Yum! I love coffee cake and this recipe is super easy to prepare and a crowd pleaser. In this post I’ll share with you how to make a delicious oil-free vegan coffee cake recipe, as well as photos and a printable recipe. Add this recipe to your recipe binder for easy reference. I enjoy serving this coffee cake with hot coffee. Bring this dish to a breakfast picnic and share with your friends.

This recipe was inspired by a vintage Better Homes & Gardens recipe from 1953. Check out the original recipe on my other site, VintageCookbookLover.com.

This oil-free vegan coffee cake recipe is:

• Made with whole wheat
• Takes just a few minutes to make the batter and crumble
• Can be prepared in less than 10 minutes
• Bakes in the oven in just 20-25 minutes

Why oil-free coffee cake?

There are so many reasons to eliminate oil from our diets, here’s a few links with more information:

• How (and why) I kicked my addiction to oil
• Here’s the science behind why added oils are bad for our bodies
• Oil-free Vegan Cooking 101
• Substitutes for coconut oil: Here’s 10 oil-free vegan coconut oil replacements
• Vegan weight loss 101: Complete guide to losing weight on a plant-based diet
• Beginner’s Guide to Vegan Meal Prep

How to substitute butter or oil in coffee cake

My one quick and easy trick for substituting butter, oil or shortening in a recipe is to simply substitute equal measure ground nuts or seeds. For example, if a coffee cake recipe calls for two tablespoons butter, simply swap it out for two tablespoons peanut butter, walnut butter or brazil nut butter. Depending on your recipe, you may want to add a small amount of water, such as one tablespoon or so, to replace the water found naturally in butter.

Why use a blender for this recipe?

This recipe calls for using a blender. I know this is a little odd for baking, however when making oil-free vegan baked goods, this is the easiest way to blend the ingredients that are not easy to mix together with a utensil. In traditional coffee cake recipes, they often call for using an electric mixer. In this recipe, instead of using an electric mixer you’ll use a blender.

Basic steps for making oil-free vegan coffee cake

Here’s a quick rundown of what you’ll be doing to make this recipe:

1. Combine the chia or flax seeds with water, sugar, plant milk and nut butter in a blender and blend until creamy.
2. Combine sifted flour, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl and combine well.
3. Pour batter into a bowl and stir in the dry mixture.
4. Pour batter into a parchment lined baking pan
5. Combine all crumble ingredients in a small mixing bowl.
6. Sprinkle crumble mixture over the batter.
7. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in preheated oven.
8. Let cool for a few minutes before slicing.

Equipment you’ll need:

Here’s a quick run down of the equipment you’ll need to make this coffee cake recipe:

1. 8″ x 8″ x 2″ square baking dish or similar
2. Parchment paper
3. Blender with lid
4. Large mixing bowl
5. Small mixing bowl
6. Measuring cups
7. Measuring spoons
8. Mixing spoon
9. Preheated oven

Here’s the recipe:

Vegan Coffee Cake (oil-free, whole grain)

Makes 1 8″x 8″x 2″ square vegan coffee cake / 9 servings

Ingredients

Coffee cake ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon ground chia or flax seeds
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup plant milk
• 2 tablespoons nut butter (such as peanut butter)
• 1 cup whole wheat flour, sifted then measured
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoons salt

Crumble topping ingredients:

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon nut butter (such as peanut butter)
• 1 tablespoon whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts, such as walnuts or brazil nuts

Directions:

1. Combine ground chia or flax seeds, plant milk, and peanut butter in a blender and blend until creamy. In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Pour batter into dry mixture and mix well to combine. Pour into a parchment paper-lined 8x8x2-inch baking pan.
2. Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, whole wheat flour, and peanut butter in a small baking dish. Use your fingers to rub peanut butter into dry mixture. Add broken nuts and mix well.  Sprinkle crumble mixture over batter. Bake in moderate oven (375 degrees Fahrenheit) 20 to 25 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before slicing.

Print this recipe and save it in your recipe binder:

This recipe originally appeared on my other blog, VintageCookbookLover.com.

Further reading:

• Here’s 10 red small kitchen appliances
• Here’s 3 reasons to use parchment paper when baking (and one is about your health)
• How to veganize a coffee cake recipe (oil-free, whole grain)

Ready to kick your oil habit?

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