Coffee cakes are sweet breads made from a yeast dough or quick bread batter. Generally prepared to go along with a beverage, coffee cakes make fine choices for hot coffee or tea, and are often the main course for a light snack. Serve coffee cake for any event requiring a sweet bread, such as breakfast, afternoon tea, or even a picnic. Many favorite recipes for coffee cake, especially quick breads, can be converted to gluten-free versions by using appropriate ingredient substitutions during baking.
Gluten-Free Coffee Cake Recipe
This recipe for gluten free coffee cake contains a brown sugar and rolled oats streusel topping. Sprinkle the prepared streusel over the bread batter just before baking to create a sweet and crunchy topping for the bread.
- 1 1/2 cups gluten free flour mix
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons gluten free baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 large egg, beaten
For the Gluten-Free Streusel Topping:
- 1/2 cup gluten free brown sugar
- 1/4 cup gluten free rolled oats
- 2 tablespoons gluten free flour mix
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a standard sized loaf or bread pan.
- In a mixing bowl, prepare the gluten free streusel topping by mixing by hand the gluten free brown sugar & rolled oats, gluten free flour mix, and cinnamon. Pour the melted butter over the top and stir until crumbly. Set aside for later.
- Sift the gluten free flour, sugar, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt together.
- Stir the milk and oil together, and whisk in the beaten egg. Pour this over the dry ingredients and stir until combined.
- Transfer to the prepared baking pan, and bake for about 35 to 40 minutes, or until lightly browned and the center tests done.
- Remove from the oven, and let cool inside the baking pan for 10 minutes before removing and cooling to room temperature on a baking rack.
Variations to Coffee Cake Recipes
You can change the quick bread recipe above to suit a different taste, using different spices or toppings.
- Add chopped walnuts, pecans or slivered almonds to the gluten-free streusel topping recipe for crunch.
- Omit the cinnamon in the streusel and add in a teaspoon of freshly grated lemon or orange zest to the coffee cake batter.
- Stir chopped fresh apples into the batter before baking.
- Add in a pinch of cardamom and mace to the quick bread for holiday baking.
Gluten Free Quick Bread Baking
Many quick bread recipes can be changed to gluten-free versions by changing wheat flour to a gluten-free flour mixture. However, using a gluten-free flour is just one step involved in converting a recipe. Other ingredients may contain hidden sources of gluten, so read the product's ingredient label carefully for suspicious ingredients.
- Leavening: Yeast is naturally gluten-free, as is baking soda, but always check the label's ingredients for baking powder. Baking powder is a mixture of ingredients which may contain gluten within certain starch additives.
- Eggs: Eggs are gluten-free. Before adding them to a recipe, beat them to break up the yolks and whites for easier mixing into the batter.
- Liquids: Milk and juices may be gluten-free, so just refer to the container's ingredient list for the sources.
- Rolled Oats: While rolled oats themselves contain no gluten, they may be manufactured in facilities that also process wheat ingredients leading to cross contamination. Look for brands that offer gluten-free rolled oats.
