Vegan Coffee Cake

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5 from 512 votes
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This vegan coffee cake recipe features a fluffy vanilla cake with a warm cinnamon filling and a sweet cinnamon streusel topping. It’s moist, flavorful, and perfect with your next cup of coffee!

Ready for more vegan cake recipes? Try my vegan chocolate cake, vegan carrot cake, vegan lemon cake, and vegan strawberry cake next.

vegan coffee cake.

Cake and coffee go hand in hand, so why not pair the two to make the perfect dessert? 

Granted, there’s no actual coffee in my vegan coffee cake recipe, but I can’t think of a better pairing with coffee than a delicate, cinnamon-infused cake with a tender crumb and sweet glaze on top. 

Table of Contents
  1. Why I love this recipe
  2. Ingredients needed
  3. How to make vegan coffee cake
  4. Arman’s recipe tips
  5. Storage instructions
  6. More vegan desserts to try
  7. Vegan Coffee Cake (Recipe Card)

Why I love this recipe

  • Simple ingredients. Like my vegan birthday cake, there are no niche ingredients or vegan substitutions needed.  
  • Perfect for cinnamon lovers. Cinnamon is baked into the batter AND the crumble topping. 
  • Surprisingly easy to make. Granted, there a few steps are involved, but I promise everything is simple.

★★★★★ REVIEW

“This was such a good coffee cake. Made it using gluten-free flour, and it was perfect.”Gordo

Ingredients needed

  • All-purpose flour. Sifted to remove any clumps. Use gluten-free flour if needed. 
  • Sugar. I used white sugar, but you can use brown sugar or coconut sugar. Just note the cake will be darker in color. 
  • Baking soda. Gives the cake some rise and fluffiness. 
  • Salt. Amplifies the other ingredients. 
  • White vinegar. Interacts with the baking soda to replace eggs and help the cake rise. I tried apple cider vinegar and wasn’t thrilled about the flavor, so I used white vinegar. 
  • Vanilla extract. A must for any good cake recipe! 
  • Oil. Use a neutral flavored oil, like vegetable oil, canola oil, or refined coconut oil. 
  • Non-dairy milk. I used unsweetened almond milk, but coconut milk, soy milk, or oat milk all work. 
  • Cinnamon. For the cinnamon sugar filling! Use a strong flavored cinnamon, like Saigon cinnamon. 

For the crumble topping:

  • Butter. I recommend using vegan butter from a block, not a spread. The latter often has water added to it, which can affect the texture of the crumb topping. 
  • All-purpose flour. Use gluten-free flour if needed. 
  • Coconut sugar. You want the sugar for the crumble topping to be darker so it has a more robust flavor. I used coconut sugar, but you can use brown sugar. 
  • Cinnamon. Always room for more cinnamon! 
  • Glaze. I used a mixture of powdered sugar and water. 

How to make vegan coffee cake

I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step 1- Prep. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper. 

Step 2- Make the filling and crumb topping. In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon filling ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine the crumble topping ingredients and mix until a coarse texture remains. 

Step 3- Make the cake batter. In a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients. Stir in the wet ingredients until combined.

Step 4- Layer. Spread half of the coffee cake batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the cinnamon filling over it. Pour the remaining cake batter on top and top the batter with the crumble topping. 

how to make a vegan coffee cake.

Step 5- Bake. Bake the cake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Step 6- Add glaze. Let the cake cool completely. Once cool, whisk the glaze ingredients together and drizzle over the top.

vegan coffee cake recipe.

Arman’s recipe tips

  • Feel free to use only brown sugar. Just note the cake will be darker in color. 
  • Keep an eye on the cake. Since oven makes and models differ, yours might take more or less time than mine. If you’re uncertain, check the cake with a toothpick every 5 minutes after the 25-minute mark. 
  • But try to avoid overbaking it. The cake should be pulled from the oven when a toothpick comes out ‘just’ clean. 
  • Enhance the flavor. Add a little nutmeg and cloves to the cinnamon mixture. It won’t detract from the cinnamon, rather, it’ll intensify it. 
  • Add coffee! While traditional coffee cake doesn’t have coffee in it, that doesn’t mean we can’t get creative! Replace ¼ cup of milk with cooled coffee, or add one teaspoon of espresso powder.

Storage instructions

To store: Leftover coffee crumb cake should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days or in the fridge for up to two weeks. 

To freeze: Transfer cake slices to a freezer-ready container and freeze for up to six months.

vegan coffee cake squares stacked on one another.

More vegan desserts to try

coffee crumb cake

Vegan Coffee Cake

5 from 512 votes
This vegan coffee cake recipe features a fluffy vanilla cake with a warm cinnamon filling and a sweet cinnamon streusel topping. It’s moist, flavorful, and perfect with your next cup of coffee!
Servings: 16 servings
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 35 minutes

Ingredients  

For the cake

  • 3 cups all purpose flour gluten free, if needed
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoon white vinegar
  • 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons oil of choice vegetable, canola, etc.
  • 2 cups milk I used unsweetened almond milk

For the cinnamon sugar filling

  • 3/4 cup coconut sugar can use brown sugar * See notes
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon

For the crumb topping

For the glaze

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line a 9 x 13 inch pan and set aside.
  • In a small bowl, mix together the coconut sugar and cinnamon and set aside. In another bowl, make your crumble topping. Mix the vegan butter, coconut sugar, flour, and cinnamon together, until a coarse texture remains. 
  • Prepare the cake. In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Then mix in the vanilla, vinegar, oil, and almond milk.
  • Spread half the cake batter into the lined pan. Sprinkle the cinnamon filling all over the top. Carefully pour the other half of the cake batter on top. Evenly sprinkle the top with the crumble topping.
  • Bake the cake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Once a toothpick comes out clean, remove from the oven.
  • Let the cake cool completely. Once cool, prepare the glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar with water. Drizzle over the top.

Notes

TO STORE: Leftover cake should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days or in the fridge for up to two weeks. 
TO FREEZE: Transfer cake slices to a freezer-ready container and freeze for up to six months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1SquareCalories: 270kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 3gFat: 10gSodium: 344mgPotassium: 25mgFiber: 4gCalcium: 41mgIron: 1mgNET CARBS: 39g
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Author: Arman Liew
Tried this recipe?Give us a shout at @thebigmansworld or tag #thebigmansworld!

Originally published September 2020, updated and republished June 2024

Arman Liew

I’m a two time cookbook author, photographer, and writer, and passionate about creating easy and healthier recipes. I believe you don’t need to be experienced in the kitchen to make good food using simple ingredients that most importantly, taste delicious.

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  1. This recipe is delish! But I keep having a problem with the cook time. I’ve had to leave it in over an hour and still not fully cooked. Maybe it’s because I’m in Florida and the humidity is so high? I’ll keep trying.

      1. 5 stars
        I had the same problem. I turned it up to 400 for an extra 15 minutes to get it to cook fully