Gluten-free coffee cake is a soft, tender cake with a buttery cinnamon crumb topping that makes it feel like the kind of bake everyone wants a slice of. It has that classic coffee cake feel with a moist crumb and sweet cinnamon layer, just made in a gluten-free version.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Gluten-Free Coffee Cake
🕒 Ready In: ~45 minutes
👪 Serves: 9 servings
🍽 Calories: ~290 per serving (estimated)
🥣 Main Ingredients: Gluten-free flour, butter, honey, eggs, sour cream, milk, brown sugar, cinnamon
📖 Dietary Info: Gluten-free; dairy-free option
👌 Difficulty: Easy - mix batter, make crumb topping, layer, bake
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
This is the kind of recipe that works just as well for brunch as it does for dessert or an afternoon treat. The cake stays soft from the sour cream, and the crumb topping gives it that cozy bakery-style finish that makes coffee cake so hard to resist.
If you want more gluten-free baking recipes, try our Gluten-Free Thumbprint Cookies, Chocolate Raspberry Tart, or Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread.
Jump to:
- A Quick Look at the Recipe
- Why You'll Love this Gluten-Free Coffee Cake:
- Key Ingredients:
- Easy Substitutions & Variations:
- How to Make Gluten-Free Coffee Cake:
- Recipe Notes & Tips:
- How to Store:
- Gluten-Free Coffee Cake FAQs:
- More Dessert Recipes You'll Love
- Get a FREE Healthy Meal Planning Ebook
- Gluten-Free Coffee Cake
Why You'll Love this Gluten-Free Coffee Cake:
Classic coffee cake texture: This cake is soft, tender, and topped with that buttery cinnamon crumb everyone wants in a coffee cake.
Made for gluten-free baking: It gives you that familiar coffee cake feel without needing traditional flour.
Great for brunch or dessert: This is the kind of recipe that works just as well with breakfast as it does for an afternoon treat.
Moist and flavorful: The sour cream helps keep the cake soft while the cinnamon topping adds plenty of flavor.
Key Ingredients:
- gluten-free flour. This gives the cake its structure, so use a good 1:1 gluten-free flour blend for the best texture.
- sour cream. Helps keep the cake moist and tender and gives it that classic soft coffee cake crumb.
- honey. Adds sweetness and helps keep the cake soft.
- brown sugar and cinnamon. These make the crumb topping rich, sweet, and full of classic coffee cake flavor.
- butter. Used in both the cake and the topping to add richness and help create that buttery crumb.
Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this page for exact quantities.
Easy Substitutions & Variations:
- Make it dairy-free: Use a dairy-free butter alternative, dairy-free sour cream, and a dairy-free milk.
- Swap the sweetener: Maple syrup can be used instead of honey in the cake.
- Add nuts: Chopped pecans or walnuts can be mixed into the crumb topping for extra crunch.
- Make it extra cinnamony: Add a little more cinnamon to the crumb topping if you want a stronger cinnamon flavor.
- Add a glaze: Drizzle a simple powdered sugar glaze over the cooled cake if you want a sweeter finish.
How to Make Gluten-Free Coffee Cake:
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease an 8x8-inch baking dish. In a large bowl, whisk together the 2½ cups gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Step 2: In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, honey, eggs, sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir.
- Step 3: In a small bowl, mix together the ½ cup gluten-free flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter until crumbly. Spread half of the batter into the prepared baking dish, sprinkle half of the crumb topping over it.
- Step 4: Then add the remaining batter and finish with the rest of the crumb topping. Bake for 30 to 38 minutes, or until the center is set and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool before slicing.
Save this Recipe
Enter your email address and we'll send it straight to your inbox.
Recipe Notes & Tips:
- Do not over mix the batter: Stir just until the wet and dry ingredients are combined so the cake stays soft and tender.
- Use a good gluten-free flour blend: A 1:1 gluten-free flour blend will give the best texture and structure in the finished cake.
- Keep the crumb topping crumbly: Mix it just until it comes together so it stays crumbly instead of turning into a paste.
- Layer the batter gently: Spreading the batter carefully helps keep the crumb layer in place and gives the cake a better final texture.
- Let it cool a bit before slicing: This helps the cake set up and makes it easier to cut clean pieces.
How to Store:
Room temperature: Store the gluten-free coffee cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Refrigerator: For longer storage, keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Reheating: Warm individual slices in the microwave for a few seconds if you want to soften the crumb topping a bit.
Freezer: Wrap the coffee cake tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator before serving.
Gluten-Free Coffee Cake FAQs:
Gluten-free coffee cake stays soft because ingredients like sour cream, butter, honey, and eggs add moisture and richness to the batter. Using a good gluten-free flour blend also helps the cake hold together without turning dry or crumbly.
The topping can melt into the cake if it is too wet or if it is pressed too much into the batter. Keeping the topping crumbly and sprinkling it gently over the batter helps it stay more defined as it bakes.
Gluten-free coffee cake still has that same classic cinnamon crumb topping and soft cake base people expect from coffee cake. The texture can be a little different depending on the flour blend, but it should still taste buttery, sweet, and tender.
Grab your free copy
Get a FREE Healthy Meal Planning Ebook
Tips, Tricks, and Recipes for Stress Free Meal Planning
Gluten-Free Coffee Cake
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups gluten-free flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter, melted
- ½ cup honey
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup gluten-free flour
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease an 8x8-inch baking dish or line it with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the 2½ cups gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter, honey, eggs, sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
- In a small bowl, mix together the ½ cup gluten-free flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter until crumbly.
- Spread half of the batter into the prepared baking dish, sprinkle half of the crumb topping over it, then add the remaining batter and finish with the rest of the crumb topping.
- Bake for 30 to 38 minutes, or until the center is set and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool slightly before slicing and serving.
Nutrition
Notes
- Do not over mix the batter: Stir just until the wet and dry ingredients are combined so the cake stays soft and tender.
- Use a good gluten-free flour blend: A 1:1 gluten-free flour blend will give the best texture and structure in the finished cake.
- Keep the crumb topping crumbly: Mix it just until it comes together so it stays crumbly instead of turning into a paste.
- Layer the batter gently: Spreading the batter carefully helps keep the crumb layer in place and gives the cake a better final texture.
- Let it cool a bit before slicing: This helps the cake set up and makes it easier to cut clean pieces.
Leave a Reply