Unlock the secret to a perfect morning indulgence with our Gluten-Free Cinnamon Coffee Cake. This recipe masterfully combines the classic comforts of a rich, buttery vanilla cake with two decadent layers of sweet cinnamon streusel. It’s not just a breakfast treat; it’s a celebration for your taste buds, designed to be enjoyed by everyone, including those with gluten sensitivities. Prepare to elevate your weekend brunch or holiday spread with this exceptionally fluffy and flavorful crumb cake that promises to become a family favorite.
This exquisite gluten-free cinnamon coffee cake recipe is your go-to for making any occasion feel extra special. Whether it’s a leisurely weekend breakfast, a festive brunch, or a holiday gathering like Easter, Mother’s Day, or Christmas morning, this cake brings a touch of warmth and elegance. Its widespread appeal stems from several key factors:
- Effortlessly Simple: Don’t let its sophisticated appearance fool you. This recipe begins with a straightforward cake batter, and the same versatile cinnamon crumb mixture is used for both the delectable middle layer and the golden-brown topping. You don’t need advanced baking skills to achieve professional-level results.
- Unforgettably Delicious: Every forkful delivers a harmonious blend of rich, buttery vanilla, deep brown sugar sweetness, and an abundance of aromatic cinnamon. It’s a flavor profile that speaks to the heart of classic comfort baking.
- Exquisitely Special: What truly sets this coffee cake apart is its generous double layer of brown sugar cinnamon streusel. This thoughtful addition creates a beautiful visual swirl and an incredible textural contrast, transforming a simple cake into a magnificent centerpiece that will impress your guests.
- Perfectly Gluten-Free: We’ve meticulously crafted this recipe to ensure that going gluten-free doesn’t mean compromising on taste or texture. The cake is moist, tender, and indistinguishable from its traditional counterparts, making it a joy for everyone at the table.
This recipe is a shining example of how gourmet taste can be achieved with minimal fuss. The intricate-looking cinnamon swirl and crumble are surprisingly easy to assemble, requiring no complex techniques. Furthermore, this delightful treat is built upon a foundation of simple, accessible ingredients. Let’s explore what you’ll need to create this masterpiece.
The Building Blocks: Simple Ingredients for a Spectacular Cake
For precise measurements and comprehensive step-by-step instructions, please refer to the detailed recipe card conveniently located at the end of this article.
Creating an exceptional gluten-free cinnamon coffee cake starts with understanding the role of each ingredient. Here’s a closer look at what makes our recipe shine:
- Butter: Yes, a generous amount of butter is key here! It’s not the time to be shy; this ingredient is paramount for achieving an incredibly tender, moist, and rich cake crumb. Butter contributes significantly to both the cake’s flavor and its luxurious texture.
- Sugar: We use a combination for balanced sweetness and texture. Granulated sugar provides crispness and helps cream with the butter for an airy cake structure, while brown sugar in the streusel adds a molasses-rich depth and chewiness that perfectly complements the cinnamon.
- Eggs: Three large eggs are incorporated to add structure, richness, and moisture to the cake. They act as a binding agent, ensuring the cake holds together beautifully and contributes to its overall tender texture. Using room temperature eggs is crucial for proper emulsification with the butter and sugar.
- Vanilla Extract: An indispensable flavor enhancer, vanilla extract elevates all the other ingredients, adding a warm, aromatic note that is essential for a truly delicious vanilla cake base.
- Sour Cream: Full-fat sour cream is a game-changer in this recipe. Its acidity reacts with the baking soda, promoting a lighter, fluffier texture. More importantly, it infuses the cake with incredible richness and moisture, resulting in an exceptionally tender crumb. We highly recommend sticking with full-fat for the best results, as low-fat or fat-free alternatives won’t provide the same depth of flavor or moisture.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: These leavening agents are responsible for the cake’s beautiful rise and airy texture. It’s vital to ensure they are fresh to guarantee optimal performance. You can quickly test their freshness using this simple method.
- Salt: A pinch of salt is crucial for balancing the sweetness and enhancing the overall flavor profile of both the cake and the streusel, preventing the cake from tasting flat.
- Gluten-Free Flour Blend: The choice of gluten-free flour is critical. We enthusiastically recommend King Arthur Measure-For-Measure Gluten-Free Flour Blend. Its balanced blend of starches and flours, along with included xanthan gum, consistently delivers superior taste and texture that closely mimics traditional wheat flour. If you opt for another brand, such as Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1, ensure it explicitly states that it contains xanthan gum, as this is vital for binding and elasticity in gluten-free baking.
- Our Signature Cinnamon Streusel: This is more than just a topping; it’s a key component of the cake’s identity! Our tried-and-true streusel recipe, a beloved variation from our Gluten-Free Blueberry Coffee Cake and Pumpkin Streusel Bread, is made from a simple yet perfect combination of butter, gluten-free flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. It forms delightful clusters that add an irresistible crunch and burst of cinnamon flavor.
- Optional Glaze: For an extra touch of elegance and moisture, we suggest finishing your cooled coffee cake with a simple, luscious glaze. Crafted from melted butter, milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar, this glaze adds a beautiful sheen and an additional layer of sweet, creamy flavor that truly takes the cake to the next level. (Trust us, it’s worth the extra step!)
Baking Wisdom: Essential Tips for Gluten-Free Success
Achieving the perfect gluten-free cinnamon coffee cake is easier when you’re equipped with a few foundational baking techniques. These tips will help ensure your cake is consistently moist, tender, and delicious.
- Precision Flour Measurement: Gluten-free baking is sensitive to flour ratios. Always use the “scoop and level” method, or better yet, a kitchen scale for accuracy, to avoid a dense or dry cake.
- Fresh Leavening Agents: Baking powder and baking soda lose potency over time. Learn how to quickly check if yours are still active to ensure your cake rises beautifully.
- Accurate Butter Measurement: Whether using sticks or weighing, correct butter measurement is vital for the cake’s richness and the streusel’s texture.
- Room Temperature Ingredients are Key: Using room temperature eggs, butter, and sour cream allows them to emulsify properly, creating a smoother batter and a more uniform, tender crumb in your finished cake.
- Softening Brown Sugar: If your brown sugar has hardened, we offer five effective methods to soften it, ensuring your streusel mixture is perfectly crumbly.
- Choosing the Right Baking Pan: We highly recommend using a metal baking pan for this recipe. Metal pans conduct heat more evenly than glass or ceramic, which helps prevent over-browning on the edges and ensures the cake bakes through uniformly, resulting in a perfectly moist crumb.
- The Utility of an Offset Spatula: While not strictly necessary, an offset spatula makes spreading the cake batter and smoothing the streusel layers significantly easier. This handy tool is also fantastic for frosting cakes and leveling other batters.
Your Guide to Baking Perfection: Step-by-Step Gluten-Free Cinnamon Coffee Cake
For complete ingredient quantities, detailed instructions, and additional expert tips, please consult the full recipe card provided below.
- Preheat Oven & Prepare Pan: Begin by preheating your oven to a steady 350°F (175°C). This ensures the oven is at the correct temperature for even baking. Line an 8-inch metal square pan with parchment paper, allowing some overhang on the sides. This creates “handles” that will make it incredibly easy to lift the cooled cake out of the pan.
- Craft the Irresistible Streusel: In a medium-sized bowl, combine the melted butter, your chosen gluten-free flour blend, brown sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Using a fork, gently mix these ingredients until distinct clusters begin to form. The mixture should look crumbly with varying sizes of pieces, and while some powdery bits are fine, avoid over-mixing until it becomes a paste. The goal is to retain that wonderful crumbly texture. Set this fragrant streusel mixture aside.
- Prepare the Velvety Cake Batter: In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar for 2-3 minutes on medium speed. Continue mixing until the mixture becomes notably light in color, fluffy, and perfectly smooth. This creaming process incorporates air, which is essential for a tender cake. Next, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition to ensure full incorporation before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla extract until just combined. Scrape down the sides of your bowl to ensure all ingredients are evenly mixed. Add the gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are just blended into the wet, being careful not to overmix. Finally, incorporate the room-temperature sour cream. Beat for another 30-60 seconds on medium speed until the batter is lighter in color, smooth, and has a velvety consistency.
- Master the Layers: Spoon approximately half of your luscious gluten-free coffee cake batter into the prepared baking pan. Using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, gently spread it into an even layer, ensuring it reaches all corners of the pan. Evenly sprinkle roughly half of your prepared cinnamon crumble mixture over this batter. Lightly pat the streusel into the batter. Carefully spoon the remaining cake batter over the streusel layer and smooth it out. Finish by scattering the rest of the streusel mixture generously over the top.
- Bake to Golden Perfection & Cool: Place the layered coffee cake into your preheated oven and bake for 55-60 minutes. The cake is done when a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached—no wet batter! Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack in the pan for 10 minutes. This allows the cake to set before you carefully lift it out using the parchment paper handles. Allow it to cool completely on the wire rack before proceeding with garnishing. (If preferred, you can cool it completely in the pan.)
- The Optional Finishing Touch: Glaze or Powdered Sugar: For an extra layer of sweetness and visual appeal, you can garnish your cooled cake. Either dust it lightly with powdered sugar or prepare our simple glaze. To make the glaze, whisk together melted butter, maple syrup, milk, vanilla extract, and 1/3 cup of powdered sugar in a liquid measuring cup or small bowl. Continue whisking until the mixture is completely smooth. If the glaze is too thin, add a little more powdered sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until it’s mostly opaque and drizzles beautifully off a fork or whisk. If it becomes too thick, thin it with a tiny amount of milk. Drizzle this delightful glaze artistically over the cooled coffee cake just before serving.
- Serve & Store: This coffee cake is best enjoyed fresh, slightly warm, or at room temperature. For optimal freshness, store any leftovers covered in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 hours, then transfer to the refrigerator for 2-3 days. You can also freeze individual slices or the entire cake (well-wrapped) for up to 2 months.
Frequently Asked Questions + Pro Tips for the Ultimate Gluten-Free Coffee Cake
What Exactly Makes a Cake a “Coffee Cake”? The term “coffee cake” can be a bit misleading! It doesn’t mean the cake contains coffee as an ingredient. Instead, a coffee cake is a lightly sweet, often spiced, breakfast or brunch cake traditionally served alongside a cup of coffee. Unlike typical dessert cakes, coffee cakes are usually topped with a crumb, streusel, or glaze rather than a heavy frosting, making them perfect for a morning treat.
Does Cinnamon Coffee Cake Require Refrigeration? For optimal freshness and to prolong its shelf life, your cinnamon coffee cake should be refrigerated if it won’t be consumed within 2 hours at room temperature. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container to prevent it from drying out. When ready to serve, you can let it come to room temperature or gently warm individual slices.
The Golden Rule: Ingredient Temperature Matters! For truly exceptional results, it is absolutely crucial to start your cake preparation with softened butter, room temperature eggs, and room temperature sour cream. Why is this so important? Softened butter creams beautifully with sugar, incorporating air that creates a light and fluffy cake structure. Cold eggs or sour cream, on the other hand, can cause the butter to seize up, leading to a lumpy batter and a denser, less tender cake. Allowing these ingredients to reach room temperature ensures they emulsify smoothly and contribute to the perfect cake texture.
Can I Make This Coffee Cake Dairy-Free? While this specific recipe calls for butter and sour cream, you can often adapt it to be dairy-free. Look for high-quality dairy-free butter sticks (not margarine) and a full-fat dairy-free sour cream alternative. Be aware that texture and flavor might vary slightly, so choose brands with good reviews for baking.
Can I Add Nuts or Other Mix-ins? Absolutely! For an extra layer of flavor and crunch, feel free to fold in about 1/2 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts into the cake batter, or sprinkle them over the streusel layers. You could also add mini chocolate chips or finely diced apples to the batter for a delightful twist.
How Do I Know When My Coffee Cake Is Fully Baked? The toothpick test is your best friend! Insert a wooden toothpick into the very center of the cake. If it comes out clean with no wet batter, your cake is done. A few moist crumbs are perfectly fine and often indicate a wonderfully tender cake. If you notice any wet batter, continue baking in 5-minute intervals until done.
WE ♥
Explore More Gluten-Free Breakfast Delights
Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Muffins
Gluten-Free Belgian Waffles
Gluten-Free Blueberry Coffee Cake
Recipe Card
Did you make this recipe?
We’d love to hear from you! Leave a star rating below when you try our Gluten-Free Coffee Cake recipe and share your experience. Your feedback helps other bakers!
Print
Gluten-Free Cinnamon Coffee Cake
5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star
5 from 1 review
Author: Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Yield: 12-16 servings
Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Experience the ultimate gluten-free indulgence with this cinnamon coffee cake! Boasting a super fluffy, buttery vanilla cake and two generous layers of brown sugar cinnamon streusel, it’s a recipe for pure delight. Don’t skip the optional glaze – it adds a magical finish!
Ingredients
For The Cinnamon Crumble:
- 12 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (1 1/2 sticks / 170 grams)
- 1 3/4 cup gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend (210 grams)*
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar (150 grams)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (use 2 tsp for an extra strong cinnamon flavor!)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt*
For The Coffee Cake:
- 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (1 stick / 113 grams)*
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature*
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend* (240 grams)
- 1 cup full-fat sour cream (8 oz / 227 grams), at room temperature*
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt*
Optional Glaze:
- 1/2 Tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 Tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1/2 Tablespoon milk (any kind)
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3–1/2 cup powdered sugar (40–60 grams), sifted
Instructions
- Preheat & Prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8 metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides to create handles.
- Make The Streusel. In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, gluten-free flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Mix lightly with a fork until clusters form and there are no large clumps of flour. Avoid over-mixing into a paste. Set aside.
- Make The Cake Batter. In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar for 2-3 minutes until light, fluffy, and smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; mix on low speed until just blended. Finally, mix in the sour cream and beat for 30-60 seconds until the mixture is lighter in color, smooth, and velvety.
- Layer The Coffee Cake. Scoop approximately half of the cake batter into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle roughly half of the streusel mixture over the batter and gently pat it down. Carefully spoon the remaining cake batter over the streusel layer and smooth it out. Top with the remaining streusel mixture.
- Bake & Cool. Bake the coffee cake in the preheated oven for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with only a few moist crumbs. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before using the parchment paper handles to lift it out. Let it cool completely on the wire rack.
- Garnish The Cake. If desired, garnish with a dusting of powdered sugar or prepare the optional glaze. For the glaze, whisk together melted butter, maple syrup, milk, vanilla, and 1/3 cup powdered sugar in a small bowl until smooth. Add more powdered sugar if needed for desired consistency, or thin with more milk. Drizzle over the cooled coffee cake before serving.
- Serve & Store. Enjoy immediately. Store leftovers covered in an airtight container for 2-3 days in the refrigerator for best results. Coffee cake can also be frozen, well-wrapped, for up to 2 months.
Notes
- Gluten-Free Flour Selection: For optimal flavor and texture, we strongly recommend using King Arthur Measure-For-Measure Gluten-Free Flour Blend. If you choose another brand (e.g., Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1), ensure it contains xanthan gum for proper structure. Always weigh your flour or use the scoop & level method to prevent a dry or gummy cake. This recipe is not suitable for almond flour, coconut flour, or oat flour.
- Baking Pan Recommendation: For the most consistent and even bake, a metal baking pan is highly recommended. Metal conducts heat gently and uniformly. Using glass or ceramic may affect the rise and require adjustments to baking time due to different heat distribution properties.
- Importance of Ingredient Temperature: Achieving a fluffy, tender crumb depends on starting with softened butter, room temperature eggs, and room temperature sour cream. These temperatures ensure ingredients cream and emulsify correctly, preventing a dense or curdled batter.
- Streusel Consistency: When making the streusel, aim for varied clusters. Overmixing can turn it into a paste, losing that delightful crumbly texture.
- Glaze Adjustments: If your glaze is too thick, thin it with a few drops of milk. If it’s too thin, gradually whisk in a bit more sifted powdered sugar until it reaches your desired drizzling consistency.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American