Bear Claw Breakfast Cake

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our privacy policy.

Moist, fluffy, and sweet Bear Claw Breakfast Cake is my way of making gluten-free bear claws without all the fuss. Simple to prepare, this easy breakfast cake tastes just like the real deal, but fluffy!

Slice of bear claw cake with a gold fork on a white plate with the rest of the cake in the background.

My longest standing love in life, second only to chocolate milk, is the bear claw pastry.

I’ve been craving them so fiercely lately that I knew I needed to make a gluten-free version.

Because I’m not an expert pastry chef (and don’t plan on becoming one), I set out on a quest to make a bear claw-adjacent treat using an alternative method.

So I made a simple breakfast cake, stuffed it with almond paste, and am calling it a bear claw breakfast casserole, bear claw cake, or bear claw baked oats (however you like to view the world).

So what does it taste like? Just like a bear claw, but fluffy. If you (or someone you know) are into bear claws and you follow a gluten-free diet, this gluten-free bear claw cake is absolute gold!

Plus, the simple ingredients can be found at any grocery store. I go over each ingredient in detail below to explain its function in the recipe. The measurements are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Ingredients for Bear Claw Cake:

Oats: Rather than using all-purpose flour or puff pastry, I like blending oats into a flour to act as the base of the cake. I use quick oats for a light, fluffy texture, but rolled oats work too.

Almond Paste: The real MVP here, almond paste is what makes a bear claw a bear claw. You can find it in the baking aisle of the grocery store, or make homemade almond paste using almond flour.

Eggs: A couple of eggs help the cake batter rise into a fluffy consistency. I haven’t tested the recipe using an egg replacement yet.

Avocado Oil: Bringer of moisture, avocado oil is my preferred fat source for baked goods because it contains a decent amount of omega-3 fatty acids, and it has a neutral flavor.

Milk: Pick any kind of milk you typically have on hand. I use oat milk, but almond milk, cashew milk, and regular cow’s milk work too.

Pure Maple Syrup: The sweetener for the cake.

Ground Cinnamon: While traditional bear claws do not include cinnamon, I like adding it to the cake for some additional warm flavor. You can skip it if you prefer.

Sliced Almonds: The crunchy topping that is customary in regular bear claws is none other than sliced almonds. They bring a fun texture element to this cake version too!

Pure Vanilla Extract: Brings warm flavor to the cake. Skip it if you don’t typically keep it on hand.

Sea Salt: Big flavor enhancer! Salt brings out sweet, savory, and rich flavors to make everything taste better.

Powdered Sugar: For the simple glaze, we need powdered sugar and water. You can make it lower in sugar by using sugar-free powdered sugar.

How to Make Bear Claw Breakfast Cake:

Remove the packaging from the almond paste and set it on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut it into thin slices (about ¼-inch thick).

Wooden cutting board with almond paste cut into thin slices.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.

Transfer the oats, baking powder, sea salt, and ground cinnamon to a high-speed blender and blend for 60 seconds or until a flour forms.

Blender full of oats, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt, ready to be blended into a flour.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, oat milk, avocado, pure maple syrup, and vanilla extract until the wet ingredients are well combined.

Wet ingredients for bear claw cake in a mixing bowl, ready to be mixed together.

Transfer the flour mixture to the mixing bowl with the wet mixture and mix well.

Mixing bowl with wet ingredients on the bottom and dry ingredients on top, ready to be mixed in.

Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer.

Lay the slices of almond paste on top of the cake batter, using all of the slices.

Cake pan with cake batter and a layer of almond paste slices.

Pour the remaining cake batter on top of the almond paste layer. Sprinkle the top of the cake batter with sliced almonds.

Bear claw cake ready to go into the oven sprinkled with sliced almonds.

Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 28 to 32 minutes, until the casserole is golden brown and tests clean. Insert a digital thermometer into the center of the top cake layer (about ¼ way through the cake).

If it reads 190 degrees or higher, it is ready. I don’t recommend inserting the thermometer into the center of the cake because the almond paste will remain a lower temperature than the cake.

Allow the cake to cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Make the Glaze:

Mix one cup of powdered sugar in a small bowl or a measuring cup with one tablespoon of water until the mixture is thick and creamy. Drizzle the glaze over the bear claw cake before serving.

Drizzling glaze over cooked bear claw cake.

Storage Options

Room Temperature: Cover the cake pan with a sheet of plastic wrap and store on the counter for up to 2 days.
Refrigerator: Store leftover cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freezer: For longer term storage, cut the remaining cake into individual slices and store in a large zip lock bag or a freezer bag for up to 2 months.

Recipe Tip

I find this cake turns out slightly sweeter than is my typical preference, so if you prefer less sweet treats, reduce the amount to ⅓ cup and only use a small amount of glaze.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are bear claws made of?

It took me until very recently to learn what makes a bear claw a bear claw. To simplify, bear claws are made out of puff pastry and almond paste. Buttery puff pastry surrounds almond paste, which is a combination of finely ground almonds and sugar.

That’s right, that soft and richly flavorful center of a bear claw is none other than almonds. I thought it was angel dust, but here we are learning what’s what.

Can I make this with regular flour?

Yes! Swap out the oats for 2 cups of regular all-purpose flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour.

So if you’re a fellow bear claw lover, get yourself some bear claw cake! You may even enjoy the fluffy cake version better than the original version!

If you enjoy baking homemade cake recipes, also try these reader favorites.