Easy Gluten Free Coffee Cake

Easy Gluten Free Coffee Cake is a classic coffee cake recipe made with gluten free flour and topped with a buttery pecan cinnamon streusel topping, ready in 45 minutes!

I love baking on the weekend, and coffee cake is definitely a family favorite! If you’re looking for more great ideas, check out these Baked Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts, Easy Gluten Free Banana Bread, and Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins!

Gluten Free Coffee Cake is always requested around the holidays because it has minimal prep time, is ready to serve in under 45 minutes, and is perfect for breakfast with a cup of coffee. I use a 9×13 inch baking dish, but this would also work in a bundt pan.

It’s a fluffy, moist cake that has a sweet cinnamon streusel crumble topping with crunchy pecans for a great texture. You can also add a drizzle of glaze, like I do on this Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Gluten Free Flour. Gluten free flour blends can vary, and which one you choose can definitely affect the final outcome.

Try to choose a 1-to-1 baking blend that already contains xanthan gum. You can also add xanthan gum yourself, but the gluten-free 1:1 baking flour usually has it already, and in the right amount for that blend. 

If your flour blend doesn’t have it already, start with 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum per 1 cup of gluten free flour. King Arthur talks about it more here. 

Butter. I use unsalted butter in all of my recipes. Salted butter can contain different amounts of salt, so it’s safer to just add it later in the recipe as-needed, instead of risking the flavor difference.

Sugar.  White granulated sugar and light brown sugar is the perfect combination of flavors. Plus, brown sugar contains more moisture so it gives the coffee cake a better texture.

You can use all white granulated sugar if that’s what you have. 

Vanilla Extract. This adds flavor to the coffee cake. You can also try adding almond extract instead of (or in addition to) the vanilla. 

Eggs. Eggs are a binding ingredient that helps hold everything together with protein. The yolks also give a small amount of fat in the recipe which helps with texture. 

Milk. I use 2% milk because that’s what I have in my house most of the time. You can also use whole milk, heavy cream, or buttermilk. 

Sour Cream. Sour cream is a key ingredient! The fat in the sour cream helps add moisture to the coffee cake, giving a texture that’s soft and fluffy, but also very moist.

While the acidity works with the leavening ingredients to give the cake a great rise, which results in the fluffy texture. 

Leavening. I try to use a combination of baking powder and baking soda for gluten free baking. 

Salt. Salt balances the sweetness, so the coffee cake doesn’t turn out overly-sweet. I’ve used sea salt and kosher salt, both will work.

Spices. I add a teaspoon cinnamon to the cake, and also to the streusel. You can also try adding some nutmeg or allspice, or regular pumpkin pie spice.

How to Make Gluten Free Coffee Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13″ baking dish with butter or cooking spray. In a stand mixer, cream together the butter and white sugar until just combined. On medium-low speed, add the brown sugar and vanilla extract. Add one egg at a time until just combined. Be careful not to over-mix the wet ingredients. 
2. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients until evenly combined. 
3. Set the mixer on medium and add the dry ingredients and sour cream. Then slowly pour in the milk. Stop the mixer and use a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, then mix again until combined. Add the cake batter to the prepared baking dish, using a spatula to spread it evenly.
4. In a separate bowl, mix together all of the topping dry ingredients with the melted butter until everything looks wet, then evenly sprinkle topping over the cake batter. 
5. Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you keep gluten free cake from drying out?

Aside from the recipe itself, your gluten free cake may be drying out for a few reasons. 

Heat. If your oven is too hot, the cake may turn out dry. This will also burn the streusel topping after enough time. If this is consistently happening, get an oven thermometer and check that your oven is cooking at the temperature it’s set at. 

Measuring. Level the measuring cups with a butter knife, or weigh it out. Check your gluten free flour mix to see how many grams equals 1 cup, to be sure. Adding to much dry ingredient (or not enough wet) can dry out a cake. 

Fats. A moist cake requires fats. Too many substitutions can alter the final results and dry out the cake. 

Can you over-mix gluten free cake batter?

You’re not working with gluten, so you can’t really over-mix gluten free cake batter.

But you do have to be careful when you’re creaming the butter and sugar together, because this can get over-mixed and melted. And with some recipes, it can affect the final texture. 

Why is gluten free so dry?

It’s important to balance out the ingredients to prevent gluten free baked goods from being dry. For this recipe, we’re using butter and sour cream to help add fat and moisture to the coffee cake. 

How to Store Gluten Free Coffee Cake

Store coffee cake at room temperature in an air-tight container (or wrapped tightly with plastic wrap) for 2-3 days. 

Freeze coffee cake in an airtight container for 2-3 months. 

How to Make This Dairy Free or Vegan

This can easily be made dairy free or vegan with a few substitutions!

• Substitute 1 egg with 1/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce. 
• Replace the milk with a milk substitute, like unsweetened almond milk (or your favorite dairy free milk). 
• Replace the butter with vegan or dairy free butter or vegetable oil (just add it instead of creaming together with the sugar first). 
• For the cinnamon streusel topping, use a few tablespoons of vegan butter or add vegetable oil until just wet. 

More Recipes

• Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread
• Fudgy Gluten Free Brownies
• Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins
• Easy Powdered Sugar Donuts
• Gluten Free Double Chocolate Cake

Cooking Tips

• You can also make this recipe in a bundt pan. Add the streusel topping to the bottom of the pan, then pour the batter over it. 
• You can replace the milk with eggnog for a holiday version, like I did in this Gluten Free Eggnog Coffee Cake.
• Try using different spices, like pumpkin pie spice! Or add a handful of blueberries for a blueberry coffee cake. 
• For decoration, you can dust the top with a layer of powdered sugar.
• I used pecans for the crumb topping, but you can try using walnuts, or leave the nuts out altogether. 
• Make extra crumble and add a layer of crumble in the middle of the cake as well as on top. Or use a butterknife to “swirl” around the cake before baking, for a cinnamon swirl effect. 

If you loved this recipe, be sure to leave a 5 Star review below, and tag me with a photo of your finished recipe on Instagram @Jacqui_DishingDelish!

We are a participant in both the RewardStyle and Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, which are affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com and through RewardStyle.