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    Home » All Desserts » Cakes

    Published: Mar 23, 2021 · Modified: Jul 3, 2022 by Anthea

    Papaya Cake with Crumb Topping

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    4.88 from 8 votes

    Vegan papaya cake with a flavorful and crunchy coconut crumble topping. This cake is delightfully fluffy, has a beautiful crumb and tastes like a tropical island. It's the perfect afternoon treat with a cup of tea!

    Overhead image of papapya coconut cake with two slices coming out.

    Why you'll love this papaya cake

    Compared to pawpaw, payaya is sweeter, has a gentle tropical flavor, with a similar flavor profile to cantaloupe / rockmelon. Papaya is wonderful in cakes, no-bake desserts such as my papaya lime bars and papaya cheesecake!

    In this recipe, the papaya gives the cake moisture, a beautiful golden hue and a fun tropical flavor. I added coconut to bring out the tropical flavor and textures!

    I also added topped the cake with papaya. When baked, the papaya tastes like a beautiful chewy candy-like treat!

    If you're still not a fan of papaya, check out my apple crumble tea cake.

    Ingredients you'll need for this recipe

    You'll need some basic pantry staples to make the papaya cake including:

    Flatlay of ingredients for papaya coconut cake.

    Notes about the ingredients

    Fresh papaya which goes inside the cake and on top of the cake. This recipe is perfect for using leftover and excess ripe papaya!

    Desiccated and flaked coconut. The desiccated coconut makes the cake fluffier and the flaked coconut on top of the cake adds texture.

    Coconut oil or vegan butter which is used for the crumb topping.

    Apple cider vinegar or any other type of vinegar is optional and you cannot taste it in the final cake! The acid improves the crumb of the cake and makes it slightly more soft and tender!

    This cake has no eggs but is delightfully fluffy and moist. The papaya puree actually adds moisture and acts as a binder. Also, there are enough raising agents in the cake to make it fluffy!

    A complete list of ingredients, quantities and instructions are in the gray recipe card at the bottom of this post.

    How do you make a papaya cake

    First, add all your dry cake ingredients to a large bowl (flour, sugar, desiccated coconut, baking powder and salt). Whisk the ingredients until combined so there are no large lumps.

    Blend the papaya with the liquid ingredients (oil, milk and vinegar) until there are no big chunks. Then add the papaya mixture to your dry ingredients. Mix until combined!

    The batter should be relatively thick like a loose paste. You can see the batter's texture in picture #3 in the collage below!

    Add your thick cake batter to a lined or greased cake pan and smooth the surface.

    Three image collage showing how to make the batter for the vegan papaya cake.

    Now you can make the crumble! You can do this in the same bowl you used for the cake batter or use a clean one.

    To make the crumble, add all the ingredients to your bowl and mix using your fingertips or a spoon. The mixture should resemble coarse and lumpy crumbs.

    Top your cake with the crumble and chopped papaya then bake the cake! This cake smells WONDERFUL while it's baking!

    Two image collage showing how to make the coconut crumb topping for the papaya cake.
    Papaya coconut cake with slice coming out.

    Expert Tips

    Can I skip the crumble topping and decorate the cake another way?

    Yes of course! Bake the cake as-is for 45-50 minutes and you can also top the cake with:
    - Vanilla buttercream
    - Whipped cream
    - A simple sugar glaze, such as from my lemon olive oil cake.
    - A light dusting of powdered sugar

    Or serve the cake with no topping and a side of ice cream, yogurt or more tropical fruit!

    Can I bake the cake in a loaf pan?

    Yes this should work! The cake may be slightly denser and take 10 extra minutes to bake.

    Close up of a beautiful golden slice of papaya cake.

    More vegan cakes for Summer:

    • Vegan Mango Cake
    • Papaya vanilla cheesecake (vegan)
    • Easy Vegan Passionfruit Cake
    • Easy Vegan Lemon Blueberry Cake

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    Print Recipe
    4.88 from 8 votes

    Papaya Cake with Crumb Topping

    Vegan papaya cake with a flavorful and crunchy coconut crumble topping. It is fluffy, has a beautiful crumb and tastes like a tropical island.
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time50 mins
    Total Time1 hr 5 mins
    Cuisine: American, Vegan
    Servings: 10
    Author: Anthea

    Ingredients

    Dry ingredients

    • 2 ¼ cups (280g) all-purpose plain flour, (note 1 for gluten-free)
    • ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
    • ½ cup (40g) desiccated coconut
    • 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
    • Pinch of any good-quality salt

    Wet ingredients

    • ¾ cup (190mL) dairy-free milk
    • ¾ cup (105g) papaya, roughly chopped
    • ¼ cup (65mL) neutral flavored oil
    • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, regular vinegar or lemon juice (optional)

    Topping

    • ½ cup (30g) flaked coconut
    • ¼ cup (30g) all-purpose plain flour, gluten-free all-purpose flour or white rice flour
    • 3 tablespoons (45g) solid coconut oil, or vegan butter (note 2)
    • 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
    • Pinch of any good quality salt, if using coconut oil or unsalted butter
    • ~⅓ cup (50g) papaya, cubed

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease or line a 20 cm (8 inch) round cake pan with parchment paper.

    Preparing the papaya cake:

    • Add all the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Mix until there are no lumps.
    • Add all the wet ingredients to a blender and blend until mostly smooth. Pour the papaya mixture into your mixing bowl. Mix the ingredients until just combined. Pour the cake batter into your prepared cake pan. Smooth the surface with a spoon or spatula and set aside.

    Preparing the crumble topping:

    • In a bowl, add all the ingredients (except the papaya). Use your fingertips or a spoon to mix the ingredients until combined.
    • Scatter the remaining cubed papaya on top of the cake and gently press them into the batter. Sprinkle the crumble on top of the cake.

    Baking and serving the papaya cake:

    • Bake the cake in your preheated oven for around 50 minutes or until done. If the cake is browning too quickly and the center isn't baked, cover the cake pan with aluminum foil or an oven-safe plate/bowl. The cake is ready when you can insert a toothpick in the center and there is no wet batter, though some crumbs are fine (the cake is quite moist)
    • Allow the cake to rest in the cake tin for at least 5 minutes. Remove the cake from the tin and place on a cooling rack. Serve and enjoy!
    • The cake can be kept at room temperature for 1 day or in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days.

    Notes

    1. For a gluten-free papaya cake, substitute the plain flour for 1 ½ cups (150g) almond meal and ¾ cup (120g) gluten-free all-purpose flour or fine white rice flour.
    2. Use unrefined coconut oil for a strong coconut flavor or refined coconut oil for less coconut flavor.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 serve | Calories: 300kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 16g | Sodium: 137mg | Potassium: 130mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 147IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 2mg
    Did you Make this Recipe?Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @rainbownourishments on Instagram and hashtag #rainbownourishments!

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.

    Papaya Cake with Crumb Topping
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      Recipe Rating




    1. Melany says

      July 10, 2022 at 8:29 am

      5 stars
      I have only one word to describe this cake: AMAZING! This is the second cake I made from you, my first was the Easy Vegan Passionfruit Cake (another amazing recipe). This papaya cake has the perfect sweetness level to it, moist and flavor. I'm celiac, so I did the gluten-free version, It's so delicious. Thank you so much for adding the gluten-free version! It's always a bit hard to find a good vegan and gluten-free recipe, but I'm always trustful if it is from you. Love your work!
      I'll leave a little piece of advice for people that have a low voltage problem as i do, I did 2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1 teaspoon of baking soda to do the trick, and cooked it at 190°C.

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        August 02, 2022 at 4:19 pm

        Aw what a compliment! I'm so glad you enjoyed the gluten-free version and thank you so much for your ongoing support! Love the tip about having a low-voltage oven too 🙂

        Reply
    2. Mahtab says

      June 15, 2022 at 9:04 pm

      5 stars
      I loved it!!! thank you so much. It is so delicious and the texture is so soft.

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        July 11, 2022 at 4:20 pm

        That's wonderful to hear! Thanks Mahtab!

        Reply
    3. Anna says

      May 04, 2022 at 4:24 am

      5 stars
      I've decided to try this recipe because our garden grows maany papayas and this is a very delicious way of using them! I definitely recommend this recipe; it's super easy and yummy.

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        May 11, 2022 at 4:21 pm

        Aw lucky you! I'm glad that you enjoyed this cake and thanks so much for the feedback 🙂

        Reply
    4. Audreza says

      May 08, 2021 at 2:33 am

      5 stars
      Just made this cake. Lovely colour. The combination is beautiful. I love how your vegan cakes don't taste like a compromise in comparison to normal cakes. Keep up the great work!

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        May 15, 2021 at 7:41 pm

        Aw I'm sooooo happy to hear you enjoyed this and I reall appreciate your words! Thanks so much for your feedback x

        Reply

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