Fluffy Gluten-Free Coffee Cake with the perfect texture! This delicious classic coffee cake recipe is made with a secret ingredient to make it extra delicious. Bake it for a sweet breakfast, brunch, or even dessert.
There is something about a traditional coffee cake recipe that just gives you all the warm and fuzzies.
The buttery richness, the cinnamon goodness, the delightful crumb topping, and the fact that we can pretend like it’s healthier than actual cake when really it’s just actual cake.
You guys.
There are so many coffee cake recipes on this site, I’ve lost count.
Most of them are grain-free and dairy-free (paleo friendly). But aside from my Gluten-Free Blueberry Coffee Cake recipe, I don’t have many that use a standard gluten-free flour blend.
Plus, I have never posted a classic coffee cake recipe, so here we are, doing just that!
Fluffy, ultra flavorful with the cinnamon crumble, amazing texture, this light yet flavorful cinnamon coffee cake is designed to give you all the coffee shop vibes.
I will say, making this coffee cake isn’t as simple as the majority of the dessert recipes I share. As you all know, I’m a path of least resistance kind of human and don’t typically share overly complicated recipes.
I mean, 3-ingredient cookie recipes are where I thrive.
Well, this is one of those rare instances where I’m sharing a recipe that does require a bit of patience. There are multiple steps and for the best result, a stand mixer is recommended.
Nevertheless, the end result is well-worth the effort, as your friends and family are bound to love it. Prepare for compliments!
Here are the simple ingredients we need.
Ingredients for Gluten-Free Coffee Cake:
Gluten-Free Flour: Taking the place of regular all-purpose flour, we use a gluten-free flour blend. I use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, but any tried and true gluten free all purpose flour blend should work (provided it isn’t a grain-free blend).
Just note that varying brands of gluten-free flours have varying absorbencies so you may need to adjust the amount of flour slightly. You’re going for a very thick cake batter that appears thicker than normal batter.
If you’re looking for a grain-free coffee cake recipe that uses almond flour, make my Almond Flour Coffee Cake. Make one of the coffee cake recipes linked at the bottom of this post for coconut flour coffee cake.
Baking Powder: Used as the leavening agent to bring proper rise to the cake, a little baking powder plays a crucial role here.
Salt: Enhancing all of the flavors and making the cake taste nice and rich, salt levels up the whole experience.
Unsalted Butter: Softened butter is a star in this recipe. It brings great fat content and therefore lots of buttery creamy flavor. I haven’t tested this recipe with an alternative to butter like vegan butter or coconut oil, so beware before trying to swap it out for a dairy-free option.
Granulated Sugar: I use regular granulated cane sugar for this coffee cake recipe to ensure it has a beautiful color and consistency. If you prefer using unrefined sugars, swap it out for coconut sugar or maple sugar.
Vanilla Extract: A little pure vanilla extract goes a long way in bringing warm flavor to this delicious easy coffee cake recipe. If you don’t have any on hand, no sweat. It will still taste great without it.
Eggs: Two large eggs help make this cake extra fluffy and delicious!
Greek Yogurt: The secret ingredient! A little Greek yogurt acts as a natural leavening agent, bringing even more rise to the cake batter. It also gives it the slightest tang, similar to what you get with a sour cream coffee cake. I have read buttermilk will work here too, but I haven’t tested it myself.
For the Pecan Cinnamon Streusel Topping: gluten-free flour, melted butter, raw pecans, brown sugar (or coconut sugar), cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. This combination of goodies makes for a delicious crumb topping that is positively packed with sweet cinnamon deliciousness. It is what makes a coffee cake a coffee cake!
Now that we’re experts on the ingredients, let’s bake the best gluten-free coffee cake!
How to Make Gluten-Free Coffee Cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a 8” x 8” square baking pan with parchment paper. Note: you can also use a springform pan, 8-inch round cake pan, or a smaller bundt pan if you’d like. If you don’t have parchment paper, spray the baking pan with cooking spray.
In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir together the ingredients for the nutty streusel topping until well-combined. Set aside until ready to use.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until well-combined and fluffy. Note: you can use a large bowl and an electric hand mixer if you don’t have a stand mixer.
Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix in the eggs one at a time on medium speed.
Add in the vanilla extract and Greek yogurt and beat until the wet ingredients are well-combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl.
Stir together the gluten-free all-purpose flour, baking powder, and sea salt (dry ingredients) in a mixing bowl until combined.
Leaving the mixer on medium speed, add all of the flour mixture slowly. Beat just until a thick dough forms.
Transfer half of the coffee cake batter to the prepared pan and smooth it into an even layer. The batter will be very thick (this is normal), so don’t worry if this isn’t perfect. I often use my hands to press the dough into a somewhat even layer.
Sprinkle half of the pecan streusel topping over the cake batter and press it gently into the batter.
Spread the remaining cake batter on top, then sprinkle the rest of the streusel topping on top as well. Again, this doesn’t need to be perfect and it is completely fine if your cake layers mix together with your streusel layers.
Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Take the cake out of the oven and carefully cover it with foil (I use two oven mitts to secure the foil over the pan). Bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until it tests clean. You can use a thermometer to check the temperature of the cake. It is done when it reaches 190 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
Allow the coffee cake to cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
How to Store Coffee Cake:
Store the coffee cake wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If there are leftovers after 2 days, transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate for 5 days more.
This delicious coffee cake recipe freezes well! Simply store it in a 1-gallon zip lock bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.
As is customary with coffee cake, I recommend serving it warm with a pat of butter on top alongside a mug of coffee.
If you love baked goods with cinnamon, also try my Healthy Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread or my Yeast-Free Greek Yogurt Cinnamon Rolls.
If you’re looking for more delicious gluten-free cinnamon coffee cake recipes, check these out!
More Delicious Coffee Cake Recipes:
- Paleo Apple Coffee Cake
- Keto Blueberry Coffee Cake
- Dairy-Free Keto Coffee Cake
- Chai-Spiced Paleo Coffee Cake
- Paleo Blueberry Coffee Cake
- Paleo Banana Coffee Cake
So cozy up with a great book and a mug of tea or cup of coffee and enjoy a hearty hunk of this epic crumb cake!
Gluten-Free Coffee Cake
Ingredients
- 12 Tbsp unsalted butter softened (1.5 sticks)
- 1 cup granulated cane sugar*
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ⅔ cup Greek yogurt room temperature
- 1 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp sea salt
Cinnamon Streusel Topping:
- 1 cup raw pecans chopped
- ½ cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 3 Tbsp brown sugar*
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a 8” x 8” square baking pan with parchment paper. Note: you can also use a springform pan, 8-inch round cake pan, or a smaller bundt pan if you'd like. If you don't have parchment paper, spray the baking pan with cooking spray.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir together the ingredients for the nutty streusel topping until well-combined. Set aside until ready to use.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until well-combined and fluffy. Note: you can use a large bowl and an electric hand mixer if you don't have a stand mixer.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix in the eggs one at a time on medium speed.
- Add in the vanilla extract and Greek yogurt and beat until the wet ingredients are well-combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl.
- Stir together the gluten-free all-purpose flour, baking powder, and sea salt (dry ingredients) in a mixing bowl until combined. Leaving the mixer on medium speed, add all of the flour mixture slowly. Beat just until a thick dough forms.
- Transfer half of the coffee cake batter to the prepared pan and smooth it into an even layer. The batter will be very thick (this is normal), so don’t worry if this isn’t perfect. I often use my hands to press the dough into a somewhat even layer.
- Sprinkle half of the pecan streusel topping over the cake batter and press it gently into the batter.
- Spread the remaining cake batter on top, then sprinkle the rest of the streusel topping on top as well. Again, this doesn’t need to be perfect and it is completely fine if your cake layers mix together with your streusel layers.
- Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Take the cake out of the oven and carefully cover it with foil (I use two oven mitts to secure the foil over the pan). Bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until it tests clean.
- You can use a thermometer to check the temperature of the cake. It is done when it reaches 190 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Allow the coffee cake to cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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I just made this today and it is excellent. I had only about 4 Tablespoons of pecans and it was fine. This recipe is a keeper!
Wahoo! I’m thrilled to hear that, Jeanette! Thank you for sharing!
Did you use plain or vanilla Greek yogurt?
Hi LouAnn! I use plain Greek yogurt, but vanilla Greek yogurt works too! Enjoy! xo
This is a recipe! Super fluffy and tastes amazing! I subbed Greek yogurt for coconut yogurt, it was wonderful. We will have it on rotation. 🙂
I love hearing that, Ashley! Thank you for sharing! xo
This cake is delicious! Has anyone tried with egg substitutes successfully?
Hi Gabrielle! You should be able to replace the eggs with flax eggs or your favorite egg replacer without issues. Because gluten-free flour blends contain emulsifiers and starches, the cake should still rise even without eggs. That said, it likely won’t be quite as fluffy but it should still have lovely flavor and texture. Hope you enjoy! xo