I never realized how much confusion there was around Coffee Cake!
Depending on where you come from in the world the very term “coffee cake” can mean something slightly different
Even here in America Coffee Cake is a little confusing since we have about three different meanings for it too!
Is it a cake made with coffee?
Nope.
Well then, “where is the coffee?”
To me coffee cake is nothing more than something like the good ol’ Entenmanns that my mom would bring home with her for our breakfast after working the night shift!
It was then that my love of cake for breakfast became a reality that stuck with me right into adulthood!
Simply a hunk of moist vanilla cake topped with thick cinnamon and buttery streusel topping!
#breakfastofchampions
Oh yeah, by the way the whole reason it is named coffee cake in the first place is because it is meant to be eaten in the morning with your coffee!
It doesn’t even have any coffee in the recipe!
However when I first started sharing my famous Bakery Style Crumb Buns recipe about a decade ago, I mentioned how most people in my bakery called that coffee cake!
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- Pumpkin Crumb Buns
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- Blueberry Crumb Buns
To me that was a misnomer because my Crumb Buns recipe is a yeast bun, not a cake!
So today let’s clear up all the semantics and confusion and make the true representation of the Coffee Cake!
With a simple one bowl cake mix and piles of cinnamon, buttery streusel on top!
All baked together for the best coffee cake you will ever try!
You will notice I put a layer or pecan cinnamon filling between the cake and the streusel topping
While it is not always done this way, I definitely recommend it for a huge pop of cinnamon in each bite!
Additionally this entire recipe can be made into Coffee Cake muffins!
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL YOUTUBE VIDEO TUTORIAL FOR HOW TO MAKE THIS COFFEE CAKE
For more awesome cinnamon breakfast recipes click the links below
Vegan Apple Cinnamon Pop Tarts
For muffins it will most likely yield 24- bake for about 30 minutes
I recommend to make the pecan filling & the streusel topping first so it is ready once the cake batter is mixed
- For the Streusel topping:
- Light Brown Sugar Packed ⅓ cup (70g)
- Vegan Granulated Sugar ½ cup (100g)
- Salt ½ teaspoon (3g)
- Ground Cinnamon ½ teaspoon
- Vegan Butter Cold 12 Tablespoons (170g)
- Cake Flour 1½ cups + 2 Tablespoons (195g)
- For the Pecan Filling:
- Pecan lightly toasted ½ cup (100g)
- Light Brown Sugar ¼ cup (50g)
- Cinnamon 1 teaspoon
- For the Coffee Cake Batter:
- Soy Milk 1½ cups (355ml)
- White Vinegar 1½ Tablespoons (21ml)
- Vegan Butter ½ cup (113g)
- Coconut Oil *Or any vegetable oil of your choice ½ cup (117ml)
- Granulated Sugar 1¾ cup (350g)
- Salt ½ teaspoon
- Vanilla Extract 2 teaspoons (10ml)
- All Purpose Flour 3 cups (375g)
- Baking Soda 2 teaspoons *in the video I accidentally said "baking soda AND baking powder" that was an error- this recipe only calls for baking soda
- Grease and parchment line a 9" x 9" cake pan and preheat the oven to 350°F
- First prepare the struesel topping by creaming the cold butter with both sugars - about 2 minutes.
- Add the cinnamon, salt and flour and mix just until combined
- Sprinkle the topping out onto a parchment lined sheet pan an d freeze until needed
- Next prepare the pecan filling by combining all the ingredients in a food processor and process fine. Reserve.
- Prepare the cake batter by combining the coconut oil (*or vegetable oil of your choice) with the vegan butter together in a small sauce pot and gently melt over a medium heat.
- Combine the soy milk with the vinegar and let stand for 5 minutes to thicken.
- Add the vanilla extract to that and then add the melted vegan butter & coconut oil combination to the thickened milk mixture
- Sift all the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl, including the sugar.
- Pour the wet ingredients in and whisk to a smooth batter
- Pour the batter into your prepared pan and then sprinkle the pecan filling over top
- Next break up any large chunks of the struesel topping and sprinkle it over the pecan filling and cake batter.
- bake immediately in a preheated 350°F oven for 30 minutes, then turn the oven down to 300°F and bake for another 20-25 minutes or when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan then serve warm!
- A dusting of powdered sugar is optional!
- Dunk in your coffee for the true experience of a COFFEE CAKE!
For longer storage refrigerate for up to 1 week wrapped tight for freshness or freeze for up to 1 month
3.5.3251
3.5.3251
Can I use walnuts instead of pecans?
Is there anyway to lessen the oil and sugar amount in the cake?
Hey there, yes you can sub in some applesauce for a portion of the oil/vegan butter – up to half the amount substitute
The sugar can be reduced slightly, but aids in a soft tender crumb, I find that taking out too much sugar in a recipe like this one results in a corn-bread-like texture.
You could alternatively replace some of the sugar with a diabetic sweetener or a liquid sugar like agave or maple syrup- while those are still SUGARs some people like to use more “natural sugar” vs the refined granulated
The video says “baking powder and soda”, but the written recipe doesn’t include baking powder in the ingredients list?
Help!?
Woops! Sorry about that! I will make a notation here on the recipe thankyou for pointing it out!
I sometimes say incorrect things on the video in my speaking that I don’t catch~ But the written blog post will always be correct! *So it is only baking soda here!
Firstly I wanna say I stumbled across your YouTube video explaining the reasons you don’t have any of your old recipes. Switched to vegan. I applaud your honesty. I’m not vegan, but I’m striving to eliminate more animal products from our diet.
I’m soooo glad I came across your vegan recipe blog!! I’ve baked vegan quite often, and it certainly can be tricky. And I’m an experienced baker…50 years and counting. This coffee cake was so delicious. Moist, tender. But can’t make too often, cause my waistline won’t like it!! 🥰
Hey! Thank you for your comment and open mind to try new ways! I am so happy you made this recipe, yes I love it too and yes I have to also put the brakes on! LOL
Wonder if you can substitute all purpose flour for the cake flour to make the topping?
Yes you can, AP absorbs more moisture which results in a dry-er cake/crumble etc so you may want to hold back on about 1/4 cup if using AP
Hi Gretchen
Just about to take this coffee cake out of the oven. Looks so so good.
I used a 9 x 13 pan and it was just right. I can’t imagine a 9×9 pan working it would have overflowed. Did I do something wrong?
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