This fluffy Vegan Coffee Cake is a delectable after-dinner treat or breakfast to pair with a cup of coffee or tea. Topped with a sweet streusel and vanilla icing, you won’t even notice that it isn’t made with eggs or dairy!
The best finish to a meal is always coffee, tea, and a sweet treat. That’s exactly why I created this Vegan Coffee Cake recipe! It’s warmly spiced, deliciously sweet, and the perfect partner to a cup of iced bulletproof coffee, hot tea, and cold brew coffee.
Baking a vegan coffee cake is as easy as making my apple coffee cake and lavender coffee cake. The eggs and dairy are substituted for vegan-friendly alternatives, which work their magic to infuse moisture into the batter and help the cake rise to fluffy perfection. To finish, the cake is topped with a sweet streusel and an easy vanilla icing, offering a rich sweetness in every bite.
Cut yourself a slice whenever you’re in the mood for a comforting sweet treat for dessert, a snack, or breakfast!
Recipe features
- A dairy and eggless coffee cake recipe. You and your vegan friends will love it!
- It’s impeccably fluffy, light, and moist. Plus, the warm spices and comforting flavors are to die for!
- One of the best desserts to pair with after-dinner coffee or tea. Or sneak a slice for breakfast or an afternoon snack… I won’t tell.
Ingredients
All purpose flour - It’s all you need to give you light and fluffy results.
Cinnamon - Warm spices, like cinnamon, are necessary for coffee cake. You can also add a pinch of nutmeg and/or cardamom for extra warmth.
Sugar - A blend of brown sugar and white sugar not only sweetens the cake but also gives it structure and balanced flavors.
Coffee - You can use brewed coffee or espresso. Decaf works just as well if you don’t want the caffeine.
Dairy free yogurt - The main source of moisture in the cake batter. If you don't have yogurt, plain applesauce should work instead.
Vegan buttermilk - Made from a mix of almond milk and apple cider vinegar. Oat milk or soy milk work well instead, and lemon juice can be substituted for vinegar.
Vegan vanilla icing - A simple vanilla glaze made from powdered sugar, almond milk, and vanilla extract is drizzled over the baked cake for an eye-catching presentation and an extra pop of sweetness.
How to make vegan coffee cake
Step 1: Make the vegan buttermilk. Combine the almond milk and vinegar in a small bowl, then set it aside to curdle for a few minutes.
Step 2: Make the dry mixture. Meanwhile, whisk the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together in a large bowl. Use a pastry blender to cut in the vegan butter until you end up with a crumbly mixture. Set some of the dry mix aside for the streusel.
Step 3: Combine the wet ingredients. Combine the coffee, vanilla extract, and yogurt in a separate bowl. Stir in the milk and vinegar mixture next. Pour the wet mix into the dry mix, then gently fold to combine.
Step 4: Assemble, then bake. Pour the cake batter into your prepared springform pan. Finish the streusel by stirring the remaining melted butter into the crumb mixture you set aside earlier. Sprinkle the crumbly streusel over top of the cake batter, then bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Step 5: Decorate. Set the cake aside to cool while you make the icing. Whisk the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk together, then drizzle it over the cooled cake. Slice and enjoy with a hot cup of coffee or tea!
Tips and FAQs
- Do not overmix the batter. You want small pieces of butter to stay intact when you’re putting the batter together. Also, only stir the wet and dry mixes together until they’re just combined. It’s ok if you have some dry flour streaks left behind!
- To prevent spillage, place the springform pan on a baking sheet when baking.
- Customize the cake with add-ins, like diced apples, warm spices, walnuts, chocolate chips, pecans, etc.
- Feel free to swap the vanilla glaze for my cinnamon maple icing or coconut whipped cream.
Does coffee cake have coffee in it?
Coffee cake isn’t traditionally made with coffee in the batter. It’s only called “coffee cake” because it pairs so well with coffee and tea.
My vegan coffee cake recipe goes against tradition and uses brewed coffee in the batter. Just like in my avocado brownies, the coffee intensifies the comforting warm spices while giving the cake a true coffee taste.
Can it be made gluten free?
I haven’t tested this with anything other than all purpose flour, although a 1:1 gluten free flour blend should work well.
Do I have to use a springform pan?
No, you can bake the cake in a round 8-inch cake pan or a loaf pan instead. A springform pan is best, though, because the sides and bottom release. This prevents the streusel from crumbling and coming off of the top of the cake.
Storage
Room temperature: The baked and cooled cake or leftover slices can be stored in an airtight container on the kitchen counter for up to 3 days.
Refrigerator: It will stay fresh for up to 1 week in the fridge.
Freezer: Wrap the baked and cooled cake in a layer of plastic before freezing for up to 2 or 3 months.
More vegan cake recipes
If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
Vegan Coffee Cake
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup vegan butter cold, divided
- ½ cup brewed coffee
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup dairy-free plain yogurt
- 1 cup almond milk (or milk of choice)
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
For the icing:
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon almond milk (adjust to your desired icing thickness)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a small bowl, combine the milk and apple cider vinegar and allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile in a large bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Then, using a pastry blender or your hands, cut in ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons of the vegan butter until a crumbly mixture is formed (reserve the last 2 tablespoon of butter for later). You want small pieces of oil to remain solid in this mixture (make sure to not overmix). Reserve 1 ¼ cups of this crumb mixture in a small bowl and set aside.
- In another bowl, combine the coffee, vanilla extract, and yogurt. Then, add in the milk with apple cider vinegar and stir to combine. Pour the wet ingredients into the large bowl with the dry ingredients. Fold these together gently until combined (make sure not to overmix).
- Pour the batter into a greased or non-stick 8 ½″ to 9″ springform pan. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoon of butter, then pour it into the reserved crumb mixture and use your fork to combine, creating an even more crumb-like topping. Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the cake.
- Bake for 60-70 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle.
- Allow the cake to rest for 10 minutes. Remove the outside of the spring form pan and allow the cake to cool for another 30 minutes before adding the icing on top.
- To make the icing, just whisk together powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and nondairy milk. Drizzle it across the cake in whatever pattern you like. Store leftover cake in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
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