If you love sticky toffee pudding cake, this coconut sticky date cake is a lighter, refined sugar-free version with a creamy coconut caramel sauce. It’s higher in protein and fiber, too.
Jump to: ℹ️ Overview | 🛒 Ingredients | 📷 How To Make | 📹 Watch The Video | 👩🍳 Recipe Tips | 🥗 Serving Suggestions | 📝Full Recipe Card | 🍽 More Healthy Dessert Recipes
At A Glance:
- ⏱ Ready In: 50–55 minutes
- 🍽 Serves: 8–10 slices
- 🌱 Diet: Refined sugar-free, can be dairy-free
- 💪 Nutrition Highlights: High in fibre, boosted with protein
- 🥥 Main Ingredients: Dates, whole wheat flour, protein powder, coconut milk, Greek yogurt
- 🔥 Flavor Profile: Warm, caramel-like, lightly coconutty, soft, and sticky
- 🧊 Meal-Prep Friendly: Keeps 4–5 days in the fridge, gets better overnight
- ☕️ Best Served With: Extra coconut caramel, yogurt, or coconut cream
This cake sits somewhere between a classic sticky toffee pudding cake and a wholesome coffee cake. The dates melt into the batter, giving it that rich, caramel-like sweetness without needing refined sugar. The coconut caramel sauce adds a creamy, slightly salty finish that soaks right in (honestly, this is where the magic happens).
It’s soft, a little dense in a good way, and super satisfying thanks to the added protein (11-13 g per serve and fiber (6-8 g per serve). I love that it feels like a treat but still works as an afternoon snack with coffee. And the best part? It actually tastes better the next day once everything has had time to settle and soak.
👩🍳 You might also like these cake recipes: this healthy pumpkin sticky date pudding, this gluten-free orange almond cake, this light apple honey ricotta cake, this rich carrot pineapple and coconut cake, or this vibrant and summery lemon blackberry cake.
What You’ll Need
Here is what you’ll need for this coconut sticky date pudding cake recipe. Find the full measurements in the recipe card below.
For the cake:
- Dates – the backbone of the recipe; natural sweetness + fiber + that sticky texture
- Boiling water – softens the dates so they blend smoothly
- Eggs – structure and richness
- Greek yogurt (or coconut yogurt) – adds moisture and a little protein boost
- Coconut milk – subtle richness and flavor
- Vanilla extract – rounds everything out (don’t skip it)
- Whole wheat or oat flour – adds fiber and a slightly nutty base
- Protein powder – boosts protein and helps make this more filling
- Baking powder + baking soda – lift and softness
- Salt – balances the sweetness
- Shredded coconut – texture + extra coconut flavor
For the coconut caramel sauce:
- Coconut milk – creamy base
- Maple syrup (or honey/date syrup) – natural sweetness
- Vanilla + salt – flavor balance
- Molasses (optional) – gives that deeper “toffee” vibe
Toppings (optional but worth it):
- Toasted coconut – crunch + extra flavor
- Almond flakes – adds texture contrast
How To Make Coconut Sticky Date Cake
Find the full recipe and nutritional information below. Here are some handy step-by-step photos for how to make this sticky date and coconut cake.
- Soak chopped dates in boiling water for 15 minutes
- Preheat oven to 175°C / 350°F and line an 8-inch pan
- Mash or blend softened dates with their liquid
- Mix in eggs, yogurt, coconut milk, and vanilla
- In another bowl, whisk dry ingredients
- Combine wet and dry mixtures gently
- Pour into pan and smooth the top
- Bake for 20–25 minutes until just set
- Simmer sauce ingredients for 15–20 minutes until glossy
- Poke holes in warm cake and pour over most of the sauce
- Let it rest (or chill) before serving
- Top with toasted coconut, almonds, and extra sauce
Watch The Video
Recipe Tips
- Don’t overbake – slightly under is better than dry here
- Blend dates for a smoother texture – especially if you want that classic pudding feel
- Taste your sauce – adjust salt for that sweet-salty balance
- Add spices – a pinch of cinnamon works beautifully
- Variations: Swap protein powder for extra flour if needed. Use oat flour for a softer, gluten-free version. Add walnuts or pecans for crunch.
- Storage: Fridge: 4–5 days, covered Freezer: Slice and freeze up to 2 months
- Make-ahead tip: This cake is genuinely better the next day once the sauce has soaked in
Serving Suggestions
I love serving this slightly warm with extra coconut caramel drizzled over the top (don’t be shy here). A dollop of Greek yogurt or coconut cream balances the sweetness really nicely. It also pairs perfectly with a cup of coffee or tea—especially as an afternoon pick-me-up.
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Video
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients:
- 7 oz pitted dates, chopped 200 grams
- ¾ cup boiling water 180 ml
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup low-fat Greek yoghurt about 60 ml /grams
- ¼ cup full-fat coconut milk 60 ml
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3.5 oz whole wheat flour (or oat flour) 100 grams
- 1.8 oz protein powder 50 grams
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut 80 grams
Coconut Caramel Sauce:
- ¾ cup full-fat coconut milk 180 ml
- 4–5 tablespoons maple syrup 80–100 grams (or honey/date syrup)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Optional: ½ teaspoon molasses
Toppings:
- ½ cup shredded coconut, toasted 40 grams, unsweetened
- ⅓ cup almond flakes, toasted 35 grams
Instructions
- Place chopped dates in a bowl and pour over boiling water. Let sit for 15 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 175°C / 350°F (fan). Grease and line an 8-inch square pan.
- Mash or blend the softened dates with their liquid. Stir in eggs, yogurt, coconut milk, and vanilla.
- In another bowl, whisk flour, protein powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and coconut.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients gently until just mixed.
- Pour batter into pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Meanwhile, simmer sauce ingredients in a saucepan for 15–20 minutes until thickened slightly.
- Poke lots of holes in the warm cake and pour over about ⅔ cup of the sauce. You can pour over all of it instead of reserving a little bit of drizzling when serving.
- Let rest at least 30 minutes (or chill for best texture).
- Serve with remaining sauce and toppings.
Notes
- Can I make this dairy-free? Yes—just swap Greek yogurt for coconut yogurt.
- Why dates instead of sugar? Dates add natural sweetness plus fiber, which gives the cake that classic sticky texture.
- Can I skip the protein powder? You can—just replace it with extra flour, but the texture will be slightly softer.
- Why is my cake dense? That’s normal! It’s meant to be soft and slightly dense, like sticky toffee pudding.
- How do I get more caramel flavor? Add the optional molasses—it makes a noticeable difference.
- Don’t overbake – slightly under is better than dry here
- Blend dates for a smoother texture – especially if you want that classic pudding feel
- Taste your sauce – adjust salt for that sweet-salty balance
- Add spices – a pinch of cinnamon works beautifully
- Variations: Swap protein powder for extra flour if needed. Use oat flour for a softer, gluten-free version. Add walnuts or pecans for crunch.
- Storage: Fridge: 4–5 days, covered Freezer: Slice and freeze up to 2 months
- Make-ahead tip: This cake is genuinely better the next day once the sauce has soaked in
Nutrition
Hi Irina,
How much yoghurt does this recipe call for? It’s not mentioned in the ingredients.
I can’t wait to try it. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Hey Merline,
Thanks for letting me know. It must have been an error when inputting the ingredients. I will make sure to update it. It’s 1/4 cup or 60 ml/grams.
Irena