I love a good coffee cake. In my opinion, coffee cake goes with just about anything, not just coffee. A hot cup of tea…. a warm bowl of homemade soup…. some fresh eggs fried over easy with some bacon…. yup, it all sounds good to me when paired with this gluten-free coffee cake! There’s something warm, cozy, and deliciously sweet about a slice of homemade coffee cake, and this homemade oat-based coffee cake is no exception. Perfectly sweetened with coconut sugar, a subtle hint of cinnamon, and the most amazing crumb topping makes this coffee cake a must-try modern pioneer recipe!
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Modern Pioneer Recipe
I consider coffee cake to be a modern pioneer recipe, but there are plenty of heritage counterparts that come close to being considered a ‘coffee cake’. Ones that come to my mind include railroad cake, Mormon johnnycake, and sorghum cake. All of these heritage recipes included some sort of sweetener, some flour, eggs, and a little leavening agent.
I know for sure that the early pioneers treasured their coffee too, so they very well may have had coffee cake on a regular basis! Their recipes may have just been a little different than ours is today. Nevertheless, this gluten-free coffee cake is about as close to a pioneer coffee cake as you can get!
It is made with wholesome ingredients, completely from scratch, and is allergy-friendly! The flour in this recipe is made from whole oats, which are anti-inflammatory and easy to digest. Coconut sugar is the primary sweetener, which makes this coffee cake low on the glycemic index and less likely to cause blood sugar problems.
Coconut yogurt helps give this coffee cake a light, moist texture when combined with the oat flour. If you really want a challenge, try making your own yogurt to use in this recipe! I have done that before, but my yogurt recipe still needs a little tweaking!
As for allergy-friendly, this coffee cake is…
- gluten-free
- refined sugar free
- corn free
- dairy-free option
- nut free
Pioneer Kitchen Essentials- Glassware
Starting with this gluten-free coffee cake recipe, I want to try and include a section in each recipe that gives you a helpful modern pioneer kitchen tip. Today’s tip happens to be all about cooking with glassware!
You may have noticed that nearly all the recipes on our blog are baked in glassware. Glass pie plates, glass 8×8″ pans, glass 9×13″ pans, and the list goes on. We also happen to store all our leftovers in glass containers, avoiding plastic as much as possible.
The main reason why we like to use glassware in the modern pioneer kitchen is because it is a sustainable alternative to non-stick cookware and ceramic cookware. We stay away from any non-stick cookware or bakeware because of the chemicals that those items are coated with to give them their non-stick properties.
Glassware is also super hardy, lasts for years even with constant use, is very versatile, can be used for baking or for food storage, and is easy to clean. Here are some of the essential glassware that we have in our modern pioneer kitchen:
- 9×13″ glass baking pan (perfect for making these gluten-free trail bars!)
- 8×8″ square glass baking pan (the pan for these fudgy brownies!)
- 9″ glass pie plates (coffee cake and pies, here we come!)
- round glass storage containers– various sizes
- square glass storage containers– various sizes
- glass measuring cups
We like to buy Anchor Hocking or Pyrex glassware products. We find that these products have a long usable life and are good quality!
Tips for Baking with Glassware:
- Don’t expose your glassware to sudden temperature changes, whether it be sudden heat or sudden coldness. Sudden temperature fluctuations can cause the glass to shatter.
- Oiling glassware that you will be using for baked goods is a great way to prevent sticking. We like to use coconut oil or butter.
- Lining the glassware with non-bleached parchment paper is another great way to prevent sticking with baked goods!
- Only use glassware for baking that does not show signs of weak points, breakage, or hairline cracks.
- Clean your glassware with non-abrasive cleaners and an all-natural dish detergent. Most glassware is also dishwasher safe.
- For food burnt onto glassware, soaking the glassware in warm, soapy water can help loosen the food and make the glassware easier to clean.
Recipe Questions & Tips
Making Your Own Oat Flour:
For this gluten-free coffee cake, you get to make your own oat flour! Making your own oat flour is super simple, you just need a high power blender or a food processor.
To make oat flour, choose gluten-free whole rolled oats. Measure out the amount of oats according to how much oat flour the recipe calls for. When the oats are ground up, they will make more flour than what you initially measured in whole oats. For example, this recipe calls for 2 cups of oat flour, so measure out 2 cups of oats.
Add the oats to a high powder blender or a food processor.
Blend or process the oats until a coarse oat flour develops. You can vary the degree of coarseness depending on how long you process or blend the oats for. Measure out the amount of oat flour you need for the recipe and save the extras for later.
There you have it… homemade oat flour to use in any recipe!
As a side note, you can use store-bought oat flour in this coffee cake recipe too.
Can I use a substitute for coconut yogurt?
Any yogurt will work in this recipe, it doesn’t have to be coconut yogurt. I like to use unsweetened vanilla coconut yogurt as a dairy-free, tree-nut free, and grain-free yogurt option. However, I also like to use oat yogurt as well.
I would not try using milk or a dairy-free milk alternative instead of the yogurt. It will change the batter consistency and texture of the coffee cake.
Can I omit the crumble topping or use a dairy-free alternative?
Yes, you can leave off the crumble topping! Instead, try topping the coffee cake with some homemade cinnamon sugar or a dairy-free vanilla glaze as soon as the coffee cake comes out of the oven. Both are delicious alternatives to a crumble topping!
You can also try using a dairy-free butter substitute in the crumble topping to make it dairy-free. The key is that it has to be solid at room temperature in order to create a crumble.
What butter substitute can I use to make this coffee cake dairy-free?
You can use coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil, or any other dairy-free butter substitute in this recipe to make the coffee cake completely dairy-free.
How long will this coffee cake last and how should I store it?
Gluten-free coffee cake will stay fresh for 3 days when stored at room temperature covered with an airtight lid. You can also store the coffee cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, however it will dry out the longer it is kept in the fridge.
Gluten-free coffee cake can also be frozen! The crumble topping does make it a little difficult to freeze, but it still tastes amazing when it is un-thawed to be enjoyed later!
You should make sure the coffee cake is completely cool before covering it with an airtight lid or moving the slices into an airtight container.
Can I use an alternative to coconut sugar?
Maple sugar makes a great substitute for coconut sugar in this coffee cake! I don’t recommend any liquid sweetener substitutes, like honey or maple syrup, since that will affect the consistency of the batter. You can also use maple sugar in the crumble topping!
Can I add berries to my coffee cake?
Yes! You can add any berries, fresh or frozen, to this coffee cake! Add the berries last before spreading the batter into the glass baking pan. If using frozen berries, keep the berries frozen until you add them to the batter. Un-thawed berries will make the batter too moist.
If you like a variety of different coffee cakes, then make sure you check out this grain-free pumpkin coffee cake recipe too!
This gluten-free coffee cake is my go-to coffee cake recipe for paring with a cozy winter soup, having as a mid-afternoon snack, or enjoying with fresh eggs for breakfast! I love how easy it is to make and the simple, wholesome ingredients that it contains!
Gluten-free Coffee Cake
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup coconut sugar
- 1/3 cup organic, grass-fed butter, melted
- 2 large pasture-raised, organic eggs room temp.
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 cups homemade gluten-free oat flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 3/4 cup coconut yogurt
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Crumb Topping
- 4 T. cold butter, cut into tablespoon chunks
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar
- 1/2 cup gluten-free whole oats
- 1/3 cup oat flour
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil a 9" glass pie plate with coconut oil or butter.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, eggs, coconut sugar, and vanilla. Stir until smooth.
- Add the oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add the coconut yogurt last and stir until everything is combined and the batter is smooth.
- Spread the batter into the 9" glass pie plate.
- In a food processor, combine the crumb topping ingredients. Pulse briefly until a coarse crumb forms. Sprinkle the crumble over the batter.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes. The edges should be lightly browned and the cake should bounce back when pressed gently.
- Enjoy warm or let it cool before storing!
Where to Find the Ingredients
- Nutiva coconut sugar
- Simply Organic vanilla extract
- Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free whole oats
- Hain Pure Foods baking powder
- Simply Organic cinnamon
- Supplies: 9″ glass pie plate, Vitamix
This gluten-free coffee cake has the perfect soft texture and cake-like crumb! It has the perfect sweet flavor with a subtle hint of cinnamon and the crumb topping adds a nice texture and additional sweet crunch! Made only with wholesome, simple ingredients, this coffee cake is super easy to make from scratch using ingredients you already have stocked in the homestead pantry. From homemade oat flour to homemade yogurt, this coffee cake recipe can really be turned into a modern pioneer recipe!
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by Alexa
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