If you miss a moist and delicious crumb cake since going gluten free...you know the ones I mean with those thick yummy toppings, this Simple Gluten Free Cinnamon Crumb Cake recipe is for you! This crumb cake is extra special because it is refined sugar-free!
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(*Note to make this cake refined sugar-free, this cake turned more golden because I used blond coconut sugar instead of regular sugar. You can use either sugar in this recipe!)
Grab a cup of your favorite coffee or tea because you are going to want that on-hand for this new recipe.
Did your grandmother like to bake? I had one grandmother who rarely cooked, and another who loved to cook. She also made a pound cake that was incredible. This gluten free lemon pound cake is close to her recipe!
When I would visit my grandmother (the one who loved to bake) when I was a child, there was always a cake ready to be eaten :-). My grandmother's crumb cake was always my favorite. I would pick the sweet crumbs off the top every time. I can just taste that cinnamon crumble topping!
Her easy crumb cake was a New York Style Crumb Cake, with the thick crumble topping. It was easily the best crumb coffee cake I had ever tasted. If you prefer a regular pale-colored cake, try my gluten free coffee cake recipe!
Why this recipe is so good:
This gluten free crumb cake recipe is worth making because it is light and fluffy and topped with a thick crumb topping. You can use regular sugar, or make this with coconut sugar to keep it lower glycemic and less guilt!
If you have been looking for a new delicious cake recipe with a thick crumb topping, this is the one you need to try!
Ingredient notes:
- Gluten free flour blend - I tested this recipe using Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour Blend and King Arthur's Measure for Measure Gluten Free Blend. That doesn't mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours.
- If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- Almond flour - I highly suggest using almond flour and not almond meal. Almond meal is more coarse and will make your cake grainy.
- Butter - To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute the butter for vegan butter.
- Almond milk - Other dairy-free kinds of milk will work but I do not recommend canned coconut milk.
Cakes are popular on the blog so don't miss some of my best gluten free cake recipes!
Healthy swaps:
To make this cake a little healthier (totally optional!) I made this cake gluten free refined sugar free. Don't forget that if you use blond coconut sugar as I did, the color of your crumb cake will be more golden.
You can totally use regular sugar if you want your cake a lighter gluten free crumble cake color. You can also add walnuts to the topping to add a little more protein!
Recipe step by step directions:
Step 1: Add the dry ingredients to a bowl. See how golden the blond coconut sugar is? It is what gives this gluten free crumb cake its golden tone. As I mentioned earlier, you can use regular sugar if you prefer a lighter color.
Step 2: Use a whisk to blend the dry ingredients in the bowl. You want to make sure the dry ingredients are blended thoroughly.
How to temper eggs:
Step 3: Start adding the wet ingredients to a bowl. Here I have the eggs and vanilla added. To temper the mixture so the hot melted butter won't cook the eggs, I add a tiny bit of the hot butter while whisking quickly.
Continue to gradually whisk in the hot butter in small increments.
Step 4: The next step to making this delicious gluten free coffee cake is to pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients.
Your cake batter will look like this. Again, if you use regular sugar, you will not have this golden-colored cake batter.
Step 5: Pour your batter into a greased 8x8 cake pan. I used coconut oil spray to prevent sticking. Spread out the batter and set the cake aside. It is time to make that thick crumbly topping :-).
Now is a good time to preheat your oven to 350º F.
How to make a gluten free crumb topping:
Step 6: Add the crumb topping ingredients to a bowl. I did use refined organic sugar for this. You can use coconut sugar if you want to stick with unrefined sugars, but it will not melt and crumble quite the same.
Use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the crumb topping ingredients. I like to freeze the crumb topping for 15 minutes before sprinkling it on the cake, but this is optional.
Step 7: Spread the crumb topping over the cake batter. Now your cake is ready to bake. Bake at 350º F for 40-45 minutes until done.
Tips and Recipe FAQ:
When cutting the butter into the crumb topping, make sure your butter is VERY cold. I put my butter into the freezer for 20 minutes before adding it. This will keep the topping crumbly.
To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If the toothpick comes out clean, it is done baking. If you see batter or crumbs, the cake needs to bake longer.
You want your mixture to resemble small crumbs when you are done. It can take 5 minutes of using the pastry blender to achieve this.
To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute the butter for vegan butter.
To make this recipe nut-free, omit the almond flour and substitute additional ¼ cup of gluten free flour blend.
More gluten free cake recipes:
- Mr. Fearless Dining's family Gluten Free German Apple Cake recipe made also to be refined sugar free.
- This Gluten Free Devils Food Cake is for my chocolate cake fans.
- If you love lemon flavor, this Gluten Free Lemon Sour Cream Cake is really a delicious cake to serve.
- These healthy Gluten Free Carrot Cake Cupcakes make a fun way to hide veggies.
Tools:
- Blond coconut sugar. It is lighter colored than the brown coconut sugar and gives your baking a golden color.
- One of these gluten free flour blends, Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 or Authentic Foods Multiblend. If your blend doesn't contain Xanthan gum, add 1 teaspoon.)
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📖 Recipe
Gluten Free Cinnamon Crumb Cake
Equipment
- 8x8 baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups gluten free flour blend * see note
- 1 cup sugar or coconut sugar
- ½ cup almond flour * see note
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup butter melted
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup almond milk * see note
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Crumb Topping
- ⅓ cup cold butter
- 1 cup gluten free flour blend
- ¾ cup sugar or coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F.
- In a large bowl, add the dry ingredients and whisk to blend.
- In a smaller bowl, add the wet ingredients and mix well.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until blended.
- In a small bowl, add the ingredients for the topping. Use a pastry blender to cut the cold butter into the ingredients so that it makes crumbles.
- Pour the cake batter into a greased 8x8 baking pan.
- Pour the crumble mixture on top and lightly press into the batter.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes until done.
- Allow to cool then slice.
Video
Notes
- I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF, Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend, and Authentic Foods Multi Blend in this recipe. That doesn't mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours.
- If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- I highly suggest using almond flour and not almond meal. Almond meal is more coarse and will make your donuts grainy.
- Other dairy-free kinds of milk will work but I do not recommend canned coconut milk.
- To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If the toothpick comes out clean, it is done baking. If you see batter or crumbs, the cake needs to bake longer.
- This cake will keep up to 3 days in an air-tight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.
Nutrition
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Sandra
Delicious with a cup of coffee! That crumb topping is perfect and I like the idea of adding walnuts.
Sandi Gaertner
Thank you so much Sandra 🙂
Christina
I love that this GF! You had me at cinnamon!
Sandi Gaertner
Glad you like it Christina 🙂
Fiorenza
A very simple recipe and I love the fact that it is gluten-free, so I will be able to please even those friends who are intolerant, and this crumble is definitely perfect!
Thank you for this idea
Sandi Gaertner
I am so glad Fiorenza, thank you :-).