Gluten-free coffee cake is the easy, 30 minute dessert you've been searching for!
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I made this recipe in elementary school for a Girl Scouts Bake Off and won 1st prize! It's no surprise it's just as amazing gluten-free. After discovering it in my recipe book once more, I decided to make some tweaks and determine if it still lived up to the hype.
It tasted exactly like I remembered!
Here's what you'll need to make this gluten-free coffee cake:
Gluten-Free Flour Blend: Thanks to a top-quality gluten-free flour blend like Cup4Cup, this coffee cake has become one of the most popular recipes on my website. Cup4Cup has been my favorite and go-to for every baking experiment in the last ten years, including empanadas, naan, focaccia, scones, and soda bread. I highly recommend it for baking with pastry and baked goods, and this coffee cake comes out best with Cup4Cup!
You will also need:
-granulated sugar
-baking soda & baking powder
-salt
-melted butter
-egg
-buttermilk
-brown sugar
-chopped walnuts or pecans
-ground cinnamon
Be aware that this coffee cake batter is THICK! It produces a very dense cake but I think that's part of what makes it so good. I suggest trying this coffee cake for a weekend brunch, for a special dessert, or my personal favorite - for breakfast. It's perfect with a cup of tea, or like the name suggests- coffee! Serve it warm, room temperature or cold - you'll want to eat it regardless of how hot or cold it is.
Tips For Baking Gluten-Free Coffee Cake
Baking by Weight
Is baking by weight the most accurate and precise way to bake gluten-free?
Yes. I've done it when baking gluten-free sourdough and also when making homemade pizza.
But is it realistic?
Not really.
In my experience, most people don't have the time or even a kitchen scale to bake this way.
Be careful how you measure your gluten-free flour. Be sure to spoon your flour into your measuring cup, then level off with the back of the knife. This makes sure you get an accurate amount.
Follow. The. Recipe.
This recipe is specifically formulated using Cup4Cup Multipurpose gluten-free flour. If you decide to change anything or substitute other ingredients, they may come out differently than expected and I cannot speak to your results. My experience is in gluten-free and dairy-free baking, but not allergy-free, vegan, or egg-free. You can always email me: [email protected] with any questions and I'm happy to help troubleshoot the best I can.
Dairy-Free
If you are dairy-free, consider using a dairy-free alternative to Cup4Cup flour, which contains milk powder. I would suggest Bob's Red Mill 1:1 GF Flour (blue bag). For dairy-free buttermilk, you can substitute your favorite non-dairy milk, like oat milk or coconut milk, or use 1 ½ cups of your dairy-free milk of choice, then add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes before adding, or try one of these other dairy-free buttermilk alternatives. In place of melted butter, you can use dairy-free butter like Earth Balance or melted coconut oil.
Looking for more easy and tasty gluten-free recipes?
This gluten-free potato leek soup is super creamy without the dairy.
Veggie chili requires minimum prep work and is packed with vegetables.
Try these gluten-free banana chocolate chip muffins for an easy breakfast treat!
Check out over 100+ gluten-free recipes on the blog right here.
Here's how to make this winning gluten-free coffee cake!
If you love this recipe, please leave a review!
Gluten-Free Coffee Cake Recipe
Gluten-Free Coffee Cake
A delightful coffee cake!
Ingredients
- 2 cups gluten-free flour blend, like Cup4Cup
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon granulated salt
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk, at room temperature
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease an 8x10 inch glass dish (or one of a similar size, just make sure the sides are at least 2'' deep).
Combine all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and whisk until incorporated (except the brown sugar, walnuts, and cinnamon).
In a medium-sized bowl, combine butter, egg, and buttermilk, and whisk to combine. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and mix with a large spoon until combined. The batter will be very thick and dense! Pour batter into the greased pan and spread evenly.
In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, walnuts, and cinnamon with a spoon. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the batter using your fingers.
Bake for 30 minutes. Allow coffee cake to sit in the pan for an additional 20 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Coffee cake should last 2-3 days after baking. Keep it covered at room temperature, or warm up in the microwave for a few seconds if needed. Enjoy!
Nutrition Information
Yield 6 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 410Total Fat 10gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 39mgSodium 528mgCarbohydrates 72gFiber 2gSugar 38gProtein 9g
The nutrition information on each recipe card is provided as a courtesy and for your convenience. The data is calculated by Nutritionix. You are encouraged to make your own calculations based on your ingredients and preferred nutritional facts calculator. While I try to make sure they are accurate, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of these calculations.
Do you like gluten-free coffee cake?
What's your favorite type of cake?
Leave me a comment below if you've tried this recipe!
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