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
This post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure here.
Never miss a recipe again! SUBSCRIBE to receive new recipes by email and receive a FREE Family Friendly 5 Day Meal Plan!
Vegan Coffee Cake
The best Vegan Coffee Cake ever, and it’s SO easy to make! Perfect for holiday celebrations or weekend breakfasts.
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!
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
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!
Can I use a bundt pan?? Do you know how long I would cook it for?
You could, probably about 50 minutes. Enjoy!
Please suggest a good gluten free flour
I haven’t personally tested this recipe with it, but I usually have good luck with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Flour.
Mine turned out chewy. The batter was definitely not pourable, but I thought it might still work. Could it be the cassava flour? Any idea how much cassava to use? Sometimes I can use 1:1, but not always. Thoughts?
I’ve honestly never used cassava flour but I know it works very differently and I really don’t know how much you would use. I’ve only tested it with all purpose flour.
Hi, this recipe looks great. Can I substitute vegan unsweetened cashew yogurt for the applesauce?
I bet it would work!
Made this yesterday and my non vegan family finished the whole thing within a day! So good
That’s so great!
Amazing!! The whole family loved it.
That’s so great!
I made this and used only 1/4 cup avocado oil and rest applesauce. It was delicious and very quick to make! Thank you!
You’re welcome!
Yummy, but less sugar next time!
This is hands down the best coffee recipe I’ve ever used. Vegan or otherwise.
Thanks so much!
hi
for the soy milk it’s 1 cup +1/4 cup ?
have a good day
That is correct.
Do I change the bake time at all for halfed recipe?
Yes, it would probably only need about 30 minutes.
Can I sub coconut sugar for the white sugar ?
You probably could, but I’ve never tried it and it will change the color and flavor of the cake.
Do you think I could use coconut milk or oatmilk? We don’t use soy milk usually. Thanks!
Yes either would be just fine. Thanks!
Is there a substitute for the applesauce ?
More oil would work. Or try a couple of flax eggs or other egg sub.
Can I substitute the apple cider vinegar?
Try lemon juice or white vinegar!
Just curious – shouldn’t coffee cake have coffee?
It’s called coffee cake because it’s typically meant to be enjoyed with a cup of coffee.
I halved the recipe but my batter is thick and not pourable. Should it be?
It’s okay if it’s a bit thick, just place it in the pan and spread it out the best you can, as well as over the streusal.
Just made this for my family in Australia. It was lovely & moist! I added a 1/4 extra applesauce, but still had a bit more than 1/4 coconut oil. I also decreased the sugar to 2/3 & used rapadura sugar.
My 10 year old daughter just made this and it was AMAZING!! Best coffee cake I have ever had and SUPER simple to make. Thank you!
So easy and so good. This is my second time making it during the Quarantine ?
I’m so glad to hear that!
I made this coffee cake this morning for my family. We love it! Thank you, Nora!
You’re welcome!
So delish! I subbed in vegan butter for the oil and I added a crumb topping ad-hoc (mixed the remaining brown sugar and cinnamon mixture with a little cold vegan butter and flour). This recipe is delish! My oven may be strong but it was done at 30 minutes and I’m so glad I took it out when I did! This recipe is def a repeat. Thanks, Nora!
You’re welcome! So glad it was good!
Do you think this could be made in a cast iron skillet?
It could, yes, as long as it’s big enough! I love cooking and baking in mine. 🙂
Was so moist and delicious ? everyone loved it!!
So glad !
Made this on Saturday night for Easter brunch and it was absolutely perfect! I tasted it that night, but I think it was even better the next day. The non-vegans in my family were blown away by the quality, taste, and simplicity of this coffee cake! It didn’t last long and they are already asking when I will make it again. Thanks for a staple recipe!
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed the coffee cake, thank you!
So I got sidetracked when I was halving the recipe and halved everything but the oil, applesauce, and vanilla which was full recipe. I baked for 37 minutes and it came out super moist and delicious! Amazing! Probably will make the same ‘mistake’ when I make this again. 🙂
Just made this yesterday. It’s very good. And came out moist and fluffy. I LOVE the extra layer of cinnamon and sugar in the middle. Thank you Nora
You’re welcome! So glad it was good!