Dive into a slice of this soft and fluffy Vegan Coffee Cake, delicately sweetened with maple syrup. The cinnamon and brown sugar filling offers a delightful surprise with every bite, while the brown sugar cinnamon streusel provides a delicious crunch. Perfect for brunches or afternoon teas, this vegan treat, complete with a vanilla icing drizzle, will leave both vegan and non-vegan guests asking for more.
What is a Coffee Cake?
Here in the US, coffee cake is a term commonly used to describe a sweet, often cinnamon-flavored cake, usually with a crumble or streusel topping, that is typically served alongside coffee. Contrary to its name, coffee cake doesn't necessarily contain coffee as an ingredient. The name comes from its traditional accompaniment with a cup of coffee, much like "tea cake" in other cultures is meant to be served with tea.
Moist Texture: Often achieved by adding sour cream or yogurt to the batter.
Toppings: Many coffee cakes have a streusel or crumble topping, and sometimes even a glaze drizzled on top.
Add-ins: They can include ingredients like nuts, fruits (such as blueberries), and chocolate chips.
Spices: Cinnamon is a popular flavor in many coffee cakes, though nutmeg, cloves, and other spices can also be used.
Coffee cakes come in various shapes, such as rounds, squares, or loaf-shaped, and they are a popular treat for breakfast, brunch, or as a snack with afternoon coffee.
Vegan Coffee Cake Ingredients
For the Coffee Cake:
- 1 cup unsweetened almond or oat milk (regular milk is suitable for non-vegans)
- ½ cup melted vegan butter (or regular butter for non-vegans)
- ¾ cup maple syrup
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (For gluten-free, opt for King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten-free flour. Avoid almond or baking flour substitutions.)
For the Cinnamon Sugar Filling:
- 4 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup brown sugar
For the Brown Sugar Cinnamon Streusel:
- 5 tablespoon melted vegan butter (or regular butter for non-vegans)
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (For gluten-free, opt for King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten-free flour. Avoid almond or baking flour substitutions.)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
For the Vanilla Icing:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened almond or oat milk (or regular milk for non-vegans)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
How To Make a Vegan Coffee Cake
- Preheat the Oven: Begin by heating your oven to 375°F.
- Prepare the Streusel: In a small mixing bowl, combine melted vegan butter, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon to craft a delightful crumble. Put aside for later use.
- Craft the Cake Batter: In a separate mixing bowl, blend almond milk, melted vegan butter, maple syrup, vanilla, baking powder, and baking soda. Slowly introduce the flour, mixing until just combined to avoid over-mixing.
- Layer the Cake: Pour half of your batter into a pre-greased 8 or 9-inch cake pan. Generously sprinkle cinnamon and brown sugar over this layer. Carefully top with the remaining batter. Finish with an even spread of your streusel topping. Shield your cake pan with foil.
- Baking Time: Position your cake in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Post the initial 30 minutes, eliminate the foil and continue baking for an additional 20-30 minutes. The cake is perfectly baked when a toothpick inserted returns clean.
- Icing (Optional): As your cake bakes, consider crafting an icing by whisking together powdered sugar, almond milk, and vanilla. Once baked, allow your cake to cool slightly before drizzling this icing over the top.
- Serve and Enjoy: Present your delicious coffee cake warm, ideally paired with a comforting beverage of your choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cool Completely: Before storing, ensure the coffee cake has completely cooled to room temperature. This will prevent condensation from forming inside the storage container, which could make the cake soggy.
Plastic Wrap or Aluminum Foil: Wrap the coffee cake tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. This helps retain moisture and prevents the cake from drying out.
Airtight Container: Place the wrapped cake inside an airtight container for an added layer of protection.
Room Temperature: If you plan to eat the coffee cake within 1-2 days, store it at room temperature in a cool, dry place.
Refrigerate: If storing for more than two days, consider refrigerating it. Keep in mind that refrigeration may slightly alter the texture, making it a bit firmer. Before serving, allow it to come to room temperature to enjoy its original texture.
Freezing: If you want to store the coffee cake for an extended period, you can freeze it. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil or place it in a freezer bag. Properly stored, it can last in the freezer for up to three months. To serve, thaw it overnight at room temperature.
Vegan Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Vegan Coffee Cake
- 1 cup unsweetened almond or oat milk regular milk will also work if not vegan
- ½ cup melted vegan butter regular butter will also work if not vegan
- ¾ cup maple syrup
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ¾ cup regular or gluten free all purpose flour If gluten-free, I recommend King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten-free flour. Please don't substitute any other flour such as almond flour, baking flour, etc.
Cinnamon Sugar Filling
- 4 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup brown sugar
Brown Sugar Cinnamon Streusel
- 5 tablespoon melted vegan butter regular butter will also work if not vegan
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 cup regular or gluten free all purpose flour If gluten-free, I recommend King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten-free flour. Please don't substitute any other flour such as almond flour, baking flour, etc.
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Vanilla Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened almond or oat milk regular milk will also work if not vegan
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Vegan Coffee Cake Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375.
- In a small mixing bowl, prepare the streusel topping by adding the melted vegan butter, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon together and mixing until a crumble forms. Set aside.
- Mix the almond milk, melted vegan butter, maple syrup, vanilla, baking powder, and baking soda. Add the flour and mix until combined. Don't over-mix.
- Pour half of the batter into a greased 8 or 9 inch cake pan. Sprinkle the cinnamon and brown sugar over the batter. Then, evenly and carefully spread the remaining batter over the cinnamon and sugar. Evenly sprinkle the streusel topping over the cake and cover the cake pan with foil.
- Bake for 30 minutes, then, remove the foil and bake for another 20-30 minutes (times will vary based on material and size of pan) until you can stick a toothpick down the center of the cake and it comes out clean. While the cake is baking, option to whisk together powdered sugar, almond milk, and vanilla to make the icing to drizzle over the cake. Enjoy!
Rose says
Looks fantastic! Can I use coconut oil as a substitute for vegan butter? Are the directions the same? Thanks!
Jillian Glenn says
Hi there, yes you can!
Sue says
Can I sub coconut sugar for the brown sugar?
Rose says
Can I use coconut oil instead?
Jillian Glenn says
Yes you can!
Kalena says
Can I use coconut milk instead?
Jillian Glenn says
The fat content of coconut milk is much higher than it is in almond milk. I would recommend a reduced fat coconut milk!
Rin Cece says
Cake tastes great but sadly it was not soft and fluffy as you described! The end result was a dense and heavy cake even after following the exact recipe. Maybe it could have been the gluten free flour blend I used (Bob's Red Mill 1 for 1 Gluten Free Flour) Anyway will have to try to find another way I guess :/
Jillian Glenn says
Hi Rin, be sure you used Bob's Red 1:1 All Purpose Flour (or one of the other flours that I have recommended in the recipe) and not Bob's Red 1-1 Baking Flour. Their baking flour is not an all purpose flour which is what the recipe requires and that would be why it didn't get fluffy!
Karen Cunningham says
I love your food, i am a recent vegan and was struggling to find a nice desert, yours really hit the mark, but please can you tell me how to make a coffee cake as i dont know what to use to make it really coffee like. Thank you.
JillianGlenn says
Thanks so much for trying my recipes!! I’m so happy to hear you’ve enjoyed them. Definitely check out the two coffee cake recipes I have on my website 🙂
Kim says
Could I use Oat milk instead of almond milk?
Jillian Glenn says
Absolutely!
Theresa says
The BEST coffee cake! It is a favorite in our house and on our weekly Sunday must make list!
Jillian Glenn says
So wonderful to hear this!! Thank you for trying my coffee cake recipe! So happy you and your family have enjoyed it!
Essie says
I’m going to try this for my wife’s bday this week. Looks so yummy! Have you ever tried it in a Bundt pan?
Jillian says
Can't wait to hear how she likes it! The only thing I am thinking would be challenging would be how to add the crumble topping with the bundt pan since it would need to be flipped.
Marybeth says
What is the best way to store this cake? I made it and it tastes delicious!
Jillian says
I usually keep it wrapped in plastic on the countertop 🙂 happy you enjoyed!
A_Hart_Apart says
Made this as a late night snack….oh my goodness….it’s heavenly. Light and fluffy. Just the right amount of cinnamon. I did lower the oven temp a little because I used a glass baking dish and my oven seems to be running a little on the high side. Thank you for a FANTASTIC recipe that I will make many times for certain. 🙂
Jillian says
Hi friend, so happy to hear that you enjoyed my recipe! Thank you so much for trying it!