Sugar-Free Coconut Custard Dump Cake

Please note: this is an original Poulef recipe that we have not yet tested. We developed it by combining the idea of a sugar-free coconut custard with a classic dump cake method, and the amounts and baking time below are estimates. If you try it, please let us know how it turns out in the comments, and check the labels on your cake mix and sweetener to make sure they are sugar-free.

If you love the creamy, comforting flavor of coconut custard, this sugar free coconut custard dump cake is a fun way to enjoy it with almost no effort. A silky coconut milk custard goes into the dish first. Then you simply sprinkle dry sugar-free yellow cake mix over the top, add unsweetened shredded coconut, drizzle with melted butter, and bake. As the cake bakes, the topping turns golden and buttery, and the custard underneath sets into a soft, spoonable layer.

The recipe uses ingredients you can find at most grocery stores: sugar-free cake mix, unsweetened coconut milk, eggs, granulated sugar-free sweetener, vanilla, nutmeg, and shredded coconut. Prep takes about 10 minutes, and the cake bakes for roughly 50 to 60 minutes in a 9×13-inch dish. Below you will find the full recipe, tips, storage guidance, and answers to common questions.

Why You’ll Love This Sugar Free Coconut Custard Dump Cake

• Only about 10 minutes of prep, with no mixer or layering skills required
• Made with sugar-free cake mix and sugar-free sweetener
• A creamy coconut custard layer with a golden coconut and butter topping
• Uses unsweetened coconut milk and unsweetened shredded coconut
• One bowl for the custard and one baking dish
• Makes about 15 squares, which is plenty for sharing
• A cozy dessert with warm vanilla and nutmeg flavor

What Does Sugar Free Coconut Custard Dump Cake Taste Like?

The idea is to combine two textures in each spoonful. The bottom is a soft, creamy custard flavored with coconut milk, vanilla, and a little nutmeg. The top is a buttery, golden layer of cake mix and toasted coconut with a slight crunch at the edges. The coconut gives it a gentle, nutty sweetness, and the nutmeg adds the warm, familiar flavor of old-fashioned custard.

Because the dessert uses sugar-free cake mix and a sugar-free sweetener, it is lightly sweet, and the flavor comes mostly from coconut, vanilla, and butter. Sweetener brands vary in strength, so taste your custard mixture and adjust the amount to your liking.

Recipe Overview

• Prep time: 10 minutes
• Bake time: 50 to 60 minutes (an estimate)
• Cooling and chilling: cool, then refrigerate before serving
• Oven temperature: 350°F
• Pan: a 9×13-inch baking dish
• Yield: about 15 squares

The method is a classic dump cake. You whisk the custard ingredients and pour them into the dish, then add the dry cake mix, the shredded coconut, and the melted butter in layers without stirring. You bake until the top is golden and the center is set, then let it cool and chill before serving.

Ingredients

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For the Coconut Custard

• 3 cups unsweetened coconut milk (the drinking kind from a carton)
• 6 large eggs
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar-free sweetener (1:1 sugar replacement), or to taste
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Topping

• 1 box sugar-free yellow cake mix (standard size), dry
• 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

Ingredient Notes

Unsweetened Coconut Milk

Use the unsweetened coconut milk that comes in a carton and is sold as a dairy-free drink, not the thick canned coconut milk. The carton kind is thinner, which helps the custard set evenly. Shake the carton well before measuring.

Eggs

The eggs set the custard, so use large eggs and whisk them thoroughly into the coconut milk until the mixture is smooth with no streaks.

Sugar-Free Sweetener

This recipe is written for a granulated sugar-free sweetener that measures like sugar. Because brands differ in strength, taste the custard mixture before pouring it into the dish. If your sweetener is much more concentrated than sugar, use less.

Sugar-Free Yellow Cake Mix

You need one standard-size box of sugar-free yellow cake mix, used dry. Do not prepare it according to the package directions. Sprinkle it over the custard straight from the box. Always check the label to confirm that the mix is sugar-free.

Unsweetened Shredded Coconut

One cup of unsweetened shredded coconut gives the dessert its toasted, golden top. Unsweetened coconut keeps the recipe sugar-free.

Butter

Half a cup of melted butter moistens the dry cake mix and helps it turn golden. Pour it as evenly as you can so that few dry spots remain.

Vanilla, Nutmeg, and Salt

Vanilla and nutmeg give the custard its warm, traditional flavor, and a little salt balances the sweetness.

Equipment

• A 9×13-inch baking dish
• A large mixing bowl and a whisk
• Measuring cups and spoons
• A small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl for melting the butter
• Foil, for loosely covering the top if it browns too quickly
• A knife for testing doneness

Variations and Substitutions

This whole recipe is untested, so the ideas below are only suggestions to try at your own discretion.

• Sweetness: Adjust the amount of sweetener to taste, since brands vary.
• Toppings: Serve with fresh berries or a spoonful of dairy-free whipped cream.
• Custard idea: The custard layer was inspired by Sugar-Free Mom’s Sugar Free Crustless Coconut Custard Pie, which you may prefer if you want a tested version of a coconut custard.
• More coconut desserts: Try our Coconut Ricotta Custard Cake or our Lemon Coconut Custard Bake.

Step-by-Step Instructions

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Step 1: Prepare the oven and dish. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.

Step 2: Make the custard. In a large bowl, whisk the coconut milk, eggs, sweetener, vanilla extract, nutmeg, and salt until smooth. Pour the custard into the prepared dish.

Step 3: Add the cake mix. Sprinkle the dry sugar-free yellow cake mix evenly over the custard. Do not stir.

Step 4: Add the coconut. Sprinkle the unsweetened shredded coconut evenly over the cake mix.

Step 5: Add the butter. Drizzle the melted butter evenly over the top, covering as much of the dry cake mix as you can.

Step 6: Bake. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the top is golden and the center is set. If the coconut browns too quickly, loosely cover the dish with foil for the rest of the baking time.

Step 7: Cool and chill. Let the dump cake cool, then refrigerate it before serving. Cut it into squares.

Tips for Success

• Do not stir the layers. Dump cakes work because the layers stay separate as they bake.
• Cover the dry mix. Drizzle the butter over as much dry cake mix as possible so it browns instead of staying powdery.
• Whisk the custard well. A smooth mixture sets more evenly.
• Taste the custard mixture. Adjust the sweetener before pouring, since sweeteners differ in strength.
• Watch the top. Cover loosely with foil if the coconut gets dark before the center is set.
• Test the center. The custard should be set, with no liquid movement when you gently shake the dish.
• Chill before serving. The custard firms up as it cools and chills, so the squares cut more cleanly.

How to Know It’s Done

The dump cake is done when the top is golden and the center is set. Gently shake the dish. If the middle jiggles like liquid, it needs more time. If the coconut is browning too fast, cover it loosely with foil and continue baking. Because this recipe is untested, check it starting around the 50 minute mark and trust how the cake looks and feels rather than the clock alone.

What to Serve With Sugar Free Coconut Custard Dump Cake

A spoonful of dairy-free whipped cream and a handful of fresh berries are a lovely match for the rich custard and toasted coconut. A hot cup of coffee or tea also works well. For a sugar-free dessert table, serve it next to our Sugar-Free Creamy Pecan Custard Pie.

Storage

Once the dump cake has cooled, refrigerate it, since it contains a custard layer. Keep it covered. We have not tested how long it keeps, so use your own judgment.

Freezing

We have not tested freezing this dessert, and custards can change texture when frozen, so we do not recommend it without testing a small portion first.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Stirring the layers together. Keep the custard, cake mix, coconut, and butter in separate layers.
• Leaving dry patches of cake mix. Cover as much as you can with butter.
• Using canned coconut milk. The recipe is written for the thinner carton coconut milk.
• Using regular cake mix or sugar. Check the labels if you want the dessert to stay sugar-free.
• Underbaking. The center should be set before you remove the dish from the oven.
• Letting the top burn. Cover loosely with foil if the coconut darkens too quickly.
• Cutting it warm. Let it cool and chill so the custard firms up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Has this recipe been tested?

No. This is an original Poulef recipe that we developed from a sugar-free custard idea and a classic dump cake method. The amounts and baking time are estimates, so please check on it as it bakes and tell us how it turns out.

What makes it a dump cake?

A dump cake is made by layering ingredients in a baking dish without mixing them together. Here, you pour in the custard, sprinkle on the dry cake mix and coconut, and drizzle with butter.

Do I prepare the cake mix first?

No. Sprinkle the dry mix straight from the box over the custard.

Which coconut milk should I use?

Use unsweetened coconut milk from a carton, the kind sold as a dairy-free drink.

What size dish do I need?

A 9×13-inch baking dish.

Can I use regular sugar?

The recipe is written for a granulated sugar-free sweetener. We have not tested it with sugar, and it would no longer be a sugar-free dessert.

Do I have to refrigerate it?

Yes. Because it has a custard layer, let it cool and then refrigerate it.

How many servings does it make?

About 15 squares from a 9×13-inch dish.

Recipe Background

Dump cakes are a beloved American shortcut dessert. The idea is to layer a few ingredients, usually a fruit filling and a dry cake mix, straight into a baking dish and let the oven do the work. Coconut custard, meanwhile, is a classic comfort dessert made from coconut milk, eggs, and vanilla.

This recipe brings the two ideas together and keeps it sugar-free. The custard layer was inspired by the Sugar Free Crustless Coconut Custard Pie by Brenda Bennett of Sugar-Free Mom. The dump cake topping and the amounts here are our own adaptation and have not been tested.

Share Your Creation

Did you try this sugar free coconut custard dump cake? Leave a comment below and tell us how it turned out. How long did yours take to bake, and did you change the sweetener? Because the recipe is new, your feedback is especially helpful to us and to other readers.

Conclusion

This sugar free coconut custard dump cake brings together a creamy coconut custard and a golden, buttery coconut topping in one easy baking dish. It is an original, untested recipe, so watch it closely as it bakes, adjust the sweetener to your taste, and let us know how it goes. Serve it chilled with fresh berries for a cozy, low-sugar treat.

More Delicious Recipes You’ll Love

• Coconut Ricotta Custard Cake
• The Dreamy Lemon Coconut Custard Bake (Irresistibly Light & Comforting Spring Dessert)
• Sugar-Free Creamy Pecan Custard Pie – Silky, Rich & Bakery-Worthy
• Creamy Baked Custard Cake (Crustless Cheesecake Style)
• Coconut Bread Pudding – Soft, Creamy & Comforting Homemade Dessert

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Nutritional Information

Nutrition is an approximate estimate per square (15 squares), calculated from standard ingredient values using a typical sugar-free yellow cake mix and salted butter. Sugar-free sweeteners are not counted, and actual numbers will vary with the brands you use, especially the cake mix.

Nutrient	Amount per Serving
Calories	229
Carbohydrates	22g
Protein	4g
Fat	14g
Saturated Fat	9g
Cholesterol	91mg
Sodium	260mg
Fiber	1g
Sugar	1g

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