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It’s almost Mother’s Day, and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate than with cake – coffee cake to be exact. But this isn’t just any coffee cake. This is a salted caramel coffee cake: fluffy, tender, rich in cinnamon, and topped with a crunchy walnut crumble and a dreamy five-minute vegan caramel glaze.
I tested this cake five (yes, five!) times to get it just right. It’s made with gluten free, dairy free, and refined sugar free ingredients, but don’t let that fool you – it’s still every bit as decadent as you want a special-occasion cake to be. Whether you’re baking for a mom you love or serving up a treat to yourself, this one’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
😍 Why You’ll Love My Salted Caramel Coffee Cake
This isn’t your average coffee cake – and that’s exactly why you’re going to fall in love with it. It’s the kind of bake that feels both nostalgic and elevated: soft and fluffy on the inside, with a golden cinnamon crumble that gets just the right amount of crunch. And then there’s the caramel. A quick stovetop vegan glaze that gets drizzled generously over the top and pulls it all together with that perfect balance of salty and sweet.
You get the comfort of a classic coffee cake with the richness of a dessert-worthy treat, all made with better-for-you ingredients that don’t skimp on flavor. Whether you’re baking for a Mother’s Day brunch, a cozy weekend breakfast, or just because it’s Tuesday and cake sounds good, this recipe delivers. It’s the kind of thing you bake once, then keep coming back to – because it’s easy, it’s crowd-pleasing, and it tastes like something much more indulgent than it really is.
🗒️ Ingredients
All Purpose GF Flour Blend – King Arthur’s gluten free flour is my go-to for this. It bakes up just like traditional flour and gives the cake a nice lift and structure.
Coconut Sugar – Adds depth and that warm, caramel-y sweetness in every bite. Brown sugar works too if that’s what you have on hand.
Coconut Yogurt – Keeps the crumb moist and tender. Unsweetened is best. You can also sub in applesauce if that’s more your speed.
Coconut Oil – I use this in both the cake and the crumble for a light, buttery flavor. Just be sure it’s melted and cooled.
Eggs & Vanilla – For structure and richness.
Walnuts – Soft but crunchy, they’re perfect in the crumble topping. Pecans or almonds also work well.
Coconut Milk & Arrowroot Starch – These make up the base of the caramel glaze. Full-fat coconut milk is essential for that luscious texture.
👩🍳 How to Make My Salted Caramel Coffee Cake
Start by preheating your oven and lining a square baking dish.
Make your crumble topping-just a quick mix of flour, sugar, cinnamon, walnuts, and coconut oil worked together with your fingers until crumbly. Pop it in the fridge while you prep the cake.
For the batter, beat your wet ingredients together until smooth, fold in your dry ingredients, and pour into the pan. Top with that cinnamon-y crumble and bake until the center is just set.
While the cake bakes, whip up your caramel glaze on the stovetop-it comes together in five minutes flat. Drizzle it over the warm cake and serve. That’s it!
Enjoy!
🎩 Tips and Tricks
- Refrigerate your crumble topping before adding it to the cake to help it hold its shape while baking.
- Don’t overmix your batter once you add the dry ingredients—gentle mixing makes for a tender cake.
- Let the cake cool slightly before adding the caramel so it doesn’t soak in too much.
🌟 Variations
Want to mix things up? Try these:
- Swap the walnuts for chopped pecans or slivered almonds.
- Add a pinch of cardamom or nutmeg to the batter for a little extra spice.
- Stir some chopped apples into the batter for a fall-inspired twist.
🤲 Substitutions
This cake is flexible! Here are a few easy swaps:
- Use regular all-purpose flour if you’re not gluten free.
- Sub in applesauce if you don’t have yogurt on hand.
- Brown sugar works in place of coconut sugar in both the batter and caramel.
- Cornstarch or tapioca starch will work just fine in the caramel glaze if you don’t have arrowroot starch.
📓 Best served with
- A hot cup of coffee or tea
- A mimosa or mocktail for brunch
- A dollop of whipped coconut cream
- Fresh berries on the side
👝 How to Store Leftovers
Store any leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days. The caramel glaze may firm up in the fridge—just warm it slightly before serving.
🧠 Common Questions
Yes! You can bake the cake a day ahead and store it covered at room temperature. Drizzle the caramel just before serving.
It’s dairy-free and made with coconut yogurt and coconut oil, but it does contain eggs. You could try substituting flax eggs for a fully vegan version, but I haven’t tested that yet.
A 9×9 square baking dish works best here. You could also try an 8×8, but the bake time may increase slightly.
Yes, wrap individual pieces tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat gently before serving.
Cornstarch or tapioca starch will work just fine in the caramel glaze.
Salted Caramel Coffee Cake
Equipment
- 9×9 square baking dish
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 cups all purpose GF Flour Blend (such as King Arther)
- 3/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut yogurt
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the crumb topping:
- 1/3 cup all purpose GF flour blend
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
- 2 tbsp coconut oil, room temperature
For the salted caramel glaze:
- 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk
- 1 tsp arrowroot starch or cornstarch
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line a 9×9 square baking dish with parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray
Make the crumb topping:
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, coconut sugar, cinnamon, walnuts, and salt and mix briefly with a fork. Add the coconut oil and work it in with your fingers until small clumps form throughout, breaking up any large pieces of coconut oil. Refrigerate until ready to bake.
To make the cake:
- In a large bowl, beat the coconut oil and coconut sugar together for 1 minute. I do this in a standing mixer, but you can do it in a large bowl by hand. Add the vanilla, yogurt, and egg and beat until smooth.
- To the wet ingredients, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Mix with a wooden spoon or spatula until no clumps of flour remain.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Crumble the refrigerated topping over the batter evenly and bake for 30-40 minutes, until a tester comes out just clean. 35 minutes is perfect for me. The topping may look a bit wet in the middle, don't worry, it'll harden as it rests.
- Set cake on a wire rack to cool and drizzle with salted caramel glaze when ready to serve.
Make the salted caramel glaze:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut milk and starch for 20 seconds until smooth.
- Add this to a small saucepan along with the coconut sugar and salt and bring to a boil, whisking continuously. Continue to cook at a low boil, whisking throughout, for 3-5 minutes until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Taste, and add more sugar or salt as desired.
- Set aside the glaze as the cake bakes and drizzle when ready to serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi Kat,
Just love all of your recipes- thank you. I really love the “updates” features that you provide with the drop down menu of FAQ’s.
Question- I am not able to find King Arthur’s flour in Canada. Is this recipe still OK if I use the Bob’s Red Mills 1 to 1?
I’m so glad you find it helpful, Leanne! Yes, Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 flour is a favorite of mind – it will work well here!
Kat, I really like your dessert recipes but I don’t have several of the ingredients. We don’t live in the U.S., so foods you would get in a health food store are not available to me. If I use “regular” ingredients, will it change the recipe? Yes, I know it will change the nutritional components, but will the recipes still work? Will amounts still be the same?
Hi Danna,
You can absolutely switch out these ingredients for more traditional ones – regular all-purpose flour, brown sugar instead of coconut sugar (or a mix of granulated sugar and brown sugar if you prefer), a neutral oil.
Let me know if you give it a try!
Kat.
Really excited to try this for my hubby’s birthday! How long can this be made in advance? Thanks 🙂
I can’t wait for you to try this, Sarah! For that perfectly moist, delicious bite, and especially for a special occasion, I would make it the day before – just hold out on the glaze until you’re ready to serve. It will keep for around a week in an airtight container but like most baking, it’s always better to dig in sooner than later!
Enjoy!
Kat.
Kat! Long review alert; but first, the headlines- absolutely scrumptious. Yum. YUM. And this is with no glaze- just cake plus crumble.
I am just so happy. I have IBS, so started baking.as else I need to deny myself good stuff and I love the good stuff.
I live in India, so no Bob’s / King Arthur’s etc., I make this flour blend – https://www.fodmapeveryday.com/recipes/fodmap-everyday-all-purpose-low-fodmap-gluten-free-flour/ – and use it for all my cakes. I use regular (not sweet) rice flour and it works a treat. I’ve tried your Maialino cake, which was easy to make and good! Now this one, was a bit frazzle-y for a noob baker like me. First, I splattered the oil and sugar when I tried using my cake beater. Lesson- a strong wrist, 2 minutes, works better. Then, when I added yoghurt, the coconut oil solidified again. I put the bowl in the microwave for 20 secs. Lesson- ensure yoghurt is room temp and use a microwaveable mixing bowl anyway.
I doubled the cinnamon, btw.
It is such a special cake, maybe with some caramel or vanilla icecream for occasions? Thanks a whole lot!
Anjali! You are an absolute gem – thank you so much for sharing this. I’m so glad you fell in love with this cake and that despite having to put on your baker hat, it sounds like you absolutely nailed it!
Well done, enjoy every single bite.
You deserve it!
Kat.
Can I make it without either the crumb topping or the glaze? Which one could I skip? Want to reduce effort and sugar..thank you.
Hi Anjali,
You can absolutely leave off either the crumb topping or the glaze – if I had to choose I’d leave off the glaze to cut back on effort. Let me know if you give it a try!
Kat.
How do I get these recipes? My daughter was diagnosed with gluten intolerance and I am looking for yummy stuff to eat!
All of my recipes are gluten free so you’re in luck! They are right here for you, let me know if you have a specific recipe you’re having trouble finding!