A homemade coffee cake recipe doesn’t get much better than this peach coffee cake (that is suitable for vegans) paired with a spiced streusel topping.
There’s nothing I like better than a warm slice of peach coffee cake and a cup of tea. If there's fruit in a cake, technically it can be a breakfast option, right? This yummy peach coffee cake can be breakfast, dessert, or a yummy treat any time of the day. It will quickly become one of your favorite dishes.
What Is Coffee Cake?
If coffee cake is not something you’re familiar with, perhaps you have heard of tea cakes, which are cakes that are usually served with tea but do not necessarily contain tea. The concept is exactly the same.
Coffee cake falls somewhere between a regular cake and a pound cake in terms of weight and texture. It stands apart from other cakes because of its topping and because, although it might have a little glaze drizzled on top, it’s not frosted. In several recipes, a coffee cake comes out of the oven ready to eat with its topping already in place.
How To Make Vegan Peach Coffee Cake
I use plant-based ingredients in this recipe, like coconut oil instead of butter and homemade vegan buttermilk (almond milk combined with apple cider vinegar) instead of the dairy-based wet ingredients that most recipes call for.
Start with the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, and maple sugar together with 100% organic all-purpose einkorn wheat flour.
Why I prefer einkorn flour. While einkorn is not a gluten-free flour, studies have shown that it has higher nutritional value than modern wheat flour. It is loaded with essential nutrients like zinc, iron, potassium, riboflavin, and vitamins B6 and A. It is also high in fiber and antioxidants including carotenoids and lutein. Einkorn flour has 30% more protein and 30% less starch than standard wheat flour.
In a separate mixing bowl, add the vanilla extract and apple cider vinegar to the almond milk. Whisk them together before adding melted coconut oil. Work in the melted oil quickly before it cools and gets lumpy. I ended up having to warm all my wet ingredients together because the coconut oil started solidifying on contact with the cold almond milk.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until they are well incorporated. Fold in the diced peaches.
How to peel a peach. Drop the peaches into a pot of boiling water for about 15-20 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and place into a large bowl of ice water. Once the peaches have cooled (this happens quickly), you should be able to peel the skin right off using your fingers. Alternatively, you can use a sharp paring knife to remove the skin.
Pour the batter into a lightly greased square 8 x 8 baking pan. You can also use a spring-form pan.
How To Make The Streusel Topping
Streusel (pronounced STROI-zuhl) is a German word that means something scattered or sprinkled. It refers to a sweet, crumbly topping for baked goods. The topping is usually crunchy and cookie-like on top and soft on the bottom where it meets the cake.
A classic streusel topping recipe is usually made up of sugar, butter, and flour in a ratio of 1:1:2 or close to that. To make my recipe vegan-friendly, I use coconut oil instead of butter.
Streusel fun fact: American recipes calling for streusel most often give a recipe for what Germans would call a crumb topping, not a real streusel. American recipes often feature a 3:1:2 or even 3:3:1 ratio (sugar:butter:flour). In the 3:1:2 ratio, you get a sandy-like topping that shakes off easily. The 3:3:1 ratio will yield a crispy, lacy effect.
In a mixing bowl, add brown sugar and sea salt to einkorn flour and whisk together. To bring some crunch and warm flavor to the topping, I add chopped walnuts, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Lastly, stir in the softened coconut oil until the mixture is crumbly.
Sprinkle the topping over the cake batter and pop into the oven for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean from the center. Let it cool and then dust it with powdered sugar.
Pro Tips For Vegan Peach Coffee Cake Recipe
- You can use frozen or canned peaches instead of fresh ones but note that they will release more water so you may want to increase the amount of flour by a bit (2 tablespoons to ¼ cup).
- If using canned peaches, pat them dry before mixing into the batter to get rid of excess moisture. You don’t need to thaw frozen peaches before using them.
- If you’re using a springform cake pan, make sure to place it on a baking sheet before putting it in the oven as the pan tends to leak.
- The cake will keep at room temperature for 1 to 2 days. Beyond that, you should refrigerate it or it will go bad. Refrigerated cake will last up to a week. To freeze it, wrap the cake tightly with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, or place in a heavy-duty freezer bag. It can last up to 3 months.
Vegan Peach Coffee Cake with Streusel Topping
- Yield: Makes 9 squares 1x
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup einkorn flour (or unbleached white flour or gluten free all purpose flour)
- ½ cup maple sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- pinch of nutmeg
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ⅓ cup refined coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup diced peaches
Topping
- ¾ cup einkorn flour (or unbleached white flour or gluten free all purpose flour)
- ⅓ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch of nutmeg
- ¼ cup refined coconut oil
- Powdered sugar
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly brush or spray an 8 x 8-inch baking dish with refined coconut oil.
To make the cake:
In a large bowl, mix together the 1 ¼ cup of the einkorn flour, maple sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, sea salt, and nutmeg. In a small pot, place the almond milk and apple cider vinegar. Stir and let sit for a few minutes. Add the coconut oil and warm the mixture on low heat until the oil melts. Whisk to blend. Pour the almond milk mixture into the einkorn flour mixture. Whisk to combine. Stir in the vanilla. Fold in the peaches.
To make the topping:
In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the ¾ cup of the einkorn flour, walnuts, brown sugar, sea salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add the melted coconut oil and mix until well combined and a nice crumbly texture. Use your hands if needed. Set aside.
Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
Gently sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the cake batter. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the center of the cake springs back to the touch. Let the cake cool, then dust with the powdered sugar by sifting it through a sieve over the cake. Cut into squares.
If You Enjoyed This Vegan Peach Coffee Cake Recipe, Then You Should Try…
My vegan cinnamon rolls recipe that is a treat for any time of the day.
My vegan butternut squash pancakes with cherry compote recipe that are delicious for breakfast and even dessert.
This matcha green tea latte recipe from Simple Green Smoothies is a perfect complement to peach coffee cake.
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* The instructional video has been sponsored by Basil Bandwagon Natural Market. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
**Disclaimer: This blog post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission for purchases made through them.
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