This gluten free coffee cake has that classic rich, tender golden cake, topped with a that classic nubby, sweet streusel crumb topping.
The secrets to the best homemade coffee cake are plenty of sour cream in the batter—and extra crumbles on top!
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What makes this gluten free coffee cake special?
The crumb of this delicious cake is dense, but incredibly tender and moist. It's really a golden cake, instead of a gluten free vanilla cake.
Traditional cakes with a more open crumb, like vanilla cake, are typically made with a liquid in the batter like milk. This coffee cake has just 2 tablespoons of milk—and the rest of the moisture comes from sour cream.
The dense texture of this golden yellow cake combined with the huge cinnamon and sugar crumbles on top make it perfect for enjoying along with a hot cup of coffee or tea—or with a tall glass of milk. The cake is perfectly sweet, but not so sweet that the brown sugar crumble topping feels like it doesn't belong or like it's “too much.”
Ingredients in a gluten free crumble topping
- Unsalted butter: melted and cooled slightly, this is the buttery base of any crumble topping
- Brown sugar: adds sweetness, richness, and depth of flavor
- Granulated sugar: adds more sweetness, and also helps the crumble topping crisp in the oven
- All purpose gluten free flour blend: this is what adds structure and keeps the crumble topping from melting into the rest of the cake; your blend must have some xanthan gum or the crumble won't keep its shape
Ingredients in the gluten free coffee cake base
- All purpose gluten free flour blend, including xanthan gum: This provides structure and texture for the cake; you must use one of my recommended blends or the cake ingredients won't combine properly or bake with the right texture
- Cornstarch: Adds some lightness to the blend if you're using Better Batter's classic blend, like I am. If you're using Cup4Cup, in place of cornstarch, use 2 tablespoons (18 g) more of the flour blend
- Baking powder: Provides rise
- Baking soda: Neutralizes the acid in the sour cream and helps the cake brown
- Salt: Brings out all the other flavors and offsets the sweetness a bit
- Ground cinnamon: Adds warmth and depth of flavor, but you can leave it out if you'd prefer more plain butter flavor
- Butter: Adds richness, tenderness, and flavor
- Sour cream: Adds moisture, tang, and tenderness.
- Granulated sugar: Adds tenderness and sweetness
- Milk: Just a touch of milk lightens the crumb a bit and makes the cake batter easier to spread in the pan
- Vanilla: adds depth of flavor
- Eggs: Add rise and act as a binder for all the other ingredients
How to make gluten free coffee cake
Make the crumble topping
- Whisk together the gluten free flours, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and salt.
- Mix in melted butter for easy blending.
- Chill the topping to create big crumble pieces.
Make the cake batter
- Whisking together the dry ingredients (gluten free flours, baking powder & baking soda, & salt).
- Beat the butter, sour cream, milk and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl, then the eggs.
- Mix in the dry ingredients by hand for a thick batter.
Assemble the batter, top with crumble, & bake
- Transfer the cake batter to a prepared cake pan and spread it into an even layer.
- Break up the chilled crumble and scatter on top.
- Bake the cake at 350°F until it no longer jiggles in the center.
- Allow the cake to cool, then slice and serve!
How to store gluten free coffee cake
This lovely gluten free coffee cake will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can also freeze it as you'll see below.
Can I freeze this gf coffee cake?
Yes! This coffee cake freezes quite well after baking, once it's completely cooled to room temperature.
You can cut the cake into squares and serve it when it's still a bit warm. But to freeze baked goods, they must be completely cool.
If you freeze anything that's still warm, it will form condensation on the outside that will freeze completely solid. And as the frozen condensation melts out of the freezer, it makes the cake soggy.
I prefer to slice the cooled coffee cake into squares, and then wrap each leftover square tightly in freezer-safe wrap. Then, defrost at 50% power in the microwave or on the kitchen counter.
If you'd like the cake to taste extra fresh, even after being frozen, you can toast it lightly after it's defrosted. Don't let it toast long enough to dry out, and gluten free coffee cake will be good as new!
Ingredient substitution suggestions
This cake is versatile enough that you can make some tweaks to it when you're catering to dietary requirements other than gluten free.
Gluten free dairy free coffee cake
There is a lot of butter in this recipe, both in the crumble topping and in the cake itself. The best replacement for the butter in both places is probably Melt or Miyoko's Kitchen brand vegan butter.
For the crumble topping, if you can't use vegan butter, try using Spectrum nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening.
In place of sour cream, try using a good quality nondairy sour cream. You can also use plain Greek-style yogurt in place of sour cream.
And remember, go with Better Batter not Cup4Cup, as Better Batter is dairy free while Cup4Cup is not.
Egg-free coffee cake
There are two eggs in this coffee cake recipe, and you might be able to replace each of them with one “chia egg” each. For each, place 1 tablespoon ground white chia seeds + 1 tablespoon lukewarm water into a small bowl, mix, and allow to gel.
If you make this recipe both egg-free and dairy-free, it will be a gluten free vegan coffee cake.
About the cornstarch in this gluten free coffee cake
If you can't have corn, try using arrowroot powder or even potato starch in place of cornstarch. If you can't have cornstarch, you'll have to avoid using Cup4Cup at all, since it is made with a lot of cornstarch.
If you can have corn and you're already using a higher starch all purpose gluten free flour blend, like Cup4Cup, replace the 18 grams of cornstarch in this recipe with an equal amount of that high starch flour blend.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can make coffee cake ahead of time. Wrap it tightly and it will keep on the counter for 3 days. You can freshen it up by sprinkling it with water and then lightly toasting it before you serve. For longer storage, freeze it for up to 3 months.
No! There's no coffee in coffee cake. It's made to be enjoyed with a hot cup of coffee.
Over the years, I've come to suspect that, in some cultures, what they call a coffee cake actually has coffee baked into the batter. I assume that flavors the cake?
Yes, coffee is naturally gluten free. As is this coffee cake recipe. However, coffee cake doesn't actually have any coffee in it. Unlike British coffee cake that's flavored with coffee in the batter and frosting, American coffee cake is designed to be served with a cup of coffee, so the cake itself isn't flavored with any coffee.
If you want moist gluten free cake, be sure to use the best all purpose gluten free flour blend, including xanthan gum which extends shelf life of gf baked goods, and measure by weight, not volume. Otherwise, you might overmeasure your flour, leading to a dry cake.
The sour cream makes the most tender crumb. It adds a very slight tangy flavor that cuts through the sweetness of baked goods, and tenderizes everything. That's why we also use sour cream in our recipes for one bowl gluten free banana bread and one bowl gluten free chocolate cake.
The secret to making sure you have a crisp-tender, nubby crumble topping that doesn't melt into the cake during baking is to make sure it's super cold when it goes into the oven. Like baking pastry, crumble topping must be cold so it holds its shape during baking.
You may have let the warm cake sit in the pan and/or the parchment paper liner too long. If you don't allow the hot steam from the oven to escape as the cake cools, it will steam the cake and can make the browned parts a bit rubbery.
Gluten Free Coffee Cake Recipe
Equipment
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
Ingredients
For the topping
- 8 tablespoons (112 g) unsalted butter melted
- ⅓ cup (73 g) packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (140 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (I used Better Batter; click thru for full info on appropriate blends)
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum omit if your blend already contains it (use a heaping 1/2 teaspoon)
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
For the cake batter
- 1 ¾ cups (245 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (I used Better Batter; click thru for full info on appropriate blends)
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum omit if your blend already contains it (use a heaping 1/2 teaspoon)
- 2 tablespoons (18 g) cornstarch
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon optional
- 6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup (256 g) sour cream at room temperature
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons (1 fluid ounce) milk at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper and set it aside.
For the crumble topping
- The topping must be prepared first, so it can chill.
- In a medium-size bowl, place all the ingredients in the order listed, mixing to combine after each addition.
- Cover the bowl that holds the raw topping. Place the bowl in the refrigerator to chill until firm.
For the cake batter
- In a medium-size bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and optional cinnamon, and whisk to combine well. Set the bowl aside.
- In a large bowl with a handheld mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, place the butter, sour cream, granulated sugar, milk, and vanilla, and beat well on medium speed until very smooth. Add the eggs, and beat until just combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the bowl of wet ingredients and mix by hand until just combined. The batter will be very thick, since our liquid is mainly sour cream.
Assemble and bake the cake
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer with a wet spatula. Press the spatula down in the corners to eliminate any air pockets.
- Remove the chilled crumble topping from the refrigerator. Uncover the topping, and use the tines of a fork to break up the mixture into irregular pieces.
- Scatter the crumble pieces evenly on top of the cake batter. Press down gently to help the topping adhere to the batter.
- Place the cake pan in the center of the preheated oven. Bake for about 40 minutes, until the center does not jiggle in the center when the pan is shaken from side to side gently.
- A cake tester inserted into the center should come out mostly clean. Do not overbake or the bottom will burn.
- Remove the pan from the oven and allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes or until it's just table enough to transfer.
- Lift the cake out of the pan by the parchment paper liner, and place it on a wire rack. Pull out the parchment paper from underneath the cake to allow the cake to be exposed to the air while it cools completely.
- Slice into 9 equal squares and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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Thanks for stopping by!
Hi, I’m Nicole. I create gluten free recipes that really work and taste as good as you remember. No more making separate meals when someone is GF, or buying packaged foods that aren’t good enough to justify the price. At Gluten Free on a Shoestring, “good, for gluten free” just isn’t good enough! Come visit my bio!
Sarah says
This is the best GF dessert recipe I have ever encountered. I make this instead of coffee cake with regular flour. I have RAVED about it to everyone I know who eats GF. 1,000/10.
Nicole Hunn says
That’s so great to hear, Sarah! Thank you so much for sharing your experience!
Annette Rankin says
Love your recipes Nicole. I’ve 2 folders and they’re mostly yours. I’ve just made the coffee cake. I found it difficult to get the mixture with the butter, sugar and sour cream smooth. I still had bits of butter! It came out very deep so I think next time I’ll try a bigger pan! Can’t wait to try it! Can’t leave a star rating until I eat it but it certainly looks good! Thank you ☺️
Nicole Hunn says
Thank you so much for the kind words, Annette. I’m so glad my recipes have been helpful to you! When you have trouble blending ingredients like that, it’s almost always because at least one ingredient you’re mixing wasn’t at room temperature. A cold egg will make butter that had been at the right temperature clump and become impossible to blend. That will lead to dry spots and greasy spots in the finished baked good. I hope that helps!
Grace D. says
After seeing so many 5 star reviews I was very disappointed in this recipe. The crumble topping was definitely a 5 but the cake itself had a heavy and a bit gummy.texture, only getting 1 star. My average rating is a 3 but I would not recommend this recipe.
Nicole Hunn says
As I explain in the text of the post, if you let the warm cake sit in the pan and/or the parchment paper liner while it cools, the hot steam from the cake can’t escape and it steams the outside of the cake, overcooking it. It also sounds like perhaps your cake was underbaked, and of course if you made any ingredient substitutions, especially with the flour blend, or didn’t beat the batter well as described, the recipe won’t turn out as expected. Without any details I’m afraid that’s all I can do to help troubleshoot, if you’re interested in that.
Johnny says
Made this last minute for Mother’s Day brunch, and it was a big hit for everyone! Thank you!
Nicole Hunn says
I’m so glad to hear it, Johnny!
Gina Ziegler says
Hi Nicole! I love all of your gluten free recipes! I just made this coffee cake and my only “complaint” is that the outside is a bit chewy in texture. The inside is perfect- amazingly light and fluffy! Did I do something wrong or is that just how it is?
Nicole Hunn says
My guess is that you let it cool in the pan for too long so the residual heat from the oven trapped in the pan steamed the outside and made it wet. Just a guess, though!
Joanne says
This is a great GF recipe! I made it with King Arthur GF flour so no need to add the x gum. I also doubled it and baked in a 9 x 13 pan. I love cinnamon so I added more to the mix and added 2tsps to the topping. Had to bake a bit longer but came out great to help feel a larger breakfast crowd.
Robin says
Can I add blueberries to this recipe?
Nicole Hunn says
No, Robin, that would add way too much moisture and the recipe would not turn out.
Jessica Seiter Williams says
This is now my go-to “meeting cake”.
No one knows it’s GF! It’s marvelous!
Erin says
Hi, is it possible to make this cake dairy free too?
Nicole Hunn says
Please see the text of the post under the heading “Gluten free dairy free coffee cake”
Kathleen says
Any chance you could suggest how to tweak this for baking at 6000 ft? Can’t wait to try it!
Nicole Hunn says
I’m afraid I don’t have any experience with high altitude baking since I can’t recreate that condition, Kathleen, but I can tell you that over the many years I’ve been doing this, many readers at altitude have reported that they used their “normal” adjustments and they worked fine.
Carol Garron says
Hi! I haven’t made this yet but wondered if it’s ideal to refrigerate to keep it fresh? I’d love to bake and send it to my granddaughter but am concerned if it will survive 2-3 days of shipping.
Thank you for your wonderful recipes and your time!
Carol G
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Carol, please see the section of the post titled “How to store gluten free coffee cake.” I’m honestly not sure if you could ship it but if you do, definitely pack it tight so the crumble topping doesn’t get broken off. The cake itself is pretty solid, though. And you’re so welcome!
Megan says
This was obscenely good! My husband and neighbors couldn’t believe it was GF. FINALLY!
Nicole Hunn says
I’m so glad, Megan! I hope it restores your faith in baking. :)
Bobbi Timberlake says
Can this be made with any non-cane sugars to reduce the carbs?
Nicole Hunn says
Anything other than a sugar alternative will have lots of carbs, Bobbi. I’m afraid I don’t love baking with alternative sugars, but you can try using Swerve brand sugar alternatives. They do tend to be drying, so the cake likely won’t be as moist or tender. I think you’re probably better off finding a keto recipe, developed to be made with sugar alternatives.