Moist Gluten-Free Coffee Cake with Sour Cream

What's the problem with most gluten-free coffee cake recipes? They are disappointedly dry with a sandy crumb on top. This is the recipe you need! Making a gluten free crumb cake with sour cream tenderizes and softens the GF starches. Plus, the cinnamon streusel topping uses an egg yolk to bind it into thick, glorious clumps. Experience an old fashioned snack cake just as good as the homemade, vintage-style one you grew up on!

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 55

Total Time 1 5

Servings

Author Melissa Erdelac

Ingredients

Coffee Cake

1 ⅓ cups (205 g) all purpose gluten-free flour I use and recommend Cup4Cup GF flour
½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter cut into 6 pieces and softened
½ cup (127 g) sour cream room temperature
2 eggs + 1 egg yolk room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Crumb Topping

8 tablespoons (113 g) unsalted butter melted and warm
⅓ cup (70 g) granulated sugar
⅓ cup (75) light or dark brown sugar
1 egg yolk room temperature
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cups (173 g) all purpose gluten-free flour I use and recommend Cup4Cup GF flour

Vanilla Glaze

¾ cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
½ teaspoon ( ) vanilla extract

Instructions

Coffee Cake

Adjust oven rack to UPPER MIDDLE POSITION and preheat oven to 325°F. Spray a 8X8 inch baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
In a large bowl or stand mixer, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt on low speed to combine. Add butter, a tablespoon at a time, and mix until crumbs form with no large pieces of butter visible.
1 ⅓ cups all purpose gluten-free flour, ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt, 6 tablespoons unsalted butter , ½ teaspoon baking powder
Add sour cream, whole egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed until well combined and batter is light and fluffy.
½ cup sour cream, 2 eggs + 1 egg yolk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Spread cake batter evenly in prepared pan. (Don't clean the bowl yet! You'll use it for the crumb topping.) The mixture will be thick, so if you aren't able to spread it with a spoon, lightly wet your fingers and spread evenly in the pan.

Crumb Topping

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter. Add the melted butter to the cake batter bowl and whisk in the sugar, brown sugar, egg yolk, cinnamon, and salt. Beat the in flour until no flour pockets remain and it becomes a thick dough.
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, ⅓ cup light or dark brown sugar, 1 egg yolk, ¾ teaspoon cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon salt, 1 ¼ cups all purpose gluten-free flour
Break crumb topping pieces off into pieces and sprinkle evenly over batter. Use a knife to slightly swirl the crumb topping down into the cake. Use your hand to gently press the crumb topping on top.
Bake for 45-50 minutes, rotating pan halfway through. Use a toothpick inserted down into the cake to check if it comes out clean. Since the cake portion is far down, make sure you are testing the cake and not the crumb topping.
Cool on wire rack and meanwhile prepare the glaze frosting. The glaze can be drizzled on while the cake is warm, but wait at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

Vanilla Glaze

In a small bowl combine powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Mix well until smooth and no lumps remain. If glaze is too thick for pouring on, add a tiny dash of milk and check again.
¾ cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Drizzle glaze over the crumb topping and let stand for 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

Dairy-Free Adaptation

Replace the sour cream with dairy-free sour cream.
Substitute dairy free butter, such as Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks for the butter.
Since this dairy free butter is salted, omit the salt from the cake and crumb ingredients.

Storing / Freezing

Store in an airtight container for up to three days. However, I find gluten-free baked goods don't stay fresh very long, so I always freeze leftovers.

It may be frozen whole and unsliced or wrapped up in individual pieces. Freeze up to 3 months, wrapped well, or in an airtight container.

Refrigerating the coffee cake, especially gluten free versions, will dry it out. Simply cover the pan securely with foil and leave on the counter 2-3 days.

Recipe adapted from America's Test Kitchen: How Can It Be Gluten Free Cookbook

Nutrition