Gluten-Free and Vegan Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake

thought that coffee cake had coffee in it, which is why it is called that, but much to my surprise, when I got older, it was just meant to be eaten or enjoyed with a cup of coffee. There is something just so perfect about a sweet, spicy, fluffy snack cake in the winter with a cozy cup of hot coffee.

A perfect holiday breakfast: Gluten-Free and Vegan Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake

Coming from Montana, Texas, winters are funny. I try to do as much as possible in the way of food, decorating, and “creating” a cozy holiday spirit because it’s still 85°f outside. Growing up in the Bay Area, the holidays were never “cold” or snowy, but they were crisp, so the lack of snow doesn’t bother me here in Texas, but the lack of crispness does. Starting in December, I like to keep things around the house, in the pantry, and in the oven that give me massive cozy winter vibes, and this coffee cake is one of them. I am an early riser naturally and find that the bright mornings in the winter allow me to get so much done by the time it’s 9am I can sit down in my office, with a slice of coffee cake, a fresh cup of hot coffee and enjoy a moment of bliss.

Ingredients for Gluten-Free and Vegan Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake

There are a few things in this recipe that I aid in the delicious ness of this recipe, brown sugar (a must), vanilla extract, a teaspoon of cocoa powder (for color) and delicious ground cinnamon.

• Brown Sugar
• Ground Cinnamon
• Granulated Sugar
• Cocoa Powder
• Vegan Butter
• Dairy-Free Milk
• Gluten-Free Flour

Why is there cocoa powder in this recipe?

Let’s talk about the use of cocoa powder in this recipe. There are little tips and tricks in baking to make certain things shine, like the cinnamon swirl in this recipe. Although it is optional because it doesn’t add any flavor to the recipe, but it adds a depth of color to the cinnamon swirl layer that doesn’t disappear while baking. In vegan baking, vegan butter doesn’t brown like regular butter because the browning in regular dairy butter is the protein solids baking down. Vegan butter often has a lighter color in baked goods, like in chocolate chip cookies. They are often a light golden rather than a rich golden color. In this recipe, the cake stays relatively light, and the contrast of the swirl is less pronounced without the use of the cocoa powder since sugar melts down in baking and the cinnamon isn’t as vibrant. Again this is a purely aesthetic addition to the recipe.

How to store / how long does this last?

I chose to bake this coffee cake in a 9×9 square pan because I love a corner wedge of coffee cake for easy storage. In a house with just two people, it takes us a little longer to eat a recipe, especially a thick and delicious cake, so I like to use the baking pan from Wilton that has the lid. You can easily bake this cake the day before an event or holiday for ease!

Let’s bake coffee cake!

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