Vegan Coffee Cake with Walnut Crumb Topping
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Elevate your crumb cake recipe with this exquisite vegan coffee cake topped with the most fabulously thick brown sugar walnut crumb topping! Quick and easy to throw together but sure to impress on its own or alongside a freshly brewed espresso.
Vegan Coffee Cake
The perfect dessert / breakfast coffee cake to step into fall with and it’s also vegan. You’ll want to start baking this on repeat as soon as the weather permits turning on the oven. It’s a fabulous weekend treat to have with your morning cup of coffee but also to show up in your Thanksgiving and Christmas spread because it’s truly special and ready in less than an hour.
The Cake Layer
The cake layer is soft and fluffy like a cupcake and made with my favorite baking fat: fruity olive oil! No dairy, no eggs, the sponge holds up nice to the thick topping but without being dense at all (just don’t over-mix the batter). Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar just to be extra but it’s not really necessary.
The Crumb Topping for Coffee Cake
- Walnuts – Made with 3 full cups of walnuts, brown sugar and lemon zest bound together with just a little apricot jam for the dreamiest nuttiest crumb you’ve ever tasted.
- Don’t Over-Mix – Chop everything using your food processor and the pulse button making sure to leave plenty of texture and a few larger walnut pieces for extra crunch. As the nuts toast during baking they will take on a deeply nutty flavor profile worth all the calories. Leave no crumb behind!
- Press the Topping into the cake batter – Crumble the topping mixture over the batter using your hand for best results, then using the palm of your hand gently press it into the batter so it sticks. This way the nuts will be baked into the actual cake instead of just a layer sitting on top.
The Baking Pan
You’ll need a 9 x 9 inch square cake pan lined with parchment paper with a little bit of overhang to act as handles and make transfer easy after cooling. You can lightly oil the pan or the paper if desired but I didn’t find that necessary. If using a different size pan make sure to adjust baking times as needed. The thinner you spread the batter in a pan the faster it will cook, so it’s important to make sure to check for doneness early and don’t let the sponge dry out.
On Storage
For the first day keep it at room temperature uncovered then transfer to lidded airtight containers overnight. For long term storage you can freeze in individual containers or biodegradable ziplock bags and thaw out on the kitchen counter a couple of hours before serving.
Why is this called a coffee cake?
Unlike my coffee cupcakes which are brimming with caffeine from the center to the frosting, this cake doesn’t contain any coffee. The name simply comes from it being meant to be enjoyed alongside your espresso or caffeinated beverage.
Delicious Desserts
- Vegan Chocolate Cake with Buttercream Frosting
- Black Bean Brownies
- Vegan Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake
- Fudgy Vegan Brownies
- Nutty Cookies
- Vegan Ricotta Apple Pie
- Almond Cookies
- Homemade Apple Pie Filling
- Vegan Lemon Cake
- Pumpkin Crunch Cake
how to make vegan coffee cake with walnut crumb topping
Vegan Coffee Cake with Walnut Crumb Topping
Ingredients
The Sponge
- 1.5 cups all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 cup cashew milk or plain at, almond, soy milk
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp vanilla or rum extract
- 1/2 cup olive oil
Walnut Crumb Topping
- 3 cups raw walnuts
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 4 Tbsp apricot jam
- Zest from 1 lemon
- 1 pinch fine sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350”F
- In a small mixing bowl whisk together the wet ingredients and set aside.3/4 cup cashew milk, 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 Tbsp vanilla or rum extract, 1/2 cup olive oil
- CRUMB TOPPING: Add the walnut crumb topping ingredients to the bowl of a food processor and using the pulse button process until a coarse mixture comes together into a loose dough. Take care not to over-process here so you have plenty of texture of the nuts. Set aside.3 cups raw walnuts, 1/2 cup light brown sugar, 4 Tbsp apricot jam, Zest from 1 lemon, 1 pinch fine sea salt
- DRY MIX: In a large mixing bowl whisk together all the dry ingredients then pour the wet mixture over the top. Use a spatula and fold everything together but take care not to over mix it.1.5 cups all purpose flour, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 tsp fine salt, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp baking powder
- Prepare a 9 x 9 inch baking dish lined with parchment paper. Transfer the batter and using your spatula help spread it on the bottom of the pan.
- Using your hand start scooping the walnut mixture and sprinkle it over the dough until covered all over. Use the palm of your hand and gently press the mixture into the dough just a little (don’t press all the way to the bottom, just enough for everything to stick).
- Bake your cake in the oven preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a couple of crumbs hanging on to it.
- Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and allow to cool off completely before slicing. Use a serrated knife to cut 4 equal strips both vertical and horizontal to make 16 squares.
- Serve with a light dusting of powdered sugar alongside a cup of coffee.
Video
Notes
- Storage - For the first day keep it at room temperature uncovered then transfer to lidded airtight containers overnight. For long term storage you can freeze in individual containers or biodegradable ziplock bags and thaw out on the kitchen counter a couple of hours before serving.
- Don't Over-Mix - Chop everything using your food processor and the pulse button making sure to leave plenty of texture and a few larger walnut pieces for extra crunch. As the nuts toast during baking they will take on a deeply nutty flavor profile worth all the calories. Leave no crumb behind!
- Press the Topping into the cake batter - Crumble the topping mixture over the batter using your hand for best results, then using the palm of your hand gently press it into the batter so it sticks. This way the nuts will be baked into the actual cake instead of just a layer sitting on top.
The walnut crumb topping is juts WOW! Don’t get me wrong, the cake is fluffy and lovely like a cupcake but it’s the topping that makes this an outstanding coffee cake. Definitely a big upgrade to your recipe, highly recommend and thank you for sharing the recipe!