or nut sensitivities or allergies can often still have coconut flour.
How do you substitute coconut flour in a favorite recipe?
Coconut flour is not equivalent to Wheat flour at all. You cannot simply substitute wheat flour with coconut flour in a 1:1 ratio. For example, an ordinary bread recipe takes 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup oil or butter, 1 or 2 eggs, and 1/4 to 1 cup of liquid. A bread made with coconut flour would need about 3/4 to 1 and 1/2 cups coconut flour, 6 to 12 eggs, 1/3 to 1 cup of oil and no other liquids added.
You can use coconut flour like wheat flour when dredging meat or vegetables. This is the only time that you can use in a 1:1 ratio. Coconut flour tends to be clumpy so you need to carefully incorporate it, along with all the other ingredients that you will use in your recipe. Coconut flour is both dense and dry that’s why you have to use plenty of eggs to lighten up the recipe. To counter the dryness, you can add mashed or pureed fruits and vegetables to your baked goods. One more thing to be careful of, coconut flour can easily go bad when not properly sealed after the container is opened. Always store your coconut flour in a tightly sealed container.
What exactly is in Coconut Flour?
Fiber: Coconut flour is composed of 75% fiber, with about five grams per tablespoon. This helps to maintain healthy digestion while killing off any irritating agents found in your body.
Macronutrient Content: Compared to refined flours, which contain simple carbohydrates,(that ultimately end up raising your blood sugar levels), coconut flour has a lower glycemic index, which helps keep your blood sugar levels steady. You won’t feel a sugar high (and then the inevitable crash) with the use of coconut flour.
Protein and Fat: Another perk about coconut flour is that it contains a high amount of protein, with 100 grams of coconut flour containing 19 grams of protein. Coconut flour contains 9 grams of healthy fats per 100-gram serving, helping you boost your metabolism. It contains trace minerals and an excellent amount of nutrients to help you keep going!
Gluten Free: For those who are on a gluten free diet due to allergies or other intolerances, you won’t need to worry about staying away from your favorite baking recipes anymore. Coconut flour is gluten free and hypoallergenic so you can enjoy a healthier version of your baked goods WITHOUT the guilt or worry.
If you want to read more about coconut flour you can click here. Now that you know all about coconut flour you need a delicious gluten free dessert to try. These Tiramisu Cupcakes look incredibly moist and delicious. Have you ever tried to bake with coconut flour?
Ingredients
- Cupcakes:
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- 1/4 cup Stevia or any low calorie sweetener
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- Toppings:
- 1 Tablespoon coffee (espresso)
- 3 Tablespoons Stevia or low calorie sweetener
- 1 Tablespoon agave
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 8 oz. mascarpone cheese
- cocoa powder to dust
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Beat the eggs well.
- Add the coconut oil, coconut milk, and the vanilla.
- Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
- Combine both wet and dry mixtures together, adding more coconut milk if the batter is too thick. The consistency should be similar to pancake batter.
- Place the batter in cupcake papers, filling only up to 3/4 of each cupcake case.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until the top of the cupcakes spring back when touched. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let cool.
- While the cupcakes cool, make your topping by mixing the Stevia and agave together until the sweetener dissolves.
- Spread this sweetener mixture over the cupcakes and let stand for half an hour.
- Whip the cream and then mix in the mascarpone.
- Spread the cream over the cupcakes as a frosting.
- Dust the cupcakes with cocoa powder and enjoy!
Thank you to Claire from SumoChef for writing this guest post and recipe. Claire’s passion is cooking and her unique approach is the result of her varied experiences and travels abroad. She believes that food is what actually unites people, and the dining table is where we set aside our differences. SumoChef is where she finds expression to her passion and she hopes be able to contribute to your cooking experience through this.
Fantastic article! With all the gluten sensitivity out there, using coconut flour is such a great idea! Thanks
Thank you! So many people are gluten free these days and need to know how complicated cooking with coconut flour can be.
Those sound so good! I’ve never cooked with coconut flour before, and I think this is the perfect recipe to give it a try.
I think it is a great place to start with these delicious Tiramisu Cupcakes!
I grind all my own different flours. Coconut flour is super tasting and easy to us. Your cupcakes look really delicious.
You are correct, it is not too hard to make coconut flour yourself. It is harder though to make something delicious with it.
I do not bake – well I do – sometimes but I do not like to. My daughter however does bake and loves baking with coconut flower and oils!
Your daughter is so smart! Coconut flour is very good for her.
I am always looking for new gluten free recipes to try. I will have to get the ingredients I need to make this for dessert this weekend.
Gluten free desserts have really improved over the years! I hope you enjoy the recipe.
Okay I juts have to say this is the fastest loading web site I have ever seen. Not sure why or hat you are doing but HOLLA!!! I hate it when it loads slow. Anyways, the cupcakes look wicked gorgeous. I have a lot of GF readers so I will share this one. I keep meaning to use the coconut flour that I have in the cupboard. I bought it and have not yet used it.
I’m glad you love it Paula
I am so glad my website is loading quickly, that is SO awesome! Since you already have the coconut flour in the kitchen you are ready to make these delicious cupcakes! And thank you for sharing with your GF readers.
Coconut Flour is awesome to work with when baking. It makes things so moist and doesn’t tend to dry baked goods out like regular flour.
Thank you, Jeni 🙂
Coconut flour is a great ingredient if you know how to use it!
Having celiac disease, I am always looking for new recipes. I can’t wait to give this a try
This recipe is perfect for you Jenn! Have you perfected your coconut flour baking?
I love this!! I have been cooking more and more with gluten free flours. I have a bunch of coconut flour in the pantry!
You are ready to try these Tiramisu Cupcakes! Coconut flour is really very good for you.
I’ve heard of coconut flour but never used it before. I may need to give it a try soon!!
I hope you will give it a try!
Wow! It looks taste great. I’ll keep this recipe to try it. So nice to see this post.
Pin this recipe to save for later. I hope you enjoy it!
I never knew of coconut flour. Just plantain flour. I need to try the coconut one. It sounds amazing.
Yes, coconut flour is an amazing gluten free substitute. I hope you give it a try.
AHHH these look so good. I have never used Coconut flour but maybe it’s time I try to find some and make some interesting recipes. I can’t wait to give it a shot.
You can also grind up coconut in a food processor and make your own coconut flour. Give it a try!
I haven’t tried coconut flour yet, and it’s good to know that it isn’t an equal substitution! I had no idea you couldn’t sub it in for other flours at the same ratio. But it does sound like a great product once you know how to use it.
Yup, it is not a one to one substitution at all. You must be careful how you use it and not ruin your recipe.
I have never tried coconut flour before but am interested in all the health benefits. Those cupcakes look so good. I love the idea of Tiramisu flavor in a cupcake.
After reading how healthy coconut flour is, we should all be trying it!
Those cupcakes look amazing. I haven’t experimented with different flours yet. With my rheumatoid arthritis, I probably should try a gluten free diet.
You really should try eating without gluten for a month and see if it helps you at all!
We are starting on our healthy lifestyle and always looking for a gluten free recipe glad that you share this and I can’t wait to try this
Gluten free is a healthy lifestyle. Substituting coconut flour is a great place to start!
I live in a tropical country and coconut is easily accessible here. Coconut offers many health benefits and I’m glad it’s gaining popularity.
Sounds like you are already a coconut expert! Have you tried baking with it yet?
I love cooking but I have never used coconut flour before. It sounds like an awesome alternative and I’m really curious as to how it will work with our favorite recipes. Thanks for this lovely post, it’s really informative!
I really hope you give coconut flour a try!
I’d never heard of coconut flour before this post! This recipe sounds really good and being that I am trying to eat healthier, definitely a recipe to try.
I am glad you learned something new! Coconut flour is found in many grocery stores or you can make it yourself!
I had no idea they made coconut flour! Sounds like a great thing to add to one’s pantry.
Yes, you can buy premade coconut flour! Or you can make it yourself.