Last Updated on April 27, 2026 by Deliciously Organic Editor
This grain-free coffee cake is nice and moist without being too sweet, and has a crumbly topping.
Coffee cake is a traditional European cake that was served alongside a cup of coffee. It was traditionally a single layer cake with a sweet, cinnamon-infused flavor and streusel topping made from flour, butter, and sugar.
So, while it’s called “coffee cake” it actually doesn’t contain any coffee!
This gluten-free variation uses coconut flour as the base. Coconut flour absorbs lots of moisture so that’s why there are so many eggs in the recipe. It’s not a typo! 🙂
It makes a great addition to a weekend breakfast or brunch. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
Coffee Cake (Gluten-Free)
This cake can also be made without the topping for a simple snack cake. Also, if you prefer a sweeter cake, you can increase the honey to 3/4 cup.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: Serves 9
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1 cup coconut flour
- 1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 8 large eggs (organic and pastured preferred)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup plain whole yogurt (use strained plain, coconut milk yogurt for Paleo)
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted
- 1/2 cup honey (I used clover)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Topping:
- 1 1/2 cups nuts - almonds, pecans, cashews, etc. (or sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, etc. for a nut-free alternative)
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons honey (I used clover)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter or coconut oil, cold, cut into tablespoons
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325ºF and adjust rack to middle position. Place all the batter ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Pour batter into a buttered 8 x 8 – inch baking dish. Wipe out food processor bowl with a paper towel or cloth. Place nuts, cinnamon, honey and butter in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until nuts are coarsely chopped and ingredients bind together. Drop spoonfuls of topping over batter and then using a butter knife, swirl the topping into the top layer of the batter. Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden brown. Let cool for 20 minutes. Cut and serve. Coffee cake is best served the day it is prepared.
Oh, my…this looks devine! I’m on day 12 of GAPS (intro) can’t wait til I get to make something like this. Thanks for your new FAQ, it really helps to have it all in one spot. I also want to say “thanks” for the list of your favorite sources, that opened a window for my world. :o)
You can have this when you get to the regular gaps diet. 🙂 Good job on getting to day 12!! The soups and stews get tiring but it’s worth it!!
Would granulated sugar work instead of honey? Thankska
I only test the recipes on my site with the listed ingredients and measurements. If you would like to try a substitution, you are welcome to share what you used and how it turned out in the comments below. Thanks!
Thank you for sharing this recipe. My family and I having loving it for yrs now.. We have branched out and now make it with a strawberry cream cheese filling. Changes the baking time bit still amazing.
That sounds so good!!
ooh, I’m really excited to make this. I love coffee cake and I’m so intrigued to try it with the coconut flour.
I think I am missing something here, where does the coffee come in. I can not see it in the list of ingredients. I made this cake today, I used banana flour and coconut flour and half the honey listed as I don’t have a sweet tooth. As I was not sure about the coffee I used cocoa powder 1 desert spoon. Left out the nuts but added a few organic sultanas. Turned out to be excellent. Thanks.
“Coffee” cake is just the name of the cake. Traditionally this type of cake has been eaten in the morning with coffee, thus receiving the title of “coffee cake.” It does not actually contain any coffee.
A good coffee cake is a staple at my Nana’s house. Yours looks fabulous as well. Yum!
Such a nice roundup of questions. Thanks! And that grain-free coconut coffee cake looks tasty too!
This looks amazing… shame I’ve given up caffeine for Lent :'(
xoxo.
you know there’s no coffee in it, right?
Carrie, your coffee cake looks delicious. I’m especially digging the topping.
I love that you provided us a digest of some of the highly asked questions. So helpful!
Hi Carrie,
great coffee cake recipe. Although this cake would have less calories without this topping, it probably wouldn’t taste the same without it. I will certainly follow complete recipe, I love this honey, nuts, cinnamon combination. 🙂
This looks like a taste of home. I can’t wait to make it!
Thanks for the FAQ page Carrie!!
I’m such a HUGE fan- I drool over every single one of your recipes 🙂
Your blog along with 100daysofrealfood.com and organic spark have helped me transition to a MUCH healthier way of eating…thanks! I was able to turn down a donut that a rep brought into work, just seconds ago, because of the information I’ve gained from yours, Molly and Lisas blog 🙂
Thank you Lindsey! I’m so glad you’ve found help and inspiration from our blogs! I’ve read every posts on Molly and Lisa’s blogs…love those ladies! 😉
Wish we had this cake for breakfast + snacks today! Awesome that you answer all those questions here 🙂
I love coffee cake and this recipe looks wonderful! I also appreciate that you have the above Q&A. I have many of those questions!
There is nothing like a good coffee cake in the morning! The crumbly topping is always my favorite part 🙂
Do you have a whole wheat version of this cake?
Sue – The whole wheat version of this cake can be found in my cookbook.
This does look good….but my question is, why 8 eggs ? The topping sounds great and I would use it on most other cakes too. This cake reminds me of gingerbread……
Coconut flour soaks up a ton of moisture, so this is why you need 8 eggs. I’ve tested recipes with coconut flour using a minimal amount of eggs and the flour was bone dry. It’s such an interesting ingredient!
I cannot have nut flours so I am always looking for coconut flour recipes, however, I also cannot have eggs. I know coconut flour needs a lot of moisture, will unsweetened applesauce work? Or a vegan egg substitute?
I only test the recipes on my site with the listed ingredients and measurements. If you would like to try a substitution, you are welcome to share what you used and how it turned out in the comments below. Thanks!
Thanks for the great recipe, Carrie! I’m always looking for another great coconut flour recipe! I’ve been talking to a lot of people lately about being grain-free (people keep asking me what I’m doing because my body keeps shrinking!), and these conversations have really been challenging folks to pay attention to how their body responds to all foods. Everybody’s body is different, I’m just thankful that I have FINALLY discovered what kinds of food have a positive/negative impact on mine! I give you the credit for introducing ‘Wheat Belly’ by Dr. William Davis to your readers back in September. Your review was so timely that I quickly purchased the book, and my life has been forever changed! Keep up the great work! BTW, love your new photo at the top of the page – you are simply glowing!
I’m so glad you’ve seen such great results! It’s such a relief when we figure out what works best for our bodies! I’m thrilled that I was able to help you on your journey. 🙂
Where is the coffee? How is it a coffee cake without coffee ingredients/flavors?
Coffee cake, by definition, is a cake “eaten with coffee that has a sweet cinnamon topping”. So this is why coffee isn’t listed in the ingredients.
Can I substitute the yogurt if I am not doing dairy? What would you suggest? Love your new photo- BEAUTIFUL!
I made the grain free granola bars this this week and they are a huge hit! Thank you tons for the delicious inspiration!
I haven’t tested it, but I don’t see why you couldn’t. I recommend replacing the butter for yogurt 1:1. Make sure and use a whole yogurt or the cake will probably end up very dry.
I don’t want to use yogurt- I’m okay with butter though…..
Could I use applesauce or coconut milk instead of the yogurt??? Is it the moisture you are looking for from the yogurt or the flavor- or maybe both?
Thanks again!!!!
A really thick coconut milk would probably work well (just the thick part on top…I use Native Forest organic coconut milk). Or you could try substituting with all butter. The yogurt gives it a nice texture and flavor, but I think substituting with all butter should work well too.
I use unsweetened plain applesauce and the recipe comes out delicious.
Hi Carrie! I’ve made your creamer a couple of times, and have always wondered why you combined whole milk and heavy cream instead of going with the middle of the road: half and half. Ha! Thanks for this FAQ page; I now know that half-and-half is processed. 🙂
This coffee cake is delicious! Made it yesterday and my three kids, husband and I devoured nearly the entire thing for breakfast. So happy to have such great grain-free alternatives!
Thanks for the feedback! I’m so glad you all enjoyed it!
You should put a link to this page in your “About” tab, or make it’s own tab so this also doesn’t get buried.
I made this last week without the topping and stored it in a ziploc in the fridge and it kept wonderfully for several days. Making it again today!
Thanks for the feedback. I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!
I have Grave’s Disease. The opposite (kind of) of Hashimoto’s. I’m thrilled to have found this website and your story. I have been on a mad hunt for answers since I was diagnosed 3 months ago. My endo. wants to kill my thyroid with radiation. How does that help? I’m not doing that. So, I had a blood test to check for food sensitivities. I was told to avoid gluten, eggs and dairy among other things. Oh no. So, to cut my long story short, I’m happy to have read your encouraging story of healing your body through your diet. I’m prayerful that I will have a success story and answers to share with others too. I’m excited to check out your recipes.
Can you make this with all purpose, whole wheat or cake flour? If so, how many eggs would you put in? I saw a previous post indicated the coconut flour required more moisture/eggs.
My recipe for whole wheat coffee cake is in my cookbook. Since I developed this recipe specifically for coconut flour, I don’t have a quick substitution that I know would work (without testing it first).
Found this recipe-looks delicious! Unfortunately, my son has a nut and seed allergy. Any substitutions for the nut topping?
You could melt down the butter and whisk in the honey and cinnamon and then pour it on top of the cake. I’d use a knife to swirl the butter/honey mixture into the batter.
The cake loks stunning but I do have a question. I am a Belgian & not an american. Why is this called a coffee cake when there isn’t any coffee in the cake at all? But I do love your tasty recipe! 😉
By definition (here in America) “coffee cake” is a cake eaten with coffee and has a sweet topping that includes cinnamon.
Absolutely delicious! Mine didn’t turn out as pretty as yours (the topping sunk to the bottom while cooking), but it tasted incredible. And I love how easy it is to make!
My naturepath put me on a grain free, sugar free diet. I can use stevia. So I’m new to grain free cooking. Everything I bake is spongy. Is this normal? I miss the consistency of chewy cookies. I haven’t tried any of your recipes yet, but I might cheat and use honey so I can try this one. Thanks!
Most recipes with coconut flour are spongy. I try and get my grain-free recipes to taste just like the foods we are used to. These waffles are soft, but I liked the texture with the cream and berries. It kinda tastes like strawberry shortcake. 🙂
Mega-delish coffee cake! Best thing ever with coffee! Thanks much for posting! My wife Hana loves it!
Aaron Agopian from Fairbanks
Thank you for the feedback. I’m so glad you all enjoyed it!
Can another sweetener such as erythtritol, instead of honey (I have diabetes) be used, and would other modifications need to be made? Thanks
I’ve never tested this with erythtritol, so I can’t say what the exact modifications should be.
My hubby usually makes coffee-cake on Sunday for brunch. But since I’ve gone grain-free I haven’t been able to have any. I found this page while searching for a coffee-cake that I could eat for him to make on Mother’s Day. This looks like it might be just the thing. Thanks.
And, I’m adding your blog to my feed. This looks like a keeper.
Hi,
Thanks for sharing the recipe!! Question:: if I use whole wheat flour instead of the coconut, and soak it beforehand, can i still use the recipe? Any idea on how I would do it?
Thanks!!
Since this recipe uses only coconut flour, it can’t be converted to whole wheat without changing the entire recipe. Do by any chance have my cookbook? I have a whole wheat coffee cake recipe in the breakfast chapter. 🙂
I do not, but will look into it. Thanks!
There is no Coffee in this coffee cake???
Coffee cake, by definition, is a cake “eaten with coffee that has a sweet cinnamon topping”. So this is why coffee isn’t listed in the ingredients.
I just made the coffee cake and it’s awesome!!! Thank you for posting these!
I’ve made this before and Loved it!!! I’m thinking if making it again for a family gathering….do you think I could add blueberries to the cake without ruining the consistency?
That’s a great idea! I would fold them in very gently so the batter doesn’t turn blue. 🙂
Aside from being gluten intolerant- I’m also lactose intolerant and normally, I can figure out the dairy substitutions for your recipes (which always turn out just as great), but for this I’m wondering if I can use coconut yogurt? I know it might not be grain free… but just for baking purposes? Maybe a better question is what purpose the whole yogurt has… I’m assuming you might not have tried the coconut yogurt since you can have dairy.
Also, I’m considering going on gaps to hopefully reverse my lactose intolerance (which came along about 5 years ago).. are you familiar with anyone going on gaps dairy free/ if so what kinds of gaps-approved substitutions are widely used? I feel like the dairy is quite a staple in the gaps diet.
Thanks!
The yogurt is necessary in this recipe to add the correct amount of moisture to the batter. You can substitute with coconut yogurt. Here is my post about our experience with the Gaps diet. https://deliciouslyorganic.net/the-gaps-diet/
I’m about to make this but I’ve read the recipe several times and it doesn’t include the ingredient coffee! Is this a mistake or is it just that the ingredients listed create a ‘coffee’ flavour?
A coffee cake doesn’t actually contain coffee. Here is the exact definition: A cake, often cinnamon-flavored, with a drizzled white icing or crumb topping, and usually eaten with coffee. Enjoy!
Maybe this is an American thing? In the Southern hemisphere (well, NZ and Australia), a coffee cake is a cake flavoured with coffee. Now I’m on the lookout for a paleo coffee cake by our definition! 🙂
Does it taste like coconut flour everything I make that has coconut flour thats all it tastes like??
This recipe tastes like a sweet coffee cake, not specifically coconut flour
I made this last night and subbed 3 of the eggs for a chia seed/water mixture. It worked wonderfully, albeit my coffee cake was a little darker. Mine did take about an hour to cook, so not sure what went wrong there. This was really delicious and helps me stay GF!
Hi Carrie, I just made this today. I used chestnut honey, which I know not everybody likes it ( I love it!)
The cake is really delicious, maybe my taste buds adjusted to very little sugar and it was a little too sweet for me, next time I’ll decrease to 80 ml honey. Definitely a keeper recipe, thank you!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! And, it sounds like your taste buds have adjusted to very little sugar (that’s great!). If you reduce the honey in the recipe, I would increase the amount of yogurt or honey to make up for the moisture from the decreased honey. If you don’t, the cake will most likely be a bit too dry.
Just made this. OMG. I couldn’t do the topping (major nut allergies) but just sprinkled some coconut sugar on top and it was STILL amazing. My kids are devouring it and barraging me with compliments!!! Just pre-ordered you..r book since this was such a hit. Can’t wait!!!
Thank you, Faith! I’m so glad you’re family enjoyed it! 🙂
Hello, does this cake taste very coconuty and cinnamony? My husband doesn’t like those two flavours but I love them. Any substitution? Thanks
Can you please list the totals for the macro nutrients ?
Am I missing something… where is the coffee in the ingredients?! The cake looks delish so I have made it & I added some decaf coffee to it & upped the coconut flour a little to accommodate the extra moisture… I hope it turns out ok. For me a coffee cake is a cake flavoured of coffee! Thanks for the recipe (the title is rather misleading as it’s not a coffee cake but more of a nut coconut cake).
Coffee cake, by definition, is a cake “eaten with coffee that has a sweet cinnamon topping”. So this is why coffee isn’t listed in the ingredients.
Ah, this is where our cultures differ. I am English, and you have a different term in the US:
UK a cake that has a coffee flavour
US a type of sweet bread made with nuts or fruit.
At least I know now to not expect something else! Oh, and I live in France where Paleo is virtually unheard of, and the French people who tried the cake LOVED it & the fact it was gluten & sugar free! The honey was a winner for them.
I figured you were from outside the US, because I’ve had several readers from Europe and Australia mention the fact that it doesn’t contain coffee. I’m so glad you and your guests enjoyed the cake! 🙂
Omg! I subbed 1 cup cottage cheese for the yoghurt and 2 eggs. Sooo good! Thank you for sharing the recipe!