Coffee Cake Recipe
Your brunch menu isn’t complete without this vegan Coffee Cake Recipe! It’s tender and moist, with a brown sugar cinnamon swirl throughout and a buttery, crumbly topping that’s impossible to resist.
This coffee cake recipe is such a treat. A cake that’s made for eating with breakfast? Sign me up! While it won’t be replacing my usual High-Protein Overnight Oats for weekday mornings, coffee cakes are always a welcome addition to a brunch spread and a fun once-in-a-while breakfast on the weekend. My vegan take on the classic is every bit as moist and delicious as the original, and it’s so easy to make too. Just try not to pick all those cinnamon-y crumbly bits off the top while it cools!
Why You’re Going to Flip for This Classic Coffee Cake Recipe
Although it’s vegan, everything else about this coffee cake recipe is traditional. Don’t mess with a classic, right?! Here’s why you’re going to love it.
- Bakery-worthy results. I should know—I used to run my own bakery business! Tender cake, a cinnamon swirl, and a crisp, buttery crumb topping come together for the perfect bite.
- Easy to make. You don’t even need an electric mixer! This cake is fantastic for even beginning bakers.
- Perfect for any occasion, any time of day. Coffee cake is most often served for breakfast or brunch, but I love it as a snack and dessert too. And while it’s great for holiday brunches, it’s easy enough to make anytime!
What You’ll Need
If you bake often, you probably have a lot of the ingredients for this coffee cake recipe in your pantry right now! Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
Cake Batter:
- Ground flaxseed – The vegan egg substitute in this recipe.
- Plant milk – Make sure it’s unflavoured and unsweetened.
- Vegan Greek yogurt – For a tender crumb, richness, and a bit of tangy flavour.
- Vegan butter – You can use my Homemade Vegan Butter or store-bought.
- Light brown sugar
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour – Swap in a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend to make this coffee cake recipe gluten-free.
- Baking powder
- Salt
Cinnamon Sugar Swirl:
- Light brown sugar
- Ground cinnamon – Make sure your cinnamon is fragrant when you open the jar. That means it’s fresh!
Crumb Topping:
- All-purpose flour
- Light brown sugar
- Granulated sugar – Also known as white sugar.
- Ground cinnamon
- Vegan butter – Cold, cubed butter helps make the topping crumbly.
How to Make Vegan Coffee Cake
Here’s a step-by-step guide to making this recipe.
- Prepare. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line your baking pan with parchment paper.
- Make the flax egg. Stir the flaxseed and ½ cup plant milk together and let it thicken for 5 minutes.
- Prepare the cinnamon swirl. Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
- Make the crumb topping. Combine the flour, sugars, and cinnamon, then cut in the cold vegan butter until crumbly.
- Mix the batter. Whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, flax mixture, vegan yogurt, and vanilla until smooth. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt, then stir in the remaining milk.
- Assemble the cake. Spread half of the batter in the pan. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly on top. Add the rest of the batter and top with the crumb mixture.
- Bake. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool and serve. Let the coffee cake cool for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
Tips and Variations
- Don’t overmix. Both the cake batter and the crumb topping will suffer texture-wise if you mix too much. The batter should be mixed just until combined and the crumbs should be, well, crumbly!
- Add nuts. Mix chopped pecans or walnuts into the crumb topping for some crunch.
- Try other spices. Cinnamon is the classic choice for coffee cake, but Pumpkin Pie Spice and other warm spices can be nice too!
Serving Suggestions
I love enjoying a slice of this coffee cake recipe with a Dirty Chai Latte or Pumpkin Spice Latte for a simple weekend breakfast. If I’m making it for a brunch get-together, I’ll serve it alongside savoury options like Vegan Breakfast Pizza or my Overnight Breakfast Strata Recipe.
Storage and Reheating
- Room temperature: Keep this coffee cake covered in the baking dish at room temperature for up to 3 days, or transfer leftovers to an airtight container.
- Freezer: Wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months in a zip-top freezer bag or airtight container. Thaw at room temperature or in the microwave before serving.
More Breakfast Treats & Sweets
Enjoy friends! If you make this coffee cake recipe, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
Vegan Coffee Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake Batter:
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed, 7g
- 1 cup unsweetened plant milk, divided – 240mL
- ½ cup vegan Greek yogurt, 120g
- ½ cup vegan butter, melted – 120g
- 1 ¼ cups packed light brown sugar, 250g
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 10mL
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, 360g
- 2 teaspoons baking powder, 8g
- ¼ teaspoon salt, 1.5g
For the Cinnamon Sugar Swirl:
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar, 100g
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 6g
For the Crumb Topping:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, 120g
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar, 100g
- ¼ cup granulated sugar, 50g
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 3g
- ½ cup cold vegan butter, cubed – 112g
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, stir together ground flaxseed and ½ cup of the plant milk. Let sit for 5 minutes to thicken.
- Prepare the cinnamon swirl: In a separate small bowl, mix brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Make the crumb topping: In a medium bowl, combine flour, both sugars, and cinnamon. Cut in the cold vegan butter with a fork or pastry cutter until the mixture is crumbly. Set aside.
- Make the cake batter: In a large bowl, whisk together melted vegan butter, brown sugar, thickened flax mixture, vegan Greek yogurt, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir gently until just combined. Pour in the remaining ½ cup of plant milk and mix until the batter is smooth and thick. Do not overmix.
- Assemble the cake: Spread half of the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Sprinkle all of the cinnamon sugar mixture over the first layer. Gently spread the remaining batter on top. Evenly sprinkle the crumb topping over the surface.
- Bake for 45–50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature with coffee or tea.
Notes
- Room temperature: Keep covered in the baking dish at room temperature for up to 3 days, or transfer leftovers to an airtight container.
- Freezer: Wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months in a zip-top freezer bag or airtight container. Thaw at room temperature or in the microwave before serving.
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
