Description
This vegan coffee cake, inspired by Starbucks, offers a flavorful cinnamon crumb topping, a moist and tender crumb made with vegan Greek-style yogurt, and a delicate vanilla glaze. Perfect for breakfast or an afternoon treat, this recipe is entirely plant-based, combining warm spices with a soft, buttery texture that everyone will love.
Ingredients
Scale
Cinnamon Crumb
- 60 g light brown sugar (light muscovado)
- 60 g dark brown sugar (dark muscovado)
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 100 g all-purpose flour
- 80 g vegan butter (block-style, cold)
Vegan Buttermilk
- 118 ml soy milk
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
Cake Batter
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 115 g vegan butter (block-style, room temperature)
- 160 g vegan Greek-style yogurt (or vegan sour cream)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 240 g all-purpose flour (sifted)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Glaze
- 90 g powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons soy milk
Instructions
- Prepare: Preheat your oven to fan-forced 160°C (320°F) or conventional 180°C (356°F). Lightly grease an 8″ cake pan with oil or vegan butter and line it with two strips of parchment paper with overhang for easy lifting later. Make the vegan “buttermilk” by mixing soy milk and apple cider vinegar in a jug and letting it sit for 10 minutes to curdle.
- Make the cinnamon crumb: In a medium bowl, combine light and dark brown sugars, flour, and cinnamon. Grate cold vegan butter into the bowl or dice it finely. Rub the butter into dry ingredients until it forms a crumbly texture. Chill in the fridge if your kitchen is warm.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, cream room-temperature vegan butter and granulated sugar using an electric whisk or stand mixer for 2-3 minutes until fluffy. Add vegan yogurt and vanilla extract and whisk to combine. Keep the vegan buttermilk separate for now.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together sifted flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt until well combined.
- Make the batter: Alternately add the vegan buttermilk and dry ingredients to the wet mixture in two increments each. Carefully fold each addition in using a spatula until just combined, avoiding overmixing. The batter will be thick.
- Assemble: Pour about one-third of the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon crumb evenly over. Add the remaining batter on top, smoothing it out to the edges. Sprinkle the rest of the cinnamon crumb over the top.
- Bake: Bake for 35-40 minutes until the cake’s surface is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cake: Let the cake cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes. Then, use the parchment sling to lift it out gently and place it on a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Make the glaze: Whisk together powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and soy milk in a bowl until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the completely cooled cake.
- Storage: Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or refrigerate for up to a week, allowing it to warm to room temperature 1-2 hours before serving. The cake can also be frozen in an airtight container; defrost a couple of hours before serving.
Notes
- Using muscovado sugars adds rich, complex molasses flavors, but light and dark brown sugars can be substituted if unavailable.
- Grating the cold vegan butter into the crumb mixture helps achieve a desirable crumbly texture.
- The vegan buttermilk (soy milk + apple cider vinegar) aids in tenderizing and adding moisture to the cake.
- Do not overmix the batter; a thick consistency with few flour pockets ensures a tender crumb.
- For best results, use vegan Greek-style yogurt or a good-quality vegan sour cream alternative.
- The cinnamon crumb topping can be chilled if the kitchen is warm to maintain its texture.
- This cake slices best after it has completely cooled and the glaze has set.
- Freezing the cake is recommended for longer storage and allows convenient make-ahead options.
