This classic cinnamon coffee cake has it all – a deliciously light, sweet, moist cake topped with loads of cinnamon crumbs and even an optional cinnamon icing! It’s paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free, kid approved and perfect for brunches, snacks and dessert.
I think it was last weekend that I realized I didn’t have a good old cinnamon coffee cake recipe on the blog. How is that possible?! After all, it’s no secret I’m a big fan of a good crumb topping!
I think my issue is that I tend to reject the basic when it comes to baking – so trying out a cranberry orange coffee cake, caramel apple, orange gingerbread coffee cake or lemon crumb cake with lemon curd seems more appealing than a cinnamon coffee cake.
Ridiculous of me to reject a classic cinnamon coffee cake, since it might just be one of my favorite things in the world. Thanks to those darling Entenmann’s coffee cake muffins from my childhood 🙂
Now I would say the cinnamon crumb topping of any coffee cake is what makes it special – hands down.
However, that doesn’t mean that I don’t pay attention to the “cake” part too – in fact – for all my coffee cakes, the cake-part is really spectacular, as in, unsuspecting family members wouldn’t guess they’re eating a gluten free (let alone paleo) cake.
The texture is light yet moist, and the flavor has a slight nuttiness to it thanks to the almond flour. You don’t taste the coconut flavors AT ALL – especially if you use an organic refined coconut oil as I do.
I only say this now because many people believe that coconut milk, sugar, and oil will make their baked goods taste like coconut – and it simply doesn’t work this way, luckily!
Now of course if you use A TON of coconut products without involving other flavors, you’ll get a coconutty result 🙂
However you’d be surprised to know that it’s pretty tough to make things taste like coconut – trust me – I sometimes try, on-purpose, and don’t get enough of a coconut flavor. So, rest assured that this coffee cake won’t taste like coconut.
It does however, taste like cinnamon – but I guess that’s probably why you’re here to begin with.
Lastly, I’ll mention the icing. It’s totally optional, but if you want something a bit more special I highly recommend it!
I made my own paleo powdered sugar for this one with maple sugar + arrowroot using my food processor – which is surprisingly easy and works with either a food processor or blender.
Once you have a nice powdery consistency, you simply mix it with coconut milk, cinnamon, and vanilla for a nice drippy classic icing!
Of course, if you’re not all about making your own powdered sugar, store bought organic powdered sugar will also work. I just wanted to give you a fun paleo-friendly icing option if you’re up for it!
I think we’re ready to get going – get that oven preheated and let’s bake!
Classic Cinnamon Coffee Cake {Paleo, GF, DF}
Classic Cinnamon Coffee Cake {Paleo, GF, DF}
This classic cinnamon coffee cake has it all - a deliciously light, sweet, moist cake topped with loads of cinnamon crumbs and even an optional cinnamon icing! It's paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free, kid approved and perfect for brunches, snacks and dessert.
Ingredients
Crumb Topping:
- 3/4 cup blanched almond flour
- 1/3 cup maple sugar coconut sugar, or a mix
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup organic refined coconut oil solid, or ghee, or grass-fed butter, cold and cut into pieces
Cake:
- 3 large eggs room temp
- 1/4 cup full fat coconut milk
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 3 Tbsp organic refined coconut oil melted and cooled to almost room temp
- 1/3 cup organic coconut sugar
- 1/3 cup maple sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups blanched almond flour
- 1/4 cup arrowroot flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
Optional Icing:
- 1/3 cup maple sugar *
- 2 tbsp arrowroot flour *
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 3-4 tsp full fat coconut milk
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line an 8x8” square cake pan with parchment paper along the bottom and sides.
Prepare the crumb topping first:
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Place all ingredients in a bowl and combine using a fork or pastry blender until a coarse crumbly mixture forms. Place in the fridge until ready to use.
For the Cake:
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In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour, arrowroot, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, set aside. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the eggs, coconut milk, lemon juice, sugar(s), coconut oil and vanilla until very smooth. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet using a spoon or spatula until well combined.
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Transfer batter to the prepared cake pan scraping the sides of the bowl to get it all - the batter will be somewhat thick. Spread it out evenly in the pan, then sprinkle the crumb topping all over evenly.
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Bake in the preheated oven for 28-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the center of the cake comes out clean, or with a dry crumb
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Allow cake to cool on a wire rack about 20 mins, then drizzle with cinnamon icing if desired (see Below). This cake is best served still slightly warm.
For the Icing:
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First, you’ll make paleo powdered sugar using the maple sugar and arrowroot* - place both ingredients in a food processor (a high speed blender should work too) and process until powdery smooth.
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Stir cinnamon and coconut milk into the powdered sugar, starting with 3 tsp milk and adding a bit more as needed to get the right consistency. Drizzle over cake as desired. Enjoy!
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This cake is best stored loosely covered at room temperature during the first 24 hours, and covered in the refrigerator after that.
Recipe Notes
*If you don’t want to make your own powdered sugar, you can use 1/3 cup store bought organic powdered sugar in place of the maple sugar and arrowroot.
**Nutrition Stats calculated without the optional icing
Nutrition
What I Used To Make My Cinnamon Coffee Cake:
Want More Paleo Baking Recipes? Try One of These!
Lemon Crumb Cake with Creamy Lemon Curd
Orange Gingerbread Coffee Cake
Orange Almond Poppy Seed Muffins
Blueberry Muffins with Crumb Topping
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this looks amazing!! do you think it would work with chia eggs in place of regular?
I don’t think the texture would be right, more than two eggs means it’s tough to replace them.
Thanks Michele.
Is maple sugar safe for diabetics? Is there a suggested alternative? Also, my cake textures do not turn out like yours. Is this because I do not use a handmixer?
I’m not sure why the texture is different. As for the maple sugar, if you’re unsure I’d sub in another granulated sweetener that would work for you.
Hi! On the cake ingredients it says 1/3 maple sugar and 1/3 coconut sugar. 1/3 what? Cup, Tbs, tsp. This really looks good. I can’t wait to try it!
Fixed it! It’s cups 🙂
Thank you! I’m gonna make this I hope this week! I love cinnamon too much not to!?
Is there a replacement for arrowroot?
tapioca will also work!
I just made this and followed the directions exactly and it’s was UNBELIEVABLE. super easy to make and tasted so good! Will be bookmarking this one for a repeat baking!
Are we sure about the nutrition information? The amount of sugar in the recipe does match the nutrition info.
Hi – I just updated the nutrition info which was slightly off for some reason – I also added a note that it was calculated without the optional icing.
This cake looks so delicious! I love how fluffy the texture is – YUM!
Hi there – I’m allergic to almonds ? Could I do a combo of coconut flour and cassava flour?
Hi! I’m really not sure of the measurements for that, you might want to look at my blueberry coffee cake muffins which are nut free, for guidance!
Just made these. Family approved! Very tasty and easy to make. Thank you foe sharing.
Awesome!
Can I use double coconut sugar if I don’t have maple sugar?
My question too! 🙂
Yes, it’ll just be darker 🙂
This is absolutely divine! Thank you very much for sharing such delicious and delightful treat. My husband baked this for me on our anniversary and I must say did NOT disappoint! He was amazed how you created the powdered sugar… I was amazed that I could drizzle as much icing as desired ? thanks again.
Aw so happy you guys enjoyed this! Love that icing 🙂
Can you use Coconut Milk Light for this recipe?
Easy to make- all my kids loved it!
This was delicious! This will definitely be my go to coffee cake recipe. 🙂
This PRECISELY came out as the picture!!! I have been paleo for the last year and one thing I missed TREMENDOUSLY was coffeecake. So as soon as I found this, I was all about it. YOU GUYS. ITS DELICIOUS. I made it without the icing only because I have a bit of a sensitivity to Coconut. So in the recipe I just substituted almond milk for coconut milk and it turned out great!
It’s delicious! Moist and cinnamon-y! I added chopped pecans to the topping…we love nuts!
My first paleo and gluten-free cake and I’m so impressed. Clearly a gateway drug… My kids (3 and 5) both loved it too!
This recipe is true to outcome. I only made one alteration, I ised double coconut sugar instead of 1/3 coconut sugar and 1/3 maple sugar. Came out PERFECT!
This is delicious. You won’t miss wheat-based coffee cake with this recipe in your arsenal. My entire family loves it (kid approved) loves it and I’m the only one who eats Paleo. Thanks!
My crumble didn’t quite turn out crumbly. I had to roll it into balls to place on top, and after baking it’s just a little well of oil on top. Any suggestions?
Hi! Make sure it’s chilled well to give it that crumbly consistency. You can sort of re-crumble it after chilling and before topping the cake. If that’s not working, use less oil next time.
Do you think I could substitute cocoa powder for the arrowroot flour to make it a chocolate cinnamon cake?
Possibly!
Can I use all almond flour (I don’t have any arrowroot on hand)
My baby is allergic to eggs (and dairy, and cashews, and pistachios ??♀️) so they are off limit for us both while I’m nursing – any chance you think a few chia eggs could work in place of the eggs?
Oh I just saw your reply about chia eggs above, NEvermind!
Thank you for this wonderful recipe! I cannot wait to try it. I absolutely LOVED the lemon cake! So amazing!
Could tapioca flour be used in place of arrowroot?
Coffee cake recipe! I have made it several times and it always turned out wonderful. The only change is I add chopped pecans to my topping.
Sounds delicious, happy you liked it!
It’s so good. You wouldn’t know or care that it’s paleo. Perfect crumb and texture throughout. One of my fav Paleo Running Momma’s recipes.
One of the best paleo recipes I’ve tried. I had to substitute rice flour for arrowroot and all coconut sugar. Came out great!
In the coconut milk do you use the liquid part or the hard white part for the milk? Also what can you subsitute for coconut milk?
I shake the can really well so that the hard and liquid blends together. ?
This is delicious! Will definitely make it on a repeat of my house! Thank you!
Can you freeze this? If so, what you recommend for thawing and reheating?
I made this today for Christmas eve morning. It was fantastic and so moist. I decreased the cinnamon in the cake and then mixed 1/4 cup coconut sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon and swirled that lightly in the cake before I added the crumb topping.
Fabulous!
Great option for breakfasts! Thanks so much, love it!!
Hi Michelle, I made the cinnamon coffee cake and it was amazing. Thank you for this recipe, I’ll definitely be back for more.
Maryann
I’ve made this several times now and the whole family loves it! Delicious!
I made this today for a Father’s Day brunch and it was amazing!!! It was a big hit! I will definitely make this again!!!
This was incredible. We will make it again. I followed the recipe and it did not rise all the way in the middle. It seemed to be uncooked even though I baked it for an additional 15 minutes. It did not stop us from eating it lol and it was still fantastic – all of it. Next time I will put it in 2 smaller baking dishes. Maybe this happened because we are at altitude or because our eggs were not room temperature?
I have made at least 5 or 6 of your recipes and they are always slam-dunks! Thank you so much for your site!
I’m new around here so I was really excited when I saw this recipe because I’m an absolute coffee cake/cinnamon fiend; let me just say, this was SO delicious! I especially love how generous the crumb topping is 🤤 thank you for such allergy-friendly, healthy, and downright scrumptious recipes 😊 ♥️
I only review those recipes that are great, and this was great! I made it the night before for Mother’s Day and everyone (including picky teenagers) LOVED it. The only tweak I will do for next time is to add some applesauce to moisten it up a bit. I live at high elevation so that might be an issue. Otherwise so good and will make again!!
This was sooo good!! I have a feeling it will be gone by the end of the day…hahaha. Just a tip to those making their own icing sugar. Be sure to cover your chute of your food processor when running your machine. I had a white cloud rise up and covered my whole kitchen in a white powder mess!! Didn’t enjoy cleaning before I even started baking! Thank you Michele for another WIN!!
This was a yummy hit. Great for breakfast for the week
I need to double this recipe. Is it possible and what would you recommend for pan size and baking times?
I made this, substituted for the coconut oil – I used butter in the crumb topping and Greek yogurt in the cake. I also added finely chopped walnuts to the topping. The batter was not at all thick and I was a bit worried, but it rose and baked up beautifully and was delicious. This recipe is definitely a keeper! Thank you!