This vegan coffee cake is the best ever! Wholesome and satisfying, this delectable treat is the perfect option for whenever you're craving something sweet with your morning coffee. The whole family will love this delicious morning pastry.
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Want a recipe for the perfect vegan coffee cake? Look no further because this sweet cake is super easy to make and perfect for any occasion including breakfast, brunch, and even dessert. Buttery with a cinnamon filling, this vegan coffee cake is delicious and satisfying.
This is the best coffee cake I've ever had! A gooey center mixed with a homemade crumble topping creates a classical combination that is both luscious and enjoyable.
So easy to make–you will have this sweet cake recipe in less than an hour! This recipe is perfect for whenever you are looking for something simple, satisfying, and comforting. When I'm craving sweet cake for breakfast, this is the recipe I turn to.
If you're wanting to switch things up, try this yummy vegan coffee cake.
Recommended Ingredients & Equipment
This simple dessert doesn't take much! All you need are just some basic ingredients from the kitchen. If you do not already have these ingredients, then it should be very easy to find them at any local grocery store!
Here is what you need.
Ingredient Notes
- Coconut and Granulated Sugar – For a sugar free optin, check out my guide to vegan sugars and alternative sugar replacements. For a healthier sugar alternative, I recommend using all coconut sugar.
- Flour – For healthier flour options, you can use 1:1 gluten-free flour blends, buckwheat, or spelt flour.
- Dairy-Free Milk – I recommend soy milk because it curdles the best. Almond milk, oat milk, and flax milk will often curdle but not as well.
- Flax Egg – This is the binder of the recipe. You could replace it with 1 mashed banana, 1 cup of pumpkin puree, or a variety of other egg replacers.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – Apple cider vinegar is commonly used in vegan baking to curdle the dairy-free milk for a vegan buttermilk alternative. Want to learn more? Check out this helpful article.
- Vegan Butter - Look for a high-quality non-hydrogenated vegan butter. I recommend either Earth Balance or Miyoko’s.
Recommended Equipment
For this vegan coffee cake, you will need mixing bowls, basic kitchen utensils, and an 8x8 baking pan. (<<affiliate links)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step One – Make the Cake
First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line an 8x8 square pan with parchment paper and set it aside.
In a small bowl combine the ground flax seeds with 3 tablespoons of water. Mix together until the flax seeds are thick and gelatinous. They should be a similar consistency to whipped eggs. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and sugar. Add the vanilla extract, flax egg, melted coconut oil, milk, and apple cider vinegar to the dry ingredients and mix until the batter is evenly hydrated and thick.
Pro Tip: Mix until the batter just comes together. Do not over-mix or your cake will become dense and gummy.
Step Two – Make the Filling
In a small box, mix the coconut sugar and cinnamon together.
Spread half the batter in the prepared pan. Next, sprinkle the filling evenly over the cake batter. Add the rest of the cake batter over the top and spread evenly.
Step Three – Make the Crumble
In a bowl add the flour, coconut sugar, and melted butter. Mix together with a spoon or your fingers until it has formed large crumbs. Do not overmix or you will lose the crumb texture.
Step Four – Assemble and Bake
Finally, sprinkle the crumble over the cake batter.
Bake the cake for 30 to 35 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the middle. The toothpick should come out clean or with a few crumbs. Remove from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes before cutting and serving.
Serving and Storing
Serving – Serve this yummy vegan coffee cake warm or at room temperature. I like to serve this coffee cake for breakfast, after weeknight dinners, and even a snack.
Storing – Store this cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, in the refrigerator for five to seven days, or in the freezer for up to three months.
Tips and Tricks
- Don’t over-mix the batter. By alternating the dries and wets into the batter, we are ensuring the batter does not get over-mixed and gummy.
- Do not open the oven door while the cake is baking. This causes the structure to fall leaving you with a dent in the middle of your cake. You can check for doneness after 30 minutes.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. If the cake starts to get dark around the edges, you can cover it with tin foil to bake for the last 10 minutes.
- Bake this coffee cake into muffins by dividing the batter among a lined cupcake pan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not traditionally but any coffee cake recipe is easy to make vegan! If you are looking to veganize your favorite recipe, make. sure to check out my guide on replacing eggs and replacing dairy. That should give you all the tools you need.
Nope! Coffee cake is intended to be enjoyed WITH coffee as it goes hand and hand with it!
There are a couple of reasons why your cake might be flat. Make sure your baking powder is not expired and that it is evenly mixed into the dry ingredients. Also, take care not to overmix your batter. Overmixing will cause the batter to become dense and not rise as much in the oven.
If you don't let your cake cool properly, it may fall apart. Let it cool for at least 30 minutes in the pan before slicing and serving.
Yes. I have had a lot of luck with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. (<<affiliate link). That is the only gluten-free flour I’ve tried for this cake but I’m sure other 1:1 ratio flours would work as well.
More Sweet Brunch Recipes
- Classic Vegan Waffle Recipe
- Pumpkin Coffee Cake
- Vegan Monkey Bread
- Chocolate Chip Scones
- Easy Cinnamon Rolls
Check out all my Vegan Breakfast Recipes for more sweet morning pastries!
Vegan Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Coffee Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup coconut oil, melted
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons non-dairy milk
- 1 tablespoon ground flax
- 3 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Filling
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Crumb Topping
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- 6 tablespoons vegan butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8×8 square pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Begin by making the cake. In a large bowl, add all the dry ingredients and mix well. Once well combined, add in all the wet ingredients and mix until you have a uniform thick batter. Set aside.
- Next, make the filling. In a small bowl, mix together the coconut sugar and the cinnamon.
- Spread half the batter into your lined pan. Sprinkle the filling over the top. Add the other half of the batter over the filling and spread evenly.
- In a bowl add the flour, coconut sugar, and melted butter. Mix together with a spoon or your fingers until it has formed large crumbs (see photo above).
- Top the cake evenly with the crumb topping and bake the cake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Once a toothpick comes out clean, remove the cake from the oven. Let cool completely at room temperature before cutting and serving.
Notes
- Don’t over-mix the batter. By alternating the dries and wets into the batter, we are ensuring the batter does not get over-mixed and gummy.
- Do not open the oven door while the cake is baking. This causes the structure to fall leaving you with a dent in the middle of your cake. You can check for doneness after 30 minutes.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. If the cake starts to get dark around the edges, you can cover it with tin foil to bake for the last 10 minutes.
Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m a 14-year (and counting) vegan, professionally trained photographer, former pastry chef, founder of My Darling Vegan, and author of the
Vince says
How can this be made as a13x9 ?
Robert says
I have switched out all fats/oils for homemade apple sauce and all sweets with date paste. Flax meal works well for any eggs. For flour, many ancient grains work well and even combining some of them works even better. I replace any sodium chloride with potassium chloride, replace usual baking powder which contains aluminum with one from Red Hill without aluminum, replace any baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) with potassium bicarbonate. These types of replacements remove sodium, fat, sugar, and cholesterol and usually result in a tasty result.
Deb Z says
Hi Sarah! Can I sub out the coconut oil for another oil? I really don't want to use coconut if I can use something else.
Thanks!
Iris says
How to substitute coconut sugar
Krista says
Would this work with gluten-free flour?
Avalon says
My gramma made a coffee cake called a McGranahan cake that literally passed down for generations. I'm 64. When I was young I had no idea what a vegan was. I became vegetarian for over 35 years then 6 years ago vegan. I love this cake. I veganized the filling I remembered from my beloved gramma. It's from scratch and I have no idea how much of anything to put in because we just winged it but here goes: cinnamon, melted vegan butter, chopped walnuts, brown sugar. Just make it so it will crumble a little bit. Add 1/2 batter to pan, add filling, add the other half of batter then the rest of filling on top.
Stephanie says
Am i stupid to expect coffee in a coffee cake?
Deb Z says
Hey Stephanie,
You aren't stupid. Coffee is SERVED with coffee cake, hence the name.
Vanessa says
Would love to make this but there is nothing to say in the ingredients how much coffee the recipe needs.
Hamble Girl says
Hi
Having made your delicious chocolate cake 💗I would love to make this choice cake but can’t see the coffee listed in the ingredients. Am I missing it?
Claire 🙂
Heather says
Hi Clare,
Coffee cake is named that way because you HAVE it with coffee. Although I think coffee IN it sounds delicious!
I love Sarah's recipes too. The chocolate crinkles and the brownies are tops!!!
Heather
Aimee B. says
Hi Hamble, I thought I'd answer your question. Hope that's O.K. Coffee cake doesn't contain coffee. It's a kind of breakfast cake that's meant to be served with coffee, hence the term coffee cake. 🙂