Eggless Starbucks Coffee Cake
This Eggless Starbucks Coffee Cake features a soft vanilla cake layered with cinnamon sugar and topped with a buttery crumble. Easy to make, bakery-style, and can be made dairy-free too.
Yield: 9 servings
Equipment
- 8x8-inch (20cm) Square Baking Pan
Ingredients
Crumble Topping
- 65 g All Purpose Flour
- 75 g Light Brown Sugar or castor sugar
- 1/2 tsp Cinnamon Powder
- 1/8 tsp Salt
- 35 g Butter melted; see notes for options
Cinnamon Sugar Layer
- 85 g Light Brown Sugar
- 1+1/2 tsp Cinnamon Powder
Vanilla Cake
- 240 ml Milk at room temp; see notes for options
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice or white vinegar
- 180 g Castor Sugar or cane sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 280 g All Purpose Flour
- 8 g Corn Starch
- 1+1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 110 g Butter melted; see notes for options
Vanilla Icing (optional)
- 120 g Powdered Sugar or icing sugar
- 2 tbsp Milk of your choice
Instructions
For the Crumble Topping
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Pour in the melted butter and mix with a fork until large crumbs form.
- Place the bowl in the refrigerator if its too warm while you prepare the cake batter.
For the Cinnamon Sugar Layer
- In a small bowl, combine the light brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
For the Vanilla Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and line an 8x8-inch (20x20 cm) square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the milk and lemon juice (or vinegar). Stir and let it sit for 5–10 minutes until slightly curdled, creating a homemade buttermilk.
- Add the sugar and vanilla extract and whisk until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently whisk until just combined. Pour in the melted butter and mix until you have a smooth, lump-free batter. Be careful not to overmix, as this can result in a dense cake.
Cake Assembly before Baking
- Pour half of the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it evenly using an offset spatula. Sprinkle all of the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the batter.
- Carefully spoon the remaining batter over the cinnamon sugar layer. Gently spread it into an even layer. Sprinkle all of the crumble topping evenly over the top of the cake.
- Bake for 35 - 40 minutes, or until the crumble topping is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 20–30 minutes before lifting it out using the parchment paper overhang.
- Prepare the (optional) vanilla icing by combining powdered sugar and milk in a bowl and stir until smooth. Pour the icing all of the cake and let it set.
- Slice into squares and serve slightly warm or at room temperature with a cup of coffee, chai, or tea.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Cup vs weighing scale: The US customary cup measurement serves as a rough estimate, as it can have uncertainties, so for precise results, it's recommended to weigh your ingredients using a digital scale in grams.
- Before you start to make any recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the process will go smoothly and easily.
- For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons and not the type of spoons you eat with for accuracy.
- Milk: You can use any dairy-free unsweetened milk (like almond, soy, oat) or dairy based whole milk.
- Butter: Dairy-free salted butter sticks or any salted butter of your choice. For dairy-free: Use vegan butter sticks like Miyoko’s, Earth Balance, or Country Crock Plant Butter.
- Sugar: Cane sugar can be substituted with granulated sugar or castor sugar. Ensure the sugar is vegan-friendly (some sugars are processed with bone char) or organic cane sugar.