The best Vegan Coffee Cake ever, and it’s SO easy to make! Moist, fluffy, and layered with a sweet cinnamon streusel, it’s perfect for holiday celebrations or weekend breakfasts.
Want more vegan cake recipes? Try my Apple Upside Down Cake, my Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake, and my 1 Bowl Vegan Carrot Cake next.
Put the coffee on because we’re making Vegan Coffee Cake! This is such an easy breakfast or dessert recipe with no fuss at all. Even better, it’s moist, fluffy, and full of cinnamon streusel goodness.
This is the BEST vegan coffee cake ever because it’s made with not one but two layers of cinnamon streusel (in the middle and on top), a sweet vanilla glaze, and the fluffiest cake. To me, there’s no better dessert or breakfast to pair with a hot cup of coffee.
Along with my 1 Hour Vegan Cinnamon Rolls and my Vegan French Toast Casserole, it should be at the top of your list to make for holiday mornings!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Made it a million times – incredibly delicious, a big hit with non-vegans, and tastes like the middle part of a cinnamon roll to me!” – Daria
Why you’ll love this coffee cake recipe
- Twice the cinnamon streusel – I wanted double the cinnamon streusel goodness here, so I layered it in the middle and on top of the coffee cake. Every slice tastes just like a cinnamon roll.
- Easy breakfast or dessert – It’s so easy to make! Whisk the batter, layer it with the cinnamon streusel, and bake.
- Serve with coffee or tea – The moist and fluffy cake and warm cinnamon spices make this the best treat to pair with a mug of coffee or tea. ☕
If you love this coffee cake, you should try my Pumpkin Coffee Cake or my Blueberry Coffee Cake next!
How to make vegan coffee cake
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
Make the cake batter: Stir the milk and apple cider vinegar together. Set aside.
Next, stir the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar together in a large bowl. To the same bowl, add the milk/vinegar mixture, oil, applesauce, and vanilla. Stir to combine.
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 streusel over the cake batter in the pan.
Pour the remaining batter over top, then top with the rest of the streusel.
To finish, drizzle melted vegan butter all over the top.
Bake the coffee cake: Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Meanwhile, make the vanilla glaze by whisking the powdered sugar, vegan cream/milk, and vanilla together until smooth.
Decorate and serve: Once the coffee cake is cool, drizzle the vanilla glaze all over the top.
Slice and serve the cake with a hot cup of coffee or tea. Enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
Despite its name, coffee cake surprisingly contains no coffee. It’s called coffee cake because the warm spices and sweet flavors go so well with a cup of coffee (or tea).
I haven’t tried it myself, but you should be okay to replace the all-purpose flour with a quality gluten-free all-purpose flour blend.
16 servings of cake is quite a lot, so if you don’t want that much, cut the ingredients in half and assemble the cake in an 8 x 8 inch pan instead.
Sure. Assemble the cake in the pan (without the melted butter on top) and keep it covered in the fridge for up to 1 day. Drizzle the butter on top before baking.
To keep it from drying out, store the leftover coffee cake on the kitchen counter (covered) for 2 to 3 days. The streusel won’t be as crisp after sitting, but the cake will still be moist and delicious.
Yes! Wrap the baked and cooled cake in a layer of plastic wrap and a layer of foil to prevent freezer burn, then freeze for up to 2 months.
Vegan Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Coffee Cake
- 1 1/2 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
- 3/4 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, before baking
- 4 tablespoons melted vegan butter
Vanilla Glaze (optional)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons vegan cream or soy milk
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch cake pan.
- Combine the 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 spoon on the rest of the cake batter, spreading it gently with a spoon. The batter may not reach the edges or cover all the streusel, and that is okay. Sprinkle with the rest of the streusel.
- Drizzle with the melted vegan butter, then place in the oven and 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.
- Make the Optional Vanilla Glaze: Meanwhile, whisk the powdered sugar, vegan cream/milk, and vanilla extract together until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the slightly cooled cake.
- Serve with a cup of coffee, if desired and enjoy!
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.
Delicious coffee cake recipe! I added some almond extract and replaced half the cinnamon with cardamon and it turned out amazing.
Hi Megan. Thanks for sharing your awesome review, and wonderful spice variation ideas! Your cake sounds amazing! Wishing you happy cooking!
So fluffy and delicious!!! Definitely adding it to my most favourite bakes. I baked it in a 9×9 pan and it turned out great!
I’m so glad you loved the coffee cake, Shelby! Thank you for your glowing review and feedback! Wishing you happy baking!
Why do you call it a coffee cake when there is no coffee? I added a strong coffee into it
Coffee cake does not usually contain coffee, it is supposed to be enjoyed alongside a cup of coffee.
🤣🤣🤣 coffee cake is meant to enjoy WITH coffee! Hahahaha
Can I use vegetable oil in this instead??
Yes you can.
they weren’t as fluffy as id like but the flavor was good! if i were to bake as muffins how long would the bake time be?
Around 20 minutes I believe.
I made this recipe today, I was surprised at the thickness of the batter. It wasn’t pourable at all, it had the consistency of bread dough. I measured the flour using a scale to try to avoid too much flour. Due to the thickness I added a little more oil and applesauce but it didn’t help. After 45 minutes of baking it was still doughy inside. I’m not sure where I went wrong. The flavor of the cake is acceptable but it is heavy and dense.
I halved the recipe but it didn’t seemed be enough batter for 8×8 pan. So instead I use muffin tins and spread the batter and half the struessel across 6 muffin cups … fingers crossed! Muffins were a little tough but that may have been due to using olive oil instead of canola or avocado oil. And for sweetness in the batter, I use half coconut sugar & half granulated sugar. Overall, they turned out pretty good and are tasty
Hi Joanne. Thank for sharing your wonderful review and baking experience! I’m glad the muffins turned out for you!
I have made this multiple times recently and each time just slightly different based on ingredients I had. One time I used melted coconut oil and vegan coconut yogurt and it was weird. The dough was stretchy like pizza dough. Other time I used avocado oil and equal parts vegan yogurt and sour cream. Lots of compliments! My favorite has been yogurt and sunflower oil. It’s a great recipe and fun to tinker with!
This cake was so easy and delicious. We were a little worried when assembling the cake that the batter layers were so thin but the cake rose beautifully. We were thinking that an apple layer in the middle would be fabulous. Any thoughts on doing this and if possible, how would we do this? Thanks for all of your wonderful recipes, Nora!
This recipe is fantastic, i think it’s the best cake I’ve ever made.
Thanks for that!
You bet, Yuna! Thanks for your fabulous review! I’m thrilled you love the cake! Happy cooking!
I was wondering if you can make this in a Bundt pan?
I’ve never tried it, but yes, it probably could work on a bundt pan! That sounds wonderful! It may need a little extra baking time, around 50 minutes probably. Happy baking!
My husband and children loved the cake! Thank you 😀
can I use maple syrup in stead of white sugar ?
I’ve never tried it, but you would be adding liquid so that will probably mess up the recipe. You may have to adjust elsewhere, and then it’s kind of a different recipe so I’m not quite sure.
Hi! We love this recipe, thank you! Can I prepare the batter up to baking, but refrigerate it over night instead, and then bake it Christmas morning?
I’m quite sure that it will work okay to do this, I’ve just never tried it myself. Enjoy!
Best thing I’ve put in my mouth hole this week.
Sooooo fluffy and soft.
I forgot the oil…didn’t even notice it until reading the reviews. Made my own applesauce by putting a fresh apple in the vitamix with a splash of the milk, used oatmilk, doubled the vanilla, reduced the topping by half and added Fresh blueberries and it is DIVINE. It is fluffy and moist very delish. It is a wonderful recipe that lends itself well to personal interpretation. A keeper!
how long is it good for? ok to make a day or 2 ahead?
It will taste BEST the day you make it, or the next day. After that, it starts to dry out but it still is pretty good for up to 4 days, especially if stored in the refrigerator/covered.
Hiya,
This looks delicious!! I don’t have any applesauce on hand 🙁 Is there a good substitute I could use please?
You could use 2 flax eggs if you have that (2 tbs ground flax mixed with 5 tbs water), or plant based yogurt. You might be able to use more oil, but that could make the cake too heavy.
I’ve made this several times and it’s a big hit! Thank you!
You are welcome, Annie! I’m thrilled you love the cake! Thanks for your wonderful review!
can you use vegan butter in place of the oil?
That should work well, yes.
I completely missed the oil…didn’t even see it until I saw your comment and it worked wonderfully.
I made this gluten free with Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Gluten-Free Baking Flour in the red bag. It came out delicious! My husband says it’s some of the best coffee cake he’s ever had! I added walnuts to the top for extra texture. I will definitely make again!
This is the easiest, most delicious streusel recipe. Can’t wait to wake up and have this for breakfast, thanks Nora!!😋 ☺
Hi Patricia. Sounds like a delicious breakfast to me! I am absolutely thrilled that you love it! Thank you for your stellar review! Enjoy that breakfast!
This looks amazing, I can’t wait to try it! Do you know if it would freeze well?
Thank you!
Yes, this cake freezes well! Thank you, and happy cooking!
Really lovely, light cake! Made it for a spring brunch party and everyone loved it. I have a sweet tooth, but the cinnamon sugar seemed way too much so I ended up sprinkling only 1/4 the quantity mentioned in the recipe and the cake still maintained the sweetness. Vegan butter drizzle is a great idea. Loved the crust!
Thanks for your feedback, Prerana. I’m so glad you loved the cake!
Ha! It’s Saturday morning and I was looking for a vegan coffee cake recipe, I am going to add some coconut flake, your recipes are always awesome!
Thank you so much for your kind words and great review! Enjoy the coffee cake on this lovely Saturday morning!
Hi Nora!! I’m wondering if I can sub the applesauce for something? I only have sweetened cinnamon applesauce!
Honestly that should be fine to use! You could substitute vegan yogurt if you have it.