Erin’s Recipe Rundown
Before going gluten-free, my grandma’s coffee cake was one of my all-time favorites so when I was diagnosed with Celiac, I knew I had to find a way to make her recipe gluten-free. Thankfully this is one that turns out so good gluten-free. What a relief!
Over the years, I’ve come back to this recipe from time to time to perfect my gluten-free version. I feel like now I can finally say I’m 100% happy with the results!
Why You’ll Love It: This coffee cake looks complicated, but it’s actually really easy to make. I make it for special occasion breakfasts (like Christmas morning, paired with my favorite gluten-free quiche), brunch with friends, and even for dessert. Plus this recipe is always a hit with everyone, not just those needing gluten-free!
Top Tip: Let the coffee cake cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing. This allows the crumb to set and makes for cleaner slices.
xoxo erin
Featured Comment
From Miriam: “Absolutely delicious and easy to make! Served it at a coffee and nobody guessed it was gluten free! Light, tender and spiced just right – a definite keeper!”
My grandma’s handwritten recipe in my little book of recipes I took to college!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are a few notes on some of the key ingredients to make this gluten-free sour cream coffee cake. Jump to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Gluten-Free: My top pick is Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour. King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure-for-Measure Flour will also work. They both contain xanthan gum so there’s no need to add any to the mixture!
- Sour cream: This is the secret to a perfect coffee cake! My grandma’s recipe used sour cream to create an incredibly moist, tender crumb, and it works just as well in this gluten-free version.
- Butter: I recommend using a high-quality butter for the richest, most tender cake. I like to use Kerrygold!
- Nuts: My grandma always used walnuts, but pecans are my go-to. For nut-free, they can be omitted, but if that’s not a concern, I highly recommend including them for the best flavor and texture!
- Spices: The nutmeg and cardamom really make the spiced cake pop without overpowering the classic cinnamon flavor (plus they balance the sweetness).
If you love cinnamon spice recipes as much as I do, you have to try these gluten-free cinnamon rolls and this gluten-free monkey bread.
How to Make Eva’s Gluten-Free Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Here’s an overview of how to make this recipe. You can jump to the recipe for the full instructions!
I use three separate bowls for the different mixtures before combining everything to create the perfect texture. Mixing the dry ingredients separately evenly blends the spices and leavening, the sour cream and baking soda work together for a tender crumb, and creaming the butter and sugars adds air for a lighter, fluffier cake.
Once my three mixtures are ready, I combine them in stages so the batter comes together smoothly. This also helps prevent overmixing, which keeps the cake soft and tender.
I like to add cinnamon sugar between the two layers of batter to create a cinnamon swirl through the middle. That way, there’s cinnamon sugar in every bite, not just on top.
For more sweet breakfast and brunch recipes like this one, I recommend gluten-free apple cake, gluten-free banana bread or this gluten-free muffin recipe!
Watch this video to see how to make it!
Eva’s Gluten-Free Cinnamon Nut Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Coffee Cake
- 1½ cups (225g) gluten-free measure-for-measure flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 cup (240g) sour cream
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup (113g) butter, at room temperature
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (53g) brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup (32g) chopped pecans or walnuts
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- ¼ cup (32g) chopped pecans or walnuts
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup (53g) brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch square baking pan with cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and cardamom.
- In a small bowl, mix together the sour cream and baking soda.
- In another small bowl, mix the ingredients for the topping and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, or using a hand mixer, beat together the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until creamy and smooth. Add the vanilla and eggs and mix until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix again.
- With the mixer on low speed, add ⅓ of the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Add ½ the sour cream and mix, followed by another ⅓ of the dry ingredients. Repeat with the remaining sour cream and dry ingredients, mixing after each addition. Stir in the nuts.
- Spoon half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle ⅓ of the cinnamon sugar topping over the batter. Spoon the remaining batter into the pan and sprinkle the top with the remaining cinnamon sugar topping.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool for 20-30 minutes before slicing.
Hi,
I need to know if there is any substitute for eggs… bcoz I m allergic
Hi Farrukh! We don’t typically bake with egg substitutes unfortunately. We’re not sure how they would impact the results in this one. If you decide to try it egg-free, we’d love to hear how it goes!
Absolutely delicious and easy to make! Served it at a coffee and nobody guessed it was gluten free! Light, tender and spiced just right – a definite keeper!
Thank you for such awesome feedback, Miriam! We love hearing how much everyone loved the coffee cake!
Made this for Easter as a new to GF person. No one in my fam is GF. Everyone RAVED about this cake. I will never make another breakfast sweet again. Only ever this. I need to try all of your recipes now OMG. I can’t get over how good this was. Also incredibly simple. THANK YOU
Oh wow! This is so amazing! Thank you for such wonderful feedback, Kerry! We’re so pleased to hear how much everyone loved the coffee cake. We hope you love Erin’s other recipes just as much. Happy baking!
Can I add blueberries to this coffee cake?
Hi Janice! We haven’t tried adding mix-ins to this coffee cake. If you decide to give it a try, we’d love to hear how it goes!
Can I make this in a springform pan?
Hi Ava! We haven’t tried it, but it may work. To be safe, you could place a baking sheet or foil under it to catch potential leaks. You’ll need to adjust the baking time according to the size of your springform pan. The toothpick test will help judge the time well. We’d love to hear how it goes!
Would these bake well as muffins?
Hi Julia! It might be possible, but we haven’t tested it ourselves. The texture may turn out a bit different when baked in muffin tins. We’d love to hear how it goes, if you try it!
Best gluten-free coffee cake recipe I’ve ever made!
Hi Maggie, thanks so much for your review! We appreciate it!
Amazing cake! I seldom have sour cream in the house but always have Greek yogurt, so I used that because I didnt want to run to the store (honestly I almost always sub yogurt for sour cream). I also opted to make mine chai spiced (upped the cardamom, added ginger, a touch of clove, and black pepper. Mixed more of the same for the streusel). Turned out AMAZING. The texture is just beautiful. Next time I’ll try it as written with sour cream.
We’re so happy to hear you enjoyed the coffee cake and that those substitutions worked well for you, Cypress! A chai spiced version sounds delicious. Thank you for sharing!
can i use organic buckwheat flour for this?
Hi Jeff, buckwheat flour is much different than a gluten-free flour blend. It would most likely need to be blended with other flour types and require further adjustments to the recipe. For best results we recommend using a high-quality gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend. Thank you for your question!
HEAVENLY! Easily the best coffee cake on earth. A well-thought out recipe that holds together beautifully and is perfectly flavorful. I didn’t have sour cream, so sub’d plain yogurt. (If you use yogurt, strain off the whey, using only the thickest part so it’s like the consistency of sour cream.) My family of five, and especially my teen sons, loved this for evening dessert and want it for breakfast. This is the first time I’ve signed up on a food / blog site–it’s that good!… I want to see what else Meaningful Eats offers.
Aww, this makes us so happy, Susan! Thank you for taking the time to share such a kind and thoughtful review. We’re so glad it was a hit with the whole family! Happy baking!
This recipe sounds delicious! I need to make enough to feed 16 people. Could
I double it and bake in a 9×13 pan or should I just make two batches of the recipe as written?
That should work, Laura! It may end up needing a little more time in the oven, but just keep an eye on it as it shouldn’t require a big adjustment. We hope you love it!