Vegan Cinnamon Crumble Coffee Cake

Houston, we have a big problem. LOL, I’ll get to the problem in a sec but first I have a story for you. When I was growing up, I used to spend Friday nights with my grandmother and we’d always cook breakfast together the next morning. Back in the day, she always had a box of Bisquick on hand. Yep, that buttermilk baking mix has been around since the dawn of time apparently.

It was wonderful to make pancakes and biscuits, but it also had recipes on the box for things like impossible pie, quiche and coffee cake. I used to make the coffee cake at least once a month and remember using her pastry blender to mix up the crumbly topping (and eat half of it before I even sprinkled it on the cake).  I loved the cinnamonny smell in the kitchen and slicing into the pretty cake. Sweet and crumbly on top.

The Kid wanted coffee cake so I promised her I’d try to recreate one for her. It’s kinda tough at times with her dairy allergy to get the flavor and texture right. Eggs and milk really provide holding power in baked goods and give it a distinct texture. Without it, you’re often left with grainy, dry, dense things. I looked through my old allergy cookbook and regular coffee cake recipes (sigh, with all kinds of sour cream and cream cheese) and cobbled together a dairy and egg free version.

Now here’s where the problem comes in. I wasn’t even planning to post this. I threw in this and that, accidentally dumped in more cinnamon than planned. I didn’t bother weighing anything like I usually do (sorry, no gram measurements). I just measured using cups, mixed and hoped for the best while expecting the usual. I pulled the sucker out of the oven, drizzled, and waited. Cutting into it further cemented my doubts. It was brown, not cream colored like “normal” coffee cakes.

I took a bite and I swear angels sang to me in an out of body experience. This.was.beyond.good! I took another bite for confirmation, then squealed for The Kid to get in the kitchen for a taste test. She had the same reaction. The entire evening, we would alternate coming into the kitchen to fork off a bite from the dish. I ended up cutting it into squares and putting it in the fridge to actually give hope of it surviving to the next day. LOL.

We were both amazed at the taste and texture, and that it stayed moist for two days afterwards. I hid a few pieces in the veggie drawer otherwise they’d have bit the dust early. So you have been warned and I cannot be held responsible if you eat this within an hour, all by yourself, with just a fork and the dish in your lap.

Vegan Cinnamon Crumble Coffee Cake 

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup cashew milk or other non-dairy milk
• 1/3 cup canola oil or vegetable oil
• 1 Tbsp white vinegar

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9×9 inch baking dish with non-stick spray. Measure the dry ingredients into a bowl and add the wet ingredients. Mix thoroughly to combine. Pour into the prepared baking dish and make the topping.

• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup butter flavored shortening or non-dairy butter

Measure the dry ingredients into a bowl and add the shortening. Mix with a fork or pastry blender until it begins to form crumbs. I just kept pressing against the side of the bowl with the back of my fork to mix the shortening in thoroughly. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the top of the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 – 40 minutes.

Remove from oven and wait about 15 minutes for it to cool. While the cake is cooling, mix 1/4 cup powdered sugar with a very small amount of water to make an icing. Don’t add too much water or you’re quickly left with runny soup. I used about 1 tsp. Mix and drizzle over the top of the cake. Cut into 9 squares and serve.

Makes 9 servings at approximately 288 calories each – 2g protein, 34g carbs, 16g fat.

Since I hadn’t planned on this making it to an official recipe, I didn’t attempt to alter it to a healthy version or figure out the calories and macros until after it was made and devoured. Although it’s vegan, it’s still pretty high in calories. However, it was so good that I plan to make a Quest version of it. It may take a few attempts to get right but I’ll post the modified version once I perfect it.

Until then, enjoy the real thing. I asked The Kid last night what she wanted for dessert. Her reply? Coffee cake. 😉