Vegan Coffee Cake
I’m a sucker for anything with a crunchy crumb topping. Or anything with sugar, really. So it’s about time I veganized some good ’ole coffee cake. This vegan coffee cake is moist and fluffy, with a layer of cinnamon sugar and toasted pecans in the middle, and a simple streusel topping. And you could even top it with a powdered sugar glaze!
If you already saw the ingredients, you might be wondering why the hell there’s no coffee in a vegan coffee cake. Well, it’s simply because it’s a dessert that’s meant to be eaten with a cup of coffee. It’s basically a crumb cake but with less streusel.
Unlike a British coffee cake, which actually contains coffee, this version is usually flavoured with cinnamon. Some add nuts to the cake or streusel, some use the streusel for both the center and top, some just top it and don’t put anything inside…you get the gist. It’s customizable. You could even opt for a spiced streusel if you want.
And fear not, if you’re not a coffee drinker, the cake is just as good on its own or even with a cup of tea. I can attest to it after having gladly consumed a fair few pieces myself at all hours of the day.
How to make vegan coffee cake
The different elements
As mentioned, there’s a few ways to make coffee cake. I opted for a cinnamon sugar and toasted pecan center with a streusel top. The sugar melts and makes for a gooey middle and the pecans add texture along with the streusel.
All the elements (including the cake) are very easy to make and don’t require any special equipment. The cinnamon sugar and streusel are very straightforward. And the cake involves whisking the dry and wet ingredients separately and then combining.
Usually the cake batter includes sour cream to add tang and moisture, so this recipe uses unsweetened vegan yogurt to replicate that. I’ve also added a bit of cornstarch to lighten the cake and make it more tender.
Assembling the coffee cake
Once the nuts are toasted and chopped, the streusel and filling are ready, and the cake batter is made, it’s time to assemble. First, half the batter goes into the lined pan.
Then evenly sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture, followed by the pecans. Avoid putting too much around the edges, that way the top part of the cake has a spot to fuse with the bottom layer.
Spoon the rest of the batter in dollops over the surface to make it easier to spread. Using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, even the batter out. Then scatter the streusel all over surface and bake.
As the cake cools, it might sink a little. That’s normal. Since the center is a soft and gooey sugar layer, it’s malleable and will shift as the whole cake cools completely. Plus, it’s a large and moist cake with the weight of a streusel topping so the structure is more fragile. But if it sinks a lot that probably means your cake was underbaked.
Athough this coffee cake is delicious warm, if you want a perfect cake texture (and a clean slice) you’ll have to let it cool completely (I know, it would be easier to run a marathon). That way the crumb will set and trap in the moisture for a tender and fluffy result.
Storing
Coffee cake is best enjoyed the day it’s made so it’s still crisp on the outside but moist in the middle. But it can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, although the streusel might lose some of it’s crunch. You could also keep it in the fridge for up to a week. I would recommend letting it come to room temperature or microwaving it before enjoying!
If you make this recipe please let me know in the comments! All feedback is very much appreciated and I would love to hear from you! You can also tag me on instagram @the.quaint.kitchen or use the hashtag #thequaintkitchen to share your creations!
Vegan Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Cinnamon sugar + pecans
- 65 g toasted pecans, roughly chopped
- 120 g brown sugar
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- pinch of salt
Streusel
- 150 g brown sugar
- 130 g all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 90 g refined coconut oil, melted
- 10 g plant based milk
Cake
- 300 g all-purpose flour
- 210 g white granulated sugar
- 30 g cornstarch
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 225 g plain unsweetened vegan yogurt, I used coconut
- 150 g neutral oil, (grapeseed, canola, vegetable…)
- 125 g plant based milk
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F and grease and line a 9×9 pan with parchment, leaving some overhang to easily pull out the cake once it’s baked.
Cinnamon sugar + pecans
- Place the pecans on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 6-7 minutes. Keep an eye on them as they burn easily. Then give them a rough chop and set aside (or you could also break them up with your fingers when it’s time to scatter them on the cinnamon sugar).
- In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, cinnamon and salt and set aside as well.
Streusel
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt. Then pour in the melted coconut oil and milk and stir to combine. Keep it in the fridge while you make the cake.
Cake
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the yogurt, oil, milk and vanilla. Pour it into the dry ingredients and stir just until you get a smooth batter.
Assembly
- Pour half the batter (about 535g) into the lined pan and smooth it out with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Evenly sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the entire surface. Try to avoid putting too much around the edges so the batter has a spot to fuse with the top layer of cake.
- Scatter the pecans over the cinnamon sugar, then spoon the rest of the batter in dollops all over the surface to make it easier to spread. Even out the batter and scatter the streusel on top, breaking any huge clumps.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out completely clean. If you see that the top is browning too fast, you can cover it loosely with aluminium foil and continue baking.
- Let it cool about 30 minutes before removing the cake from the pan and transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- *Disclaimer: I have a tiny not-so-great oven, so your bake time may vary from mine.
- I strongly suggest making recipes by weight, if you make them by cups I can’t guarantee that you’ll get the same results.
- The pecans can be replaced with walnuts or left out altogether if you prefer.
I made this for family and friends and everyone loved it!! I’ve tried many vegan cake recipes and they almost always come out dense, but this one was fluffy and moist, and super delicious too! I did use a little less sugar for the streusel and the filling but it turned out great. Thanks for the recipe!!
Thank you so much for the lovely feedback and taking the time to write it Fio! So happy you and your family loved it, it’s one of my favourite recipes!☺️