Make a rich, moist, luscious vegan coffee cake that is also gluten-free and oil-free. Topped with a cinnamon crumble and drizzled with a sweet glaze, this coffee cake is a decadent breakfast or dessert.
I think there is a general misconception about what coffee cake is.
Contrary to what many people think, coffee cake does not actually contain coffee. A coffee cake is meant to be enjoyed with coffee.
So the flavors are complementary to coffee.
You know a coffee cake is good, if you think to yourself: this would be fabulous with a cup of coffee.
I hope you have this thought about this oil-free, gluten-free, vegan coffee cake.
Jump to:
Just because this cake is gluten free, oil free, and vegan doesn't mean it isn't full of decadence.
The cake itself is soft and moist. It has a lovely sweet flavor, with lots of cinnamon and a bit of nutmeg (nutmeg - the secret to vegan baking imo).
Then there's the crumble topping. A coffee cake can just be a regular cake. But lots of coffee cakes have a crumble - it adds a different texture and more opportunity to ingest sweet, cinnamon flavor.
And finally the glaze. I've listed the glaze as optional but PLEASE make it. It turns this coffee cake from pretty great to absolutely stunning! The glaze is sweet and rich with a bit of tang from vegan yogurt or sour cream. So good.
Why I love this Oil-Free Vegan Coffee Cake
- Dietary needs - this cake is vegan, eggless, gluten-free, dairy-free, oil-free, and refined sugar free. That's right! No vegan butter, no white flour, no sugar, AND made with whole foods.
- Moist, soft, fudgy and rich - this is not a dry, crumbly cake. In fact, it is rich and fudgy and incredibly moist.
- Normal ingredients - I've been known to put some funky ingredients in my baking (hello sweet potato brownies & chickpea red velvet cake) but this recipe has nothing weird. You probably have most of the ingredients in your pantry.
- Easy to make - no equipment necessary!
- Very sweet - it's not as sweet as cake you might get from a bakery or make from a box, but for a plant-based recipe, it's pretty sweet. Great for serving friends or family who aren't used to eating less sugar
- Cinnamon-forward flavor - this cake has lots of cinnamon! It isn't an overwhelming cinnamon, but it's definitely present in the best way possible
- Great with coffee - I mean, it is a coffee cake after all. But let me tell you, this cake is DIVINE with a cup of coffee
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Cake Ingredients
- Flax Egg: ground flaxseed mixed with water creates a gel that acts as an egg replacement. It helps bind the batter together. You can also use ground chia seeds.
- Maple Syrup: maple syrup is the ideal liquid sweetener for this cake. The maple notes pair perfectly with the cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Cashew Butter: instead of using oil, we'll use nut butter as the fat source. Use a neutral-tasting nut butter like cashew butter or almond butter
- Soy Milk: when a gluten-free cake needs a bit of moisture from milk, I like using soy. milk because it adds back some protein that a gf cake is missing from the lack of gluten. That said, any non-dairy milk will work
- Vanilla Extract: you can also use an equivalent amount of vanilla bean paste
- Oat Flour: sometimes I recommend using homemade oat flour in my baked good recipes. I don't recommend it for this recipe though - for a classic cake texture, opt for store bought. That said, homemade oat flour will still work, the cake will just have a coarser texture
- Baking Powder & Soda
- Nutmeg: nutmeg is my secret spice in so many vegan baked goods. Sometimes vegan cakes can lack a little something in the flavor department.. nutmeg has a nutty, earthy, but still sweet taste that really helps create a deep flavor in vegan baking
- Cinnamon: there's cinnamon in every part of this cake - just the right amount of cinnamon creates that sweet, spicy, woody flavor without being overwhelming
- Salt
Crumble Topping Ingredients
- Almond Flour: usually I try to only use one flour in my baking recipes, and oat flour is my go-to, but almond flour plays such a key role in the crumble topping. Almond flour is not as absorbent as other flours so it creates a more crumbly texture, instead of turning into a paste. It also tastes so rich and buttery, contributing to the flavor of the topping.
- Oat Flour: feel free to use store bought or homemade oat flour. Both will work!
- Maple Syrup: instead of sugar we'll use maple syrup. For a completely fruit-sweetened option, you can use date syrup.
- Cinnamon
- Salt
Glaze Ingredients
- Maple Syrup: instead of sugar we'll use maple syrup. For a completely fruit-sweetened option, you can use date syrup.
- Nut Butter: instead of butter we'll use nut butter. Use a neutral-tasting nut butter like cashew butter or almond butter
- Non-Dairy Yogurt or Sour Cream: a bit of tang in this glaze complements the otherwise sweet flavor of the entire cake. Look for a yogurt or sour cream that's on the thinner side
- Cinnamon
- Kosher Salt: this glaze really plays into the sweet and salty flavor combination, so kosher salt is ideal here because it is coarser - you could also use a coarse sea salt
How to make Gluten-Free Vegan Coffee Cake
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9" cake pan or an 8"×8" square brownie pan with parchment paper.
Step 2. In a small bowl, mix the flax egg. Set aside.
Step 3. Make the cake. In a large mixing bowl whisk together the maple syrup and cashew butter.
Step 4. Add the flax egg, non-dairy milk, and vanilla. Mix until just combined.
Step 5. Add the dry ingredients and stir until combined.
Step 6. Pour into the prepared pan. Set aside.
Step 7. Make the topping. In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour, oat flour, maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt. Use a fork to mix only until just combined.
Step 8. Sprinkle the topping topping mixture over the top, ensuring it is evenly distributed.
Step 9. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake feels firm in the center. Let cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes.
Step 10. Make the glaze. In a medium bowl, whisk the maple syrup, nut butter, yogurt/sour cream, cinnamon and salt.
Step 11. Drizzle the glaze over the cake. Slice and serve.
FAQ & Expert Tips
Yes, you can turn recipe into a cupcakes. The batter will translate to 12 cupcakes (maybe a few more).
Line a cupcake tin with liners and fill each one ¾ of the way full.
Bake for 17-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
Since this cake is made from whole foods, it will not act exactly like a regular cake.
Unglazed cake: if you want to bake this cake a day or two before you need it, store your unglazed cake room temperature in an air-tight container or covered tightly with plastic wrap. The cake will on the counter for 3-5 days. Add the glaze right before serving.
Glazed cake: if you want to glaze the entire cake and then store any leftovers, the cake will keep best in the fridge. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for 7-10 days.
Yes. If you plan to freeze a portion of the cake, don't add the glaze. The glaze can be frozen, but it will soak into the cake and not be very glaze-like when defrosted.
Slice the cake, then wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap. Place the slices in a freezer safe bag or container.
To defrost, unwrap the cake, then let it come to room temperature on the counter.
Recipe Prayer
Thank you God for this healthier version of coffee cake. Let us enjoy this cake. Amen.
More Vegan Oil-Free Cakes
Tried this recipe?
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Coffee Cake (Gluten-Free, Oil-Free)
Ingredients
Cake
- 3 Tablespoons Ground Flaxseed + 6 Tablespoons Water
- 1 Cup Maple Syrup
- ¾ Cup Cashew Butter
- ¼ Cup Unsweetened Soy Milk
- 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 Cups Oat Flour
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 Teaspoon Nutmeg
- ½ Teaspoon Cinnamon
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
Crumble Topping
- 1 ½ Cups Almond Flour
- 6 Tablespoons Oat Flour
- 3 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
- 1 Tablespoon Cinnamon
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
Optional Glaze
- ¼ Cup Maple Syrup
- 3 Tablespoons Nut Butter
- 2 Tablespoons Non-Dairy Yogurt or Sour Cream
- 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
- ½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9" cake pan or an 8"×8" square brownie pan with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, mix the flax egg. Set aside.
- Make the cake. In a large mixing bowl whisk together the maple syrup and cashew butter.
- Add the flax egg, non-dairy milk, and vanilla. Mix until just combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and stir until combined.
- Pour into the prepared pan. Set aside.
- Make the topping. In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour, oat flour, maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt. Use a fork to mix only until just combined.
- Sprinkle the topping topping mixture over the top, ensuring it is evenly distributed.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake feels firm in the center. Let cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes.
- Make the glaze. In a medium bowl, whisk the maple syrup, nut butter, yogurt/sour cream, cinnamon and salt.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cake. Slice and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate.
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