Vegan Coffee Cake

This Vegan coffee cake is fluffy, moist and bursting with cinnamon! This easy and quick recipe is delicious for any occasion. It is especially great for holidays, Christmas brunch, weekend mornings and more. This Vegan cinnamon coffee cake is also gluten free and made with pantry staples!

For more eggless breakfast ideas, check out these Vegan Breakfast Ideas!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• This Vegan coffee cake is quick and easy to make.
• It has the perfect moist texture.
• The cinnamon swirl adds the best flavor.
• This recipe is made without chia eggs, without flax eggs and without any Vegan egg replacements.
• In fact, this recipe utilizes only pantry staples.
• This recipe is Vegan, dairy free, and gluten free.
• Use oat milk to make this coffee cake nut free.
• Check out this Paleo Almond Flour Coffee Cake for another delicious idea.
• My other favorite Vegan cake recipe? This Vegan Pineapple Upside Down Cake!

What is Coffee Cake?

Despite its name, coffee cake does not contain coffee. Coffee cake is typically a one layer cake made with cinnamon. In addition, coffee cake usually has a crumb topping or streusel topping.

This light and fluffy cake is typically flavored with cinnamon. Common variations include blueberry, banana, chocolate and nuts.

Coffee cake can be eaten for breakfast, brunch, with afternoon tea, or as dessert. It is just sweet enough!

Ingredients & Substitutions

These are the main ingredients and substitutions for Vegan coffee cake. Scroll down to the recipe card for full ingredients list and instructions.

The cinnamon swirl is made from coconut sugar and cinnamon. Substitute brown sugar for coconut sugar if needed.

Use any type of Vegan milk. Almond milk, coconut milk, cashew milk and oat milk are great options.

Apple cider vinegar reacts with the milk while baking. This allows the cake to rise.

Granulated sugar adds a great sweetness without being overpowering.

Use a lightly flavored neutral oil. Avocado oil and light olive oil are great options.

A little vanilla extract adds a great flavor.

Both gluten free 1 to 1 flour and all purpose flour work. For gluten free, use gluten free flour.

Both baking powder and baking soda help leaven this cake.

Add a pinch of sea salt to the batter if desired.

A little melted Vegan butter adds moisture! Feel free to use melted coconut oil in its place.

Vegan Baking

Vegan baking has its challenges. Baking without butter, without eggs, and without milk can be tough.

There are several Vegan egg replacements. Chia eggs, flax seeds, and egg replacers are common in Vegan baking recipes.

For this recipe, there are no egg replacements. Since coffee cake is meant to be moist and soft, no egg replacements are required. I tested this recipe using applesauce as an egg replacement and it was much too dense.

For those reasons, no egg replacements are needed for this Vegan coffee cake. This ensures the perfect light, airy and moist texture.

Taste & Texture

This Vegan coffee cake tastes like classic cinnamon coffee cake. In addition, it is perfectly sweet, cinnamon flavored, and cozy.

The texture is light, airy, moist, soft and fluffy. The cinnamon topping gets very slightly crispy.

How to Make

Step 1

First, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line an 8 inch by 8 inch pan with parchment paper.

Step 2

In a small bowl, combine coconut sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

Step 3

In a large mixing bowl, add milk, apple cider vinegar, granulated sugar, avocado oil and vanilla extract. Stir to combine.

Step 4

Next, add in flour, baking powder and baking soda. Stir to combine.

Step 5

Add ⅔ of the coffee cake batter to the lined pan. Then, spread out into an even layer.

Step 6

Sprinkle ½ of the cinnamon sugar mixture on top.

Step 7

Then, top with remaining cake batter. Sprinkle the rest of the cinnamon sugar on top.

Step 8

Next, drizzle melted Vegan butter on top.

Step 9

Then, bake for 27 to 30 minutes or until coffee cake has risen and the cinnamon sugar topping is bubbly. Insert toothpick into cake to make sure it is baked through.

Step 10

Finally, remove from oven. Allow coffee cake to cool for 1 hour before slicing and serving.

Expert Tips & Tricks

Avoid over mixing the cake batter.

Use coconut sugar or brown sugar.

Use either gluten free 1 to 1 flour or all purpose flour.

Any type of Vegan milk works.

Do not over bake. Insert toothpick or knife into cake. If it comes out clean, coffee cake is done baking. If toothpick comes out with batter on it, continue baking.

Variations & Add Ins

This Vegan coffee cake is delicious as is, but consider these mix ins.

Mini chocolate chips

Blueberries

Dried cranberries

White chocolate chips

Dark chocolate chips

How to Serve & Store

Serve Vegan coffee cake once cool enough to handle. Cool for at least one hour after baking.

This coffee cake goes well with hot coffee, iced coffee, milk, and Vegan hot chocolate.

Pair it with fresh fruit and a drizzle of maple syrup. It is great served alongside this Vegan Pound Cake.

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Store in fridge for up to 5 days.

Frequently Asked Questions

You May Also Like

• Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
• Vegan Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Coffee Cookies
• Vegan Mug Brownie
• Vegan Zucchini Muffins

If you make this Vegan coffee cake recipe, I would really appreciate a review! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. I would love for you to follow along!  For more ideas, check out these Vegan Recipes.

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