Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake

lucylox

Oct 26

Have you ever had an an American style coffee cake? Not a coffee flavoured cake which were so popular in the U.K. in the 80s but a spiced cake made to be eaten with coffee?

A few years back I worked on a project in the US Virgin Isles (beautiful Caribbean waters, white sand beaches and exotic wildlife), and we ate an American style diet and as we were very busy, convenience was the key. I have to say the catering, which we took turns to help with, was not always very inspiring, however, crumbly topped spiced coffee cake was one flavour which stayed with me. If I remember correctly, it was a boxed cake mix we used, but certainly not a style of cake i was familiar with as a Brit.

I've tried to recreate my memory with little success over the years, but now I think I've cracked it. The sponge is moist and spiced and the topping is sweet, crunchy and crumbly - and indeed does go rather well with a coffee. Handily enough it also makes a great pudding when served with custard. Double bonus to have a recipe with multiple uses up your sleeve.

light sponge with a sweet cinnamon swirl

Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake

Dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soya-free, sesame-free, vegetarian and vegan

Not a coffee flavoured cake but the American classic wonderfully spiced cinnamon streusel cake to be served with coffee

18cm springform deep cake tin

250 g self-raising flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
25 g custard powder or corn flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
150 ml dairy-free yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
150 ml oat milk
80 g dairy-free margarine
175 g caster sugar
For the filling:
35 g soft brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
For the streusel topping:
25 g plain flour
15 g sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
15 g dairy-free margarine

Firstly make the filling: Mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon for the filling and set aside.
Next, make the streusel topping: In a bowl stir together the flour, sugar and cinnamon. Rub in the margarine with your fingertips to make a crumble like consistency. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees centigrade. Grease and line a spring-form cake tin
Sift together the flour, custard powder or corn flour and bicarbonate and set aside
In another bowl, mix together the yogurt, oat milk and vanilla and set aside
Cream together the margarine and sugar until light and fluffy
Alternately add the flour and yogurt mix (about 1/3rd of the mix each time) and stir well between each addition.
Pour 1/3rd of the mix into the cake tin and level off.
Sprinkle over 1/2 the cinnamon/sugar mix on top, then repeat with two more layers of batter and one of cinnamon sugar.
Scatter over the streusel mixture and then bake for 35-40 minutes, until a knife cones out clean
Cool briefly in the tin before unmoulding and cooling on a wire rack.