Best Vegan Coffee Cake Recipe (2024)

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5 from 8 votes

45 minutes minutes

by Marly

20

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Vegan coffee cake is a decadent, buttery treat with a cinnamon-infused filling and streusel topping. Coffee cake is perfect for breakfast, especially when paired with a cup of coffee or hot tea.

Best Vegan Coffee Cake Recipe (1)

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Vegan Breakfast Cake

My latest breakfast obsession is all things coffee cake. It’s funny because I used to think coffee cake meant cake made with coffee. As a person sensitive to caffeine, it made me wonder, does coffee cake have caffeine?

Once I learned it was so much more than that, I was hooked. Of course, that meant I had to figure out a way to make a coffee cake vegan.

Turns out, that’s pretty darn easy. So, that means this delicious coffee cake recipe is equal parts dairy-free and scrumptious!

Key Ingredients

You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe, including substitution ideas:

  • Sugar — You’ll need both brown sugar and granulated sugar for this recipe.
  • Ground cinnamon — Both the filling and the crumble topping use ground cinnamon.
  • Cocoa powder — I like adding cocoa powder to the filling to give it a darker color. It’s not enough to add flavor, but the drama it adds between layers of coffee cake is fantastic.
  • Flour — We’ll use all-purpose flour for the filling, the topping, and the cake.
  • Vegan butter — It’s essential to use vegan butter rather than a tub of margarine, which has more water. The higher fat content of vegan butter is critical to getting the right texture.
  • Vegan Buttermilk — We’ll make vegan buttermilk by combining plant-based milk (almond milk or soy milk are my go-to favorites, although oat milk is another great option) and apple cider vinegar.
  • Vegan yogurt— We’ll use vegan yogurt to substitute the volume created from eggs. I like using plain vegan yogurt like Foragers Cashew Yogurt. You can substitute vegan sour cream.
  • Egg Substitute — To substitute the binding power of eggs, we’ll use a combination of cornstarch and ground flaxseed.
  • Baking powder — To add lift to the cake, the perfect leavening agent is baking powder.
  • Salt — To add complexity of flavor, a bit of salt will be added to the batter.

If you live in Australia or the UK, all-purpose flour may not mean much to you. Learn more about how all-purpose flour and plain flour are the same things.

How to Make Vegan Coffee Cake

  1. Stir together the crumble topping, cover, and refrigerate.
  2. Make the filling, cover, and refrigerate.
  3. Cream vegan butter, add sugar, and beat for 2 minutes.
  4. Pour in the plant-based buttermilk, ground flax meal, and cornstarch.
  5. Beat again until just combined.
  6. Stir together dry ingredients.
  7. Stir this in with the wet mixture to create the batter.
  8. Pour half of the batter and use a spatula to spread it evenly across the pan.
  9. Add the filling and cover with the remaining cake batter.
  10. Add the topping and use a spatula to gently press it into the batter.
  11. Bake for about 50 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake, comes out clean.

It’s so easy to make vegan coffee cake without eggs or dairy. Let’s go through this step-by-step.

Step-by-Step Instructions

This recipe is lengthy enough that I thought some detailed instructions would be helpful.

Step One: Make the Streusel Topping

I like to make the streusel topping first because that way once the cake batter is made, we can add the topping immediately and get it into the oven. This helps take advantage of the learners in the batter to get a nice, fluffy cake.

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  1. Make the crumble topping by stirring together brown sugar, cinnamon, a pinch of salt, and vegan butter.
  2. Then stir in the flour, cover, and refrigerate.

Step Two: Make the Cinnamon Filling

Best Vegan Coffee Cake Recipe (3)
  1. In a small bowl, stir together the filling ingredients.
  2. Stir to form a soft crumb.
  3. Refrigerate.

Step Two: Make Coffee Cake Batter

Next, prepare the coffee cake batter. Here are the steps.

  1. Combine the milk and vinegar to make buttermilk. Set aside.
  2. Cream vegan butter. Add sugar and beat together for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
    Best Vegan Coffee Cake Recipe (4)
  3. Beat in the buttermilk, ground flax meal, cornstarch, and vegan yogurt.
    Best Vegan Coffee Cake Recipe (5)
  4. Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt.
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  5. Add the flour mixture to the milk mixture.
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  6. Stir until just combined.
    Best Vegan Coffee Cake Recipe (8)

Step Three: Assemble the Coffee Cake

  1. Pour half of the batter into the prepared baking dish.
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  2. Use a spatula to spread the batter across the pan.
    Best Vegan Coffee Cake Recipe (10)
  3. Sprinkle the filling over the top.
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  4. Pour the remaining coffee cake batter on top of the filling.
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  5. Use a spatula to spread the cake batter evenly.
    Best Vegan Coffee Cake Recipe (13)
  6. Distribute the topping evenly over the cake batter and press it in lightly.Best Vegan Coffee Cake Recipe (14)

Step Four: Bake

  1. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes until the edges of the cake are golden brown and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
  2. Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool before serving.

Storage Tips

Cover coffee cake or transfer slices to an airtight container. It will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 7 days. It can also be frozen for up to 2 months.

Marly’s Tips

  • Make sure the butter is softened by leaving it out on the counter for about 30 minutes
  • You can double the crumble topping if you like more streusel
  • Add 1 cup of peeled, sliced apples to the batter to make vegan apple coffee cake
  • To make vegan coffee cake muffins, pour the batter into greased or papered muffin tins and then distribute the crumble topping evenly over each muffin before baking.
  • Make vegan blueberry coffee cake by adding 1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries on top of the filling.
  • Make this into a sugar-free coffee cake by using Swerve sweetener. It bakes 1:1 like sugar.
Best Vegan Coffee Cake Recipe (15)

New to Vegan Baking?

The idea of making cookies, cakes, or muffins without eggs or dairy can seem like a hill too tall to climb. But with the simple tips in my Guide to Vegan Baking, you’ll be baking like a vegan pro in no time!

Serving Suggestions

Serve slices of this butter coffee cake with any of the following:

  • A hot beverage of your choice, such as coffee or tea
  • Vegan Hot Chocolate
  • Hot Chocolate Tea
  • Iced Golden Milk
  • Vegan Chocolate Milk
  • A tall glass of Pecan Milk with a touch of cinnamon is nice, too.

More Vegan Pastries

If you love this vegan coffee cake, you’ll want to try even more vegan breakfast pastries. Here are some favorites:

Vegan Coffee Cookies

22 mins total

Vegan Chocolate Coffee Cake

75 mins total

Vegan Custard Toast

17 mins total

Best Vegan Coffee Cake Recipe (20)
Best Vegan Coffee Cake Recipe (21)

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Best Vegan Coffee Cake Recipe (22)

Best Vegan Coffee Cake Recipe (23)

Vegan Coffee Cake

This is the best vegan coffee cake ever starting with a soft cake, a cinnamon-infused filling and a buttery crumbly topping to finish it off. It may be the best way to start out the day!

5 from 8 votes

Print Pin Rate Save

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Resting time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 12

Calories: 382kcal

Author: Marly McMillen

Ingredients

Crumble Topping

  • cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • cup vegan butter , softened

Filling

  • ½ cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon cocoa powder (for color)
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons vegan butter, softened

Coffee Cake

  • 1 cup plant-based milk
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • ¾ cup vegan butter
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup vegan yogurt (see notes)
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C. Spray a 9×9 pan with vegetable spray.

For the Crumble Topping:

  • Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, a pinch of salt, and vegan butter in a bowl. Stir to combine. Add the flour and stir until combined. Refrigerate (no need to cover it).

For the Filling:

  • In a small bowl, stir together the filling ingredients. Stir until a soft crumb forms. Refrigerate (no need to cover it).

For the Coffee Cake:

  • Combine the milk and vinegar to make buttermilk. Set aside.

  • In a large mixing bowl use an electric mixer to cream together the vegan butter and sugar. You can use a spoon but stir vigorously until light and fluffy. Beat in the buttermilk, ground flax meal, cornstarch, and vegan yogurt.

  • In a medium-size bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine. Add the flour mixture to the milk mixture. Stir until just combined.

Coffee Cake Assembly:

  • Pour half of the batter into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the filling over the top. Pour the remaining coffee cake batter on top of the filling. Distribute the topping evenly over the top of the cake batter and press it in lightly.

  • Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake, comes out clean. The crumble topping should be golden brown.

  • When done, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.

(The products above contain sponsored links to products we use and recommend)

Notes

Icing

Make it dramatic by adding a drizzle of icing on top. Combine 1/2 cup powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon of vanilla-flavored plant-based milk. Stir to combine and drizzle over the top.

Cocoa Powder

We’ll add cocoa powder to the filling to give it a dramatic contrast between the filling and the cake. You can leave it out or substitute a tablespoon of molasses.

Make-Ahead

You can make the batter the night before and assemble the cake in the pan, then cover and bake it in the morning. You’ll need to add about 5 minutes of bake time to make up for the chilliness of the dough.

Vegan Yogurt

You can substitute vegan sour cream or whipped silken tofu.

Calories: 382kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 266mg | Potassium: 180mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 958IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 103mg | Iron: 2mg

The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Did you make this recipe?

Leave a rating below then tag @namelymarly on Instagram and hashtag it #namelymarly. I love seeing your creations!

This post was originally published in 2015 and was updated to include new photos, new text, and an updated recipe in 2022.

Best Vegan Coffee Cake Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is my vegan cake not fluffy? ›

CAKE NOT RISING

This can be caused by a few things already mentioned such as using the wrong egg replacer or over mixing. I always recommend using fresh raising agents. Generally, baking soda and baking powder only stay active for 3 months after opening.

How do you keep a vegan cake from crumbling? ›

To prevent your vegan cake from crumbling apart, use binding ingredients like flax eggs or applesauce, measure your ingredients accurately, avoid overmixing the batter, and bake at the correct temperature for the recommended amount of time.

How do you increase the flavor of coffee in a cake? ›

Here's how we made it happen:
  1. Infuse the Batter With Coffee Two Ways. Bakers know that that the easiest way to get coffee flavor into a baked good is to add instant espresso powder to the batter. ...
  2. Add a Mocha Swirl. ...
  3. Pack the Crumb Topping with Coffee, Too. ...
  4. Finish with a Boozy Latte Glaze.
Apr 28, 2015

What does adding coffee to cake mix do? ›

Its rich, bittersweet flavour adds depth to cakes, cheesecakes, pies, cookies, muffins, loaves, and soufflés. It boosts the chocolatey appeal of Fudge Layer Cake with Chocolate Avocado Icing, Coffee Brownies and soft, fudgy Coffee Chocolate Crinkle Cookies.

What is the secret to light fluffy cakes? ›

Leavening agents, such as baking powder and baking soda, play a crucial role in making cakes rise and achieve a fluffy texture. These agents produce carbon dioxide gas when combined with liquid and heat, creating air pockets that lighten the batter.

What makes a cake dense and not fluffy? ›

There's a big chance your butter and sugar will over-cream, meaning the butter will trap more air than it should. As the batter bakes, that extra air will deflate and leave you with an overly dense cake. It's all science! For best results, cream butter and sugar together for about 1-2 minutes.

What to avoid when baking vegan? ›

Dairy, whether it's milk or yogurt or sour cream, helps keep baked goods moist. It's also unfortunately not vegan. But don't skimp on the creamy stuff—it really helps to make a dense and luscious-textured pastry. Experiment with alt-milks, like almond milk.

Why do vegan cakes need vinegar? ›

Vinegar works a little bit differently from flax and chia; it reacts with the baking soda in the recipe to create extra lift, resulting in the lightest, fluffiest vegan chocolate cake you'll ever have. And no, you won't taste the vinegar—it simply enhances the overall flavour of the cake without distracting from it.

Why are vegan cakes so dry? ›

Lack of Eggs: Eggs provide structure, moisture, and leavening in traditional cakes. Vegan cakes typically replace eggs with alternatives like flax eggs, applesauce, or mashed bananas, which may not provide the same lightness and binding properties.

What makes coffee cake taste like coffee cake? ›

No, coffee cake does not taste like coffee. There is no coffee or caffeine in this cake despite its name. This streusel cake tastes like a lightly sweetened cake and oftentimes has spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.

Why my coffee cake doesn t taste like coffee? ›

Basically, it's a case of not looking at coffee exclusively as a dry ingredient - try adding it to your cake mix in its liquid form. And don't be afraid to keep it nice and punchy, as the rest of the ingredients will dilute the flavor significantly.

Which coffee is best for baking? ›

You just want the flavor of the coffee, and that's either in liquid coffee or instant coffee that dissolves easily. Espresso is recommended because it's stronger—that is, more coffee flavor for less liquid. If you use coffee, of course, you have to delete that amount of liquid from the recipe.

Why is my coffee cake so dry? ›

A dry cake is usually the result of one of the following pitfalls: using the wrong ingredients, making mistakes while measuring or mixing the batter, or baking the cake too long or at too high a temperature. Once you understand which common cake-baking blunders to avoid, you'll know how to bake a moist cake every time.

What compliments coffee cake? ›

Classic pairings include a cup of plant-based yogurt, granola, and some freshly-cut fruit. These dishes compliment the sweetness of the coffee cake. Or for a more savory breakfast, you could serve scrambled tofu with a side of roasted vegetables like bell peppers and asparagus.

Can I put coffee in a box cake mix? ›

Boost the flavor of a boxed chocolate cake mix by adding hot water instead of tap. The hot water helps to "bloom" the cocoa (just like adding hot water to coffee grounds). Speaking of coffee, instead of making your cake mix with hot water, try replacing it with strong brewed coffee.

Why are vegan cakes dense? ›

Vegan cakes can sometimes be denser than their non-vegan counterparts due to the absence of certain ingredients that contribute to the structure and texture of traditional cakes. Eggs, in particular, provide leavening, moisture, and binding properties in conventional cakes.

Why don t vegan cakes rise? ›

Leavening Agents: Eggs play a crucial role in leavening non-vegan cakes, but in vegan baking, bakers must find suitable alternatives to provide the necessary rise and lightness. Baking powder, baking soda, and vinegar combinations are commonly used to replace the leavening properties of eggs.

Why is my vegan cake stodgy? ›

There's too much liquid in the batter

However, if you add too much, your vegan cake will turn out dense and stodgy. The fat-to-flour-to-vegan milk ratio has to be perfectly balanced. Too much or too little of one ingredient can cause a baking fail.

Why is my eggless cake rubbery? ›

Why is my Eggless Cake rubbery? Your Eggless Cake can be rubbery for two main reasons: overmixing the batter and using too much flour. Overmixing develops tough gluten (elastic protein in flour), while too much flour adds density.

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