This recipe is inspired by my Grammy’s best friend Ruth Sedler’s coffee cake.
Pete was cleaning out our basement and found a bunch of my grandmother’s old recipe cards, and one of them was for Ruth’s famous coffee cake. I have such wonderful memories of this coffee cake as a child, so I was thrilled to be reminded and inspired by her recipe.
This was the closest I have gotten to recreating hers in GF/Vegan format and I am so happy about the result! It is moist, cakey and delicious with the absolutely yummy cinnamon sugar crumble filling and topping!
I decided to bake it all in a bread loaf pan because I like how it can just be sliced up! It’s so good for breakfast and also with a cup of coffee or tea in the afternoon- I think this will become a family favorite!
- ½ cup butter flavored shortening or vegan butter
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cup gluten-free baking flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill in the dark red bag)
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon xanthum gum
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup non-dairy milk (I used refrigerated full-fat oat milk)
- Filling/Topping:
- 1 cup gluten-free baking flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill in the dark red bag)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons butter flavored shortening or vegan butter
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Prepare a loaf pan by spraying it or brushing it with coconut oil.
- In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the butter and the sugar and cream them together. Add the vanilla and beat until well combined.
- Add all of the dry ingredients to the batter and combine well. Pour in the milk and beat until you have a smooth, slightly thick batter.
- Transfer half of the batter to the bottom of the prepared loaf pan. Use a wet small offset spatula to gently spread the batter evenly across the loaf pan.
- For the filling:
- In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt and then pinch in the shortening until the filling is all crumbly and chunky.
- Sprinkle half of the mixture evenly across the batter, and then transfer the rest of the batter to the top of the filling, and using the same wet small offset spatula, gently spread the batter evenly across the loaf pan.
- Top with the rest of the filling mixture and then place it in the oven. Bake for a full hour and then pull it out and let it cool until you can gently pull it out with a spatula. Slice the loaf and enjoy!
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Where is the coffee
There is no coffee in the recipe- it’s just what they call this breakfast style cake best served with coffee!
Isn’t the filling/topping supposed to have cinnamon? In your story you mention the “absolutely yummy cinnamon sugar crumble filling and topping”
Angela!!! 100% Thank you so much for catching that typo!!
Is there supposed to be coffee in this?
Hi Kaye- there is no coffee in the recipe- it’s just the old-fashioned name for a breakfast cake that you eat along with your coffee!
This looks absolutely incredible!!! I am going to make it this week.
Hi Heather, if I’m only looking for a vegan coffee cake would recipe still work with subbing regular flour and omit the xanthum gum?
Sure Kate! That would totally work!
Can I make this with regular butter and milk since I am not vegan, but am Celiac? I would love to make this tomorrow.
The taste of this is good, but mine came out shallow and crunchy; not moist, fluffy, and a full loaf size like your picture. Any suggestions?
Maybe you forgot the baking powder and used baking soda instead?
I tried out cake with the above recipe. The cake was very soft and tasty. Thank you.
Hi Heather – I have made this several times for my GF and egg free husband and he simply loves it. I have two things that I can’t seem to get working for me. 1) the topping burns – I moved the rack down a bit and it still happened so I covered it will foil this time for the last few minutes but still no luck. Also, 2) My cake drops in the middle – the sides seem to be fine but it sags in the middle. I looked for some ideas for why this could be but all my ingredients are good so thought i would send a note and ask. I am using a 9×5 loaf pan – is this the same as you? Also, is 2 and 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder the right amount?
Thanks for the recipe as it is a new staple in our home!
Hi Amy! So sometimes mine sinks in the middle as well after it cools (comes out fluffy and then sinks later). You can see in the pictures that there is a. little dip in the center. The burned top though I am not sure about! I wonder if you are baking in a convection oven or regular? (mine is convection) maybe try a lower temperature and bake for longer?? Pia has been begging for me to make this so I will do it this weekend and see what happens with sinking. yes- correct amount of baking powder (to give it lift!)
Can I substitute the brown sugar for cane sugar?
Never mind- got it! Thanks! Simply awesome recipient and yummy
This gluten free cinnamon coffee cake turned out amazing! I just loved the flavor and consistency. Yum!