Gluten-Free Coffee Cake (Dairy-Free)
A soft and tender gluten-free coffee cake full of classic buttery cinnamon sugar flavor. Not overly sweet, this easy coffee cake makes the perfect breakfast, brunch, or afternoon sweet treat. Bonus: the recipe can be made gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, or just plain regular.
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The Best Gluten-Free Coffee Cake
Tender and fluffy gluten-free coffee cake full of classic buttery cinnamon sugar delight. What’s not to love? Enjoy a slice for breakfast, snack, or dessert, this gluten-free and dairy-free coffee cake recipe will be a crowd favorite. Here’s why:
So Easy To Make – 10 ingredients and 40 minutes to make, including bake time.
Perfect For Any Occasion – Whether it’s a snack or a sweet treat, coffee cake is for every occasion.
Great Texture – Wonderfully soft crumb with so much flavor.
Dietary/Lifestyle Friendly – Gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, lactose-free, egg-free, or “regular” this recipe can be easily adjusted to suit your specific lifestyle and/or dietary needs.
Gluten-Free Coffee Cake Ingredients & Substitutions
As always this recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free. That said, I do test each recipe with “regular” ingredients and make notes of alternatives or swaps so that everyone can enjoy it.
Here are a few key ingredients for this coffee cake but make sure you scroll to the bottom recipe card for the complete ingredient list.
Dry Ingredients
Flour: I made this cake with XO Baking gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. If you are not gluten-free, swap the flour with regular all-purpose flour. Note: gluten-free flour blends can vary in weight so I recommend measuring by the cup.
Brown & White Sugar: The cake batter uses granulated white sugar and brown sugar for the cinnamon sugar layers.
Cinnamon: Coffee cake would not be complete without cinnamon.
Baking Powder: This creates that beautiful bakery-style rise.
Wet Ingredients
Oil: Any neutral-tasting oil will work such as canola, vegetable, avocado, etc. You can also use fractionated coconut oil but note that the cake will have a coconut flavor.
Coffee/Milk: Call me untraditional but I enjoy coffee cake with actual coffee. I used my favorite dark roast beans from Hearth & Hinterlands Roasters. This can be substituted with milk and whatever kind that suits your dietary needs/preferences.
Butter: Becel plant-based bricks are my personal favorite for baking but any dairy-free, vegan, lactose-free, or regular butter will work.
Egg: If you are vegan or egg-free use ⅓ cup of unsweetened applesauce or vegan/egg-free sour cream or yogurt. Note: the final texture will not be quite as fluffy.
Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract will always be supreme but use whatever is in your pantry.
Optional Ingredients
Mix-Ins: Add some chocolate chips, toffee bits, pecans, walnuts, or whatever else you fancy for a fun tasty twist. These can be added to either the batter itself or the cinnamon sugar layers.
Easy Gluten-Free Coffee Cake Step-By-Step Instructions
Grab a large and small mixing bowl, a spatula and/or whisk, and an 8×8-inch baking pan. Let’s make the most incredible dairy-free gluten-free coffee cake.
1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and prepare an 8×8 inch baking pan with non-stick baking spray and parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl combine the brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl combine the oil, coffee (or milk), egg, and vanilla and mix until fully combined and smooth.
4. Measure in the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt and mix until combined.
5. Spread half of the batter into the prepared pan and top with approximately half of the cinnamon sugar.
6. Carefully spread the remaining cake batter on top of the cinnamon sugar and top again with the remaining cinnamon sugar.
7. Drizzle on the melted butter.
8. Bake for 23-27 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before glazing.
9. Combine the icing sugar and milk in a small bowl and mix until smooth. Pour on top of the coffee cake. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Storing and Freezing Instructions
To store this delectable gluten-free coffee cake, keep it at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Likewise, it can be frozen for up to 6 months.
Note: as with all gluten-free baking, coffee cake is best when enjoyed right away and will dry out as each day passes.
Pro Tip: Give it a quick warm in the microwave or oven before serving on days 2-5. Yum!
The Easiest Dairy-Free Coffee Cake Recipe
With a soft and fluffy crumb and full of classic cinnamon sugar delight, this easy dairy-free and gluten-free coffee cake is pure cozy comfort yum in every single bite.
With an adaptable ingredient list, you can tailor this recipe to suit all dietary and/or lifestyle needs creating an amazing cinnamon crumb cake that everyone can enjoy.
I would love to know if you make this easy gluten-free coffee cake recipe. If you do, tag me on social media @cakedbykatie and leave this recipe a 5-star rating and review below. I can’t wait to see it!
Other Coffee-Inspired Recipes
- Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Tiramisu Layer Cake (Vegan & Gluten-Free)
- Baileys Cake (Gluten-Free Option)
Gluten-Free Coffee Cake (Dairy-Free)
- Total Time: 40 Minutes
- Yield: 1 Cake/16 Squares 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
A soft and tender gluten-free coffee cake full of classic buttery cinnamon sugar flavor. Not overly sweet, this easy coffee cake makes the perfect breakfast, brunch, or afternoon sweet treat. Bonus: the recipe can be made gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, or just plain regular.
Ingredients
Coffee Cake
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2/3 cup (160ml) coffee or milk, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups (180g) gluten-free flour 1:1 baking blend
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Cinnamon Sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon (8g) ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) dairy-free salted butter, melted
Icing Glaze
- 1/2 cup (60g) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) dairy-free milk
- pinch of fine sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and prepare an 8×8-inch baking pan with non-stick baking spray and parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl, add the brown sugar and cinnamon and mix until combined. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, lightly whisk the egg. Add in the coffee (or milk), oil, and vanilla extract and mix until fully combined and smooth.
- Measure in the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt and mix until combined.
- Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Top with half of the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Spread the remaining cake batter on the cinnamon sugar layer and gently spread it around. Top with the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Drizzle on the melted butter and bake for approximately 23-27 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before icing.
- In a small bowl combine the powdered sugar, milk, and salt and mix until fully combined and smooth. Drizzle on top of the coffee cake and serve warm. Enjoy!
- Store leftover coffee cake at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 6 months.
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 25 Minutes
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
I made this last night. It was delicious!!! I did everything according to directions but for the last cinnamon sugar topping, i mixed it with the melted butter. The batter was very loose/liquidy. I had to cook it a bit longer. When i tasted it, i could not believe how moist the cake was!!!! And the taste is magnificent! Will definitely be making again! Oh, and i used the coffee instead of milk. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
I’m thrilled to hear you enjoyed it Denise!!
One thing, what are the measurements for the flour? I wasn’t sure if I was suppose to just scoop it or spoon it in the measuring cup and level it off. I use all purpose flour.
The recipe calls for 1.5 cups of flour. I always recommend going by weight but if you’re going to measure by cup, always spoon it in and level it off.
Thank you for this recipe! I was baking for a family member who is lactose intolerant, but I didn’t have any milk substitutes on hand. Most of the recipes that don’t contain milk call for yogurt or sour cream, which I couldn’t use, or some kind of non-dairy milk, which I didn’t have. I used regular butter since she can eat it and regular flour. I added a little cardamom to the dry ingredients and an extra half teaspoon of vanilla to the wet. I also replaced the icing with a pecan streusel topping (3T flour, 1/4 c. brown sugar, 2 T butter, 1/2 c. toasted pecans). I put the entire layer of cinnamon sugar in the middle instead of putting some on top. And since I read the recipe wrong and combined the melted butter with the brown sugar and cinnamon, I ended up needing to bake it for an extra 10 minutes, but it still turned out perfectly. Thank you again!