The best Vegan Coffee Cake ever, and it’s SO easy to make! Perfect for holiday celebrations or weekend breakfasts.
Along with my 1 Hour Vegan Cinnamon Rolls and Vegan French Toast Casserole, this Vegan Coffee Cake should be at the top of your list to make for holiday mornings!
It’s such an easy recipe with no fuss at all! It’s moist, fluffy and full of cinnamon streusel goodness.
How to make vegan coffee cake
The full recipe is at the bottom of the post, but let me show you how easy it is.
- Make the coffee cake batter, and pour half into a lightly greased cake pan. It doesn’t have to be exactly half, just estimate half.
- Make the streusel (it’s just combining cinnamon and brown sugar). Sprinkle half of it on the batter, then pour the rest of the cake batter on top. It won’t cover the streusel completely, and that’s okay.
- Sprinkle the rest of the streusel on top.
- Drizzle 2 tablespoons of melted vegan butter on top of the streusel, then bake for 40-45 minutes.
That’s it! The vegan butter may still look wet, but it will get crunchy with the brown sugar/cinnamon in just a couple of minutes of cooling. Serve warm with a cup of coffee!
Special Tips & Substitutions
- This recipe makes a lot (about 16 servings) so if you don’t want that much, cut the ingredients in half and make it in an 8 x 8 inch pan.
- Oil free option: Replace the oil with applesauce in the cake, and leave out the vegan butter drizzle.
- Whole grain: Use white whole wheat or whole wheat pastry flour instead of white flour.
- Gluten free: Use a quality gluten free all purpose flour blend.
Want more vegan holiday breakfast ideas?
- 1 Hour Vegan Cinnamon Rolls
- Vegan Caramel Monkey Bread
- Vegan Blueberry Scones
- Easy Vegan Quiche
- Vegan French Toast Casserole
- Cinnamon Sugar Vegan Donuts
- Best Ever Vegan Waffles
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Vegan Coffee Cake
The best Vegan Coffee Cake ever, and it’s SO easy to make! Perfect for holiday celebrations or weekend breakfasts.
PRINT PINPrep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 45 mins
Total Time: 1 hr
Servings: 16 servings
Ingredients
Coffee Cake
- 1 1/4 cups unsweetened soy milk
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup canola oil OR melted coconut or avocado oil
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Cinnamon Streusel
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
For drizzling on top
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch cake pan.
- Combine the non-dairy milk and apple cider vinegar. Stir a little, then set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar with a large spoon until well combined.
- To the bowl with the dry ingredients, pour in the milk/vinegar mixture, oil, applesauce and vanilla. Stir until combined. Pour half of the batter into the prepared cake pan.
- Make the Cinnamon Streusel: In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together.
- Sprinkle half of the cinnamon streusel over the batter in the pan, then pour the rest of the cake batter on top. Sprinkle with the rest of the streusel.
- Drizzle with melted vegan butter.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. The vegan butter may still look wet in places, but it will harden as it cools and add a nice crunch to the cake.
- Serve with a cup of coffee, if desired and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- May substitute a different milk such as coconut, almond, cashew or oat milk.
- This recipe makes enough for a crowd, so feel free to cut the ingredients in half and make it in a 8 x 8 inch pan if you'd like.
- Oil free: I don't think it tastes great with no oil at all, but if you must you could use all applesauce in place of the oil, and leave out the vegan butter drizzle on top.
- Gluten free: I haven't tried it, but I think a quality gluten free all purpose flour should work quite well. Simply subbing almond or coconut flour will not work.
NUTRITION INFORMATION
Calories: 297kcal Carbohydrates: 53g Protein: 3g Fat: 9g Saturated Fat: 1g Sodium: 98mg Potassium: 157mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 33g Vitamin A: 106IU Vitamin C: 1mg Calcium: 82mg Iron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?Mention @nora_cooks_vegan_ or tag #noracooks!
Fran
Hello,
I was wondering if cake can be made in a Bundt pan instead of a 9 x13 inch cake pan?
Thank you 😉
Nora
I’ve never tried it, but it probably could yes! That sounds wonderful. It may need a little extra baking time. Thanks!
Jodi
Fran, I was wondering the same thing. A 13×9 pan is 14 cups/3.3 liters. A regular size Bundt pan is 12 cups/2.8 liters. Therefore, I’m thinking you’d have more batter than you’d want to use for the Bundt. If you try it, can you kindly update with how it turned out?
Terri
So easy and delicious! This is a big hit with my family! The cake is perfectly sweet and moist. Thank you for another amazing recipe!
Nora
You’re so welcome! Glad your family loves it.
Nosh
Hi there. Love your recipes. I’d like to know what I can substitute applesauce with as it isn’t an easily available item in Malaysia. Thanks in advance.
Nora
You could probably just use more oil, or perhaps coconut milk instead. Hope that helps!
Adrianna Catania
Could you make this the night before and bake it in the morning?
Nora
I think that would work just fine! Thanks.
Gillian
Hello, why is it called coffee cake when there is no coffee included in the recipe?
Nora
Coffee cake is a cake that is usually served with a cup of coffee, it does not usually contain coffee. Thanks!
Courtney
Hi Nora,
I really enjoy your recipes (especially that chocolate cake omg)! I was wondering if you think that this would convert to cupcakes well? I would think it would probably be fine as long as I adjusted the cooking time to be a bit shorter. Like maybe start toothpick checking after 25 minutes?
My friends loooooves cinnamon so I’m thinking she’d love this more than a conventional cupcake.
Thanks!
Courtney
Nora
I haven’t tried it but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work! I think your plan is just right, start checking around 25 minutes. Hope she enjoys!
Shannon Luciak
Perfect sweet treat
Elana
This was very moist and flavorful! I like it better than some other “regular” coffee cakes I’ve had in the past. The only modification I had to make was putting a cookie sheet underneath the pan while it was baking, because it started to bubble over a little.
Nora
Thanks Elana! 🙂 I’m so glad you enjoyed the coffee cake!
Cheryl
I made this last night for company today. It is delicious and so easy. Thanks for another winner!
Nora
Your comment makes me happy. Delicious and easy. That’s what I’m always shooting for!
Christine
Hi Nora,
I just made this coffee cake and the batter was quite thick, any idea why? It didn’t quite “pour” out; it came out as a big ball, and I had to smooth it with my spatula, which didn’t work very well for the top layer. Any suggestions? Thanks!
Nora
I wonder if you happened to use coconut oil? Sometimes if your non-dairy milk is really cold even if you melt coconut oil it will firm up when mixed with the milk and thicken the batter. I’m not sure why else it would be really thick unless your measurements were off somewhere? Again, the top layer doesn’t need to be perfect for it to turn out, but the batter shouldn’t be too thick.
Dagmar
Any suggestion of best gluten free flour for baking?
Thanks
Nora
Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour is the best one I’ve heard of. Thanks!
Mrs H
If using GF flour do I need to add xantham gum?
Nora
Not if your mix has it, but if not you may want to. Sorry I haven’t tried it myself so I can’t be sure!
Annie
I’m looking forward to making this, this weekend! Can you substitute almond milk for soy milk? Thank you
Nora
Yes, no problem at all! I hope you enjoy it!
Colleen
What does apple cider vinegar do to the recipe, can we omit, we really don’t enjoy it!
Thank you!
Nora
You can leave it out or substitute lemon juice or white vinegar. It creates the vegan “buttermilk”, adding to the overall taste of the coffee cake and moisture.