Vegan Coffee Cake

A slice of vegan coffee cake with icing.

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5 from 9 votes

Cake for breakfast? Don’t mind if I do. I love this simple, classic coffee cake recipe that has a gorgeous ribbon of cinnamon sugar in between its layers and plenty of crumbs on top. The cake is light and tender with the delicious flavors of brown sugar, vegan butter, and cinnamon. What makes this recipe a keeper? Well, it only requires staple ingredients from your pantry and is easy to make any time, any day.

Prep Time20

Cook Time50

Total Time1 10

Course: Brunch, Dessert

Cuisine: Danish, German

Diet: Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 464kcal

Author: Michelle Cehn

Ingredients

Streusel Topping

½ cup all-purpose flour (65g) + 1 tablespoon
¼ cup light brown sugar (55g)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar (30g)
½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
Pinch of salt
¼ cup vegan butter melted + 1 teaspoon (62g)

Cinnamon Sugar

¼ cup light brown sugar (55g)
2 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon (4g)

Coffee Cake

¾ cup unsweetened vegan yogurt + 3 tablespoons (220 ml)
½ cup unsweetened vegan milk (120ml)
½ teaspoon white vinegar
½ cup canola oil (120ml)
1 cup granulated sugar + 1 tablespoon (215g)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (10ml)
2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour (300g)
2 tablespoons cornstarch (16g)
2 teaspoons baking powder (9g)
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

For the streusel topping, combine the all-purpose flour, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon powder, and salt in a bowl. Give it a good mix with a spatula. Pour the melted vegan butter into the flour mixture. Mix everything using a spatula. It will have a crumbly texture. You can store it in the refrigerator until you prepare the coffee cake batter.
For the cinnamon sugar layer, combine the light brown sugar and cinnamon powder in a small bowl. Stir it, and set it to the side.
For the coffee cake batter, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease an 8 x 8 x 2–inch (20 x 20 x 5–cm) square cake tin with baking spray, and line it with baking paper. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the vegan yogurt, vegan milk, and vinegar. Mix both ingredients with a hand whisk. Add the canola oil, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix with a whisk until the granulated sugar is dissolved.
Add the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the yogurt mixture. Mix the batter with the help of a hand whisk. The resulting batter will be fluffy and smooth.
For layering the crumb cake, take your square cake tin that is lined with baking paper, and pour half of the coffee cake batter into it. Then, sprinkle all the cinnamon sugar in an even layer over the cake batter. Once the cinnamon sugar layer is done, pour in the remaining cake batter. This part can get a little tricky, so I generally spoon the batter across the top in small amounts.
Once all the cake batter is poured, spread it evenly using a spatula. Sprinkle a thick layer of the streusel topping over the cake batter. Make sure the streusel topping is cold so that it will bake crisp. Bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes. Check to see if the cake is fully baked by inserting a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean, remove it from the oven. If not, bake it for an additional 5-10 minutes or until inserting a toothpick into the center comes out clean.
Let the crumb cake cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Then carefully lift the cake out of the pan, and let it cool completely on a cooling rack. Cut the cake with a knife into 9 pieces, and serve or store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.

Notes

To keep your coffee cake fresh, store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you want it to last longer, keep it in the fridge for up to a week—just warm it up before eating for the best texture.

For longer storage, freeze individual slices wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in a sealed container or freezer bag. It will stay good for up to 3 months. When you're ready to eat, let it thaw at room temperature or pop it in the microwave for a few seconds.

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