Healthy coffee cake is made with Greek yogurt, whole wheat flour, & apple sauce! This quick coffee crumb cake is a great recipe for morning brunch!
What is it about coffee cake that is so delicious? Is it the moist layer of cake, or is it this yummy streusel topping?
As delicious as it is, the traditional versions of this recipe are not healthy at all, and often are full of saturated fats, sodium, added sugars, and refined carbohydrates.
The dietitian in me had to make a healthier version than the traditional style of coffee cake. So, I decided to create a simple coffee cake recipe that is 100% whole wheat, made with natural sugars like coconut sugar and applesauce, and includes some added protein from Greek yogurt!
This recipe makes the perfect recipe to serve for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, a Sunday brunch, and even during the holidays!
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What does it taste like?
This healthy coffee cake tastes almost exactly like the regular, traditional version. It’s moist, sweet, a little dense but also fluffy, and is topped with the most delicious cinnamon oat streusel topping!
It pairs perfectly with your morning cup of coffee, and is a nice sweet treat for just about any special occasion.
Ingredients
Applesauce – Instead of using oil in this recipe, I decided to make this with applesauce instead. It adds moisture and sweetness to the coffee cake!
Greek yogurt – This also adds moisture and a little structure to the cake. It adds a little bit of healthy protein as well!
Coconut sugar – This is a dry, granulated sugar that is much less processed than white sugar. It’s the main sweetener for this healthy coffee cake. You’ll be using coconut sugar in the batter as well as the streusel topping.
Eggs – Eggs help to keep everything from crumbling and breaking apart. They give the cake a lot of structure.
Vanilla extract – Be sure to use 100% pure vanilla extract to avoid any unnecessary additives and artificial flavors.
Whole wheat pastry flour – This is what makes this heart-healthy coffee cake recipe 100% whole wheat. Whole wheat pastry flour is much finer than regular whole wheat flour, so your baked goods will still come out light and fluffy! Make sure to use this in both the batter and the topping.
Baking powder – Be sure to include this in your batter or your cake won’t rise properly.
Baking soda – Another ingredient to help your healthy coffee cake rise, don’t skip it!
Cinnamon – Don’t you just love cinnamon in the morning? This adds a ton of flavor and makes the cake seem sweeter than it actually is. You’ll be using this ingredient in both the batter and the cinnamon streusel.
Nutmeg – Totally optional but I highly recommend. It adds another flavor and gives this breakfast cake a slight autumn flavor.
Coconut oil – This helps the streusel topping turn into crumbs and makes the top of the coffee crumb cake look really pretty. When you’re making your streusel topping, make sure to use solid coconut oil.
Rolled oats – Another ingredient for the topping, it gives the streusel more structure and is full of whole grain goodness!
Recipe Substitutions
Applesauce – Mashed banana or pureed pumpkin would be the best substitutes if you don’t have applesauce on hand. If you use banana, your cake may taste a little like banana, though. And because pureed pumpkin doesn’t have sugar, you may have to increase the sugar content of your cake.
Coconut sugar – Any other granulated sugar would work for this recipe if you don’t have coconut sugar. I wouldn’t use liquid sugar unless you’re willing to leave out some of the applesauce.
Greek yogurt – Buttermilk, plain yogurt, or sour cream would also work great in this recipe if you don’t want to make a Greek yogurt cake.
Eggs – The best substitute for eggs in baking is to mix 2 T of ground flaxseed with 6 T of cold water and allow to sit and gel up for about 5 minutes.
Whole wheat pastry flour – I usually buy whole wheat pastry flour in the bulk section of the grocery store, but if you can’t find it, you can use all purpose flour or regular pastry flour as well.
Coconut oil – You really need a solid type of oil to use for making the streusel topping crumbs. Butter is a great substitute if you don’t have coconut oil in your pantry.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°. In a small bowl, mix together the streusel ingredients with a fork, until it’s formed into small crumbs and there aren’t any big lumps of coconut oil remaining. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, stir together applesauce, plain Greek yogurt, coconut sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until no lumps of yogurt are remaining.
- Add the whole wheat pastry flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg and stir until combined. Try not to overmix.
- Pour batter into a greased 9×9 or 8×11 pan.
- Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly on top of the batter, then bake for 30-35 minutes, until done all the way through and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then serve with your favorite cup of coffee or tea!
Tips & FAQ
Coffee cake is named for how well it goes with a cup of coffee. It also pairs well with tea, and usually is topped with streusel. The soft, moist cake doesn’t actually have any coffee in it at all, but that’s not to say it wouldn’t be delicious with a little coffee baked in.
Coffee cake usually has a streusel crumb topping baked on top, whereas a regular cake is typically frosted. Coffee cake is usually served as a breakfast item but can also be a dessert, too!
Coffee cake is traditionally a breakfast cake, but can be served as a dessert or even as a snack if you’d like! It’s a very versatile cake that can be served for just about any occasion!
Storage & Freezing
This coffee crumb cake will keep just fine at room temperature for 2-3 days, if covered with plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container.
To freeze, allow the cake to cool completely, then wrap tightly with plastic wrap, then again with aluminum foil. Label and date your cake, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge when you’re ready to eat it!
Nutritional Info
This heart-healthy coffee cake is high in fiber and low in calories compared to the traditional style. Because there is no added salt in this recipe, it keeps the sodium level really low, too!
Although all the carbohydrates come from whole food sources, this healthy coffee crumb cake recipe is still relatively high in carbohydrates overall. However, 6 grams of those carbohydrates come from fiber, and all the sugars are from natural sources like coconut sugar, whole wheat pastry flour, and applesauce!
Overall, this is definitely a healthier version of coffee cake that everyone will love!
Total nutritional content per serving is:
- Calories: 306 calories
- Protein: 6 grams
- Sodium: 138 mg
- Carbohydrates: 63 grams
- Fiber: 5 grams
*This nutritional information is an estimate and calculated based on the ingredients used to create the recipe. The nutritional value of your ingredients may differ slightly. Furthermore, this food is not intended to prevent, diagnose, cure, or treat any disease.
Pricing Info
Here is what I personally paid for each ingredient in this applesauce coffee cake:
- 1/2 cup applesauce: $0.20
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt: $0.44
- 1 1/4 cup coconut sugar (bought in bulk): $2.35
- 2 farm fresh eggs: $0.58
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract: $0.75
- 1 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour (bought in bulk): $0.37
- 1 tsp baking powder: $0.02
- 1/2 tsp baking soda: $0.01
- 3 1/2 tsp cinnamon: $0.14
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg: $0.02
- 1/4 cup oats (bought in bulk): $0.04
- 2 tbsp coconut oil: $0.37
The total I spent on making this recipe is about $5.29, or roughly $0.59 per serving!
Side Ideas
You might be asking yourself, “what goes with coffee cake”? Here are some ideas:
- A hot cup of coffee or tea
- Protein Coffee
- A glass of milk
- Fresh fruit like berries or melon
- Yogurt parfaits
- Bacon/sausage/ham and eggs
- Breakfast Casserole
- Pretty much any brunch food!
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Recipe
Healthy Coffee Cake w/Cinnamon Oat Streusel
Ingredients
For the Streusel Topping:
- ¼ cup whole wheat pastry flour
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- ¼ cup rolled oats
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp coconut oil (solid)
For the Batter:
- ½ cup applesauce
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°. In a small bowl, mix together the streusel ingredients with a fork, until it's formed into small crumbs and there aren't any big lumps of coconut oil remaining. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, stir together applesauce, plain Greek yogurt, coconut sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until no lumps of yogurt are remaining.
- Add the whole wheat pastry flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg and stir until combined. Try not to overmix.
- Pour batter into a greased 9×9 or 8×11 pan. Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly on top of the batter, then bake for 30-35 minutes, until done all the way through and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then serve with your favorite cup of coffee or tea!
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This healthy coffee cake recipe is made with applesauce, whole wheat pastry flour, and Greek yogurt, and is one of the best recipes to make for a special occasion, holiday, or Sunday brunch!
xoxo Megan
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