Whoever it was that originally came up with term “coffee cake”, thank you. I want to be your friend. Because you were not afraid to call it straight, as in –> cake, for breakfast, is a cup of coffee’s best match.
I longed for a gluten free coffee cake that met bakery style standards. A thick, crackly, buttery top, and the softest crumb underneath. Showered with powdered sugar, sliced into squares, and eaten with a boatload of happiness.
This is that cake. Impeccably moist, made with walnuts, warm spices, and a secret ingredient: sweet potato puree. You’ll probably notice that the cake is a bit darker in color, and this is why! So don’t let it fool you. The sweet potato also gives it just the texture I was looking for thanks to its moisture.
This winter is my first time baking with walnut meal/flour, and it’s been a welcomed addition to my kitchen. Because walnuts have a good amount of fat (the good kind, heart healthy omega-3’s!) it’s also one of the very important players in creating the soft texture of this gluten-free coffee cake.
They carry a full, rich flavor, which matches nicely to the warmth of the pumpkin pie spice used (which I use all year round, not just in the fall).
A few notes:
Surprisingly, vanilla gave the cake an off-taste, and I’m not sure if that was because of the reaction with the walnut meal, or the sweet potato. So don’t add it to the recipe thinking you’ll give it a little something extra. 😉
The coffee cake lasts at least four days when covered and kept in the refrigerator. It only gets better with time!
You can freeze leftover slices in a layer of saran wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil, then reheat in the microwave for snack time emergencies.
I made this coffee cake in a 6-inch springform pan, which I highly recommend, especially for the bakery style effect. It was too flat for my liking in an 8 inch cake pan.
Enjoy,
Amanda
If you make this gluten free coffee cake, be sure to tag me on Instagram with hashtag #heartbeetkitchen or @heartbeetkitchen!
Bakery Style Gluten-Free Coffee Cake
Soft and fluffy gluten-free coffee cake, extra tender from sweet potato! Has a walnut crumble topping that creates the perfect crunch.
In a bowl, whisk together teff flour, walnut meal, sweet rice flour, salt, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and sugar. Set aside. In another bowl, whisk together sweet potato puree, egg, olive oil, and maple syrup.
Make a small well in the middle of the dry mixture, and pour in wet ingredients. Gently stir together, until no streaks of flour remain.
In a small bowl, mix together all crumble ingredients, using your hands to disperse butter throughout the mixture, until you have a thick crumble. Sprinkle on top of cake evenly.
Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees F. Test with toothpick and if no wet batter sticks on toothpick, remove and let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then release the sides and let finish cooling. If you do get wet batter on the toothpick, bake in increments of 3 minutes, until just moist crumbs stick on the toothpick. Dust with powdered sugar when ready to serve.
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I look forward to your comments, reviews and questions! If you love this recipe, please rate it when you leave a comment. Star ratings help people discover my recipes. Your support means a lot; thank you for being a part of the Heartbeet Kitchen community.
I made this last night so we could have it this morning with cool whip on it. I had to grind sorghum grain into flour instead of using Teff. It came out incredible! We are enjoying this so much. Thank you so very much for all of your fantastic recipes
Cindy mays
December 23, 2023
I made this last night so we could have it this morning with cool whip on it. I had to grind sorghum grain into flour instead of using Teff. It came out incredible! We are enjoying this so much. Thank you so very much for all of your fantastic recipes
Amanda Paa
December 23, 2023
Oh, so great to hear Cindy! Bravo on the sorghum swap that you ground yourself!
proBAKE
March 8, 2018
Coffee cakes are a favorite of mine – The longer you can store them, the better. Make it on a Thursday or Friday and have a treat all weekend!