For a comforting breakfast that's perfect for pairing with your morning cup of coffee, try this Paleo Cinnamon Coffee Cake! It's made with healthy ingredients and includes a delicious crunchy crumb topping.

A Quick Look

Recipe Name: Paleo Cinnamon Coffee Cake
Ready In: 60 minutes
Serves: 12 pieces
Main Ingredients: Cake, ¼ cups almond flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, eggs - room temperature, melted coconut oil, maple syrup
Why You'll Love It: For a comforting breakfast that's perfect for pairing with your morning cup of coffee, try this Paleo Cinnamon Coffee Cake! It's made with healthy ingredients and includes a delicious crunchy crumb topping.

How to make paleo coffee cake video

The perfect coffee sidekick

There are so many food pairings that are eaten together because they just work. A few popular classics quickly come to mind - peanut butter and jelly, milk and cookies, caramel and sea salt, grilled cheese and tomato soup. All of these combos have one think in common, and it's the fact that you just can't have one without the other!

Well, the same is true for coffee and cake. Though most of my mornings include coffee sans the cake, I love to indulge from time to time. There's something about a nice fluffy piece of cake accompanying my morning cuppa Joe that just helps my day start off on the right foot!

I decided that sugar-filled pastries aren't the best thing to eat bright and early, so I thought I'd try my hand at making my rendition of a paleo cinnamon coffee cake.

It turned out to be exactly what I was hoping for. It's made with healthier ingredients, so it's a great breakfast or mid-morning snack option that will leave you feeling full and satisfied until lunch time!

Ingredients used to make this coffee cake recipe

There's one thing about this recipe that's quite certain: it surely doesn't lack in flavor! This recipe uses an almond flour and coconut oil batter that's made complete with maple syrup, vanilla, and of course, cinnamon! For the finishing touch, we will be using almond flour and coconut sugar to create a delicious, melt-in-your-mouth crumb topping.

Cake:

Almond flour
Baking soda
Cinnamon
Salt
Eggs
Coconut oil
Maple syrup
Vanilla

Crumb topping:

Almond flour
Coconut sugar
Coconut oil
Cinnamon

Kitchen tools used in this recipe

You won't need to do too much kitchen cabinet digging for this recipe, as you'll only need six items. To make your own paleo cinnamon coffee cake, we'll use the following:

8x8 baking dish or 8-inch cake pan
Parchment paper or nonstick spray
Small mixing bowl
Medium mixing bowl
Large mixing bowl
Stirring utensil

As far as measurements go, you'll need the following increments: ¼ tsp, 1 tsp, ¼ cup, ⅓ cup, ½ cup, and 1 cup.

How to make paleo cinnamon coffee cake

This paleo cake is very easy to whip together. It requires nothing more than mixing ingredients and then tossing them into the oven! You'll need about an hour to make this recipe, with the bulk being devoted to oven time.

To begin making cinnamon roll cake, start by preheating the oven to 350F and lining an 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper or nonstick spray.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, mix the almond flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.

In a larger bowl, whisk the eggs, coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and then stir to combine.

Next, pour the batter into the baking dish and be sure that it is evenly spread out.

In a small bowl, mix the crumb topping ingredients until completely combined. Then, sprinkle this mixture on top of the cake batter until evenly dispersed.

Bake the dish in the oven for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Let cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Store on the counter or in the fridge and enjoy within 4-5 days.

Healthier coffee cake

I'm all about making healthier versions of my favorite recipes. I believe that no food is off limits, as there are ways to "healthify" pretty much any recipe! That's especially true for desserts and baked goods. There are so many sugar, flour, and baking ingredient options out there, that it's so easy to put together something that tastes delicious but is a little better for our bodies.

For paleo cinnamon coffee cake, I used many of my favorite healthier ingredients to create a cake that's more nutrient dense, but still incredibly delicious.

The first swap I made was almond flour. I use this in place of all-purpose flour, as it's more nutrient-rich and it's simply better overall. Instead of canola or vegetable oil, I used coconut oil. This is a healthy fat that benefits cholesterol, blood sugar, and more. Maple syrup is my go-to sweetener, as it's an all-natural option that tastes fantastic! Lastly, I used coconut sugar in place of granulated sugar for the crumb topping. It tastes great, and it's better for you!

Cinnamon cake substitution options

If you find yourself missing an ingredient or two, don't worry! Here are some easy substitution options that may come in handy.

Coconut oil: You can use any cooking oil in place of coconut oil at a 1:1 ratio.
Maple syrup: Prefer honey? Use it! Add to taste, as you may not need as much. Another option is molasses.
Coconut sugar: Finally, you can replace coconut sugar with light brown sugar, also at a 1:1 ratio.

Note: For this particular recipe, I do not recommend substituting the eggs. Though I include this as an option in many of my baked goods, this recipe uses 3. Swapping such a large quantity could alter the final result.

Coffee cake baking tips

When it comes time to make your cinnamon masterpiece, here are some tips that should make it a bit easier!

Adding extra toppings
I know what you're thinking: Can I add a twist to the this recipe? Of course you can! Feel free to add whatever you'd like to the crumb topping. You can use mini chocolate chips, walnuts, pecans, etc. Get creative!

Dense batter consistency
If your batter seems thick, that's okay! As long as the ingredients are mixed well, your cake will turn out just fine.

Warm before serving for extra coziness
For a piece of coffee cake that's heavy on the flavor and the comfort, warm it up! Stick it in the microwave for about 10 seconds, and enjoy.

Keep your cake from drying out
For a perfectly moist cake, be sure that it's kept in a securely sealed container. If air can get inside, it will dry it out. Keeping it in the refrigerator will help it last longer, too!

More cinnamon desserts from Erin Lives Whole

If you loved this cinnamon coffee cake, you'll love my other cinnamon recipes too! There are so many to choose from, but here are some of my favorites.

Recipe by Erin Morrissey and Photos by Quarter Soul Crisis

Erin Antoniak