This wholesome, cherry coffee cake is tender, moist, and layered with sweet cherries and a crumbly oat topping. Warming vanilla and almond extracts add depth, while applesauce, almond butter, and flaxseed meal soaked in water help bind and add moisture, eliminating the need for oil. Readers outside the U.S. may be surprised that there’s no coffee in this cake: In American baking, “coffee cake” refers to a sweet, mildly spiced cake traditionally enjoyed with coffee—not one that contains it.
Fresh cherry swap: You can substitute frozen cherries for fresh. Just thaw them completely, then drain before using to avoid a soggy final product.
For more inspiration, check out these tasty ideas:
- Blackberry Polenta Cake
- Vegan Cinnamon Bun Muffins
- Yuca Coffee Cake with Walnuts and Orange Zest
- Zecret Vegan Zucchini Bread
- ⅔ cup unsweetened, unflavored plant-based milk
- 3 tablespoons flaxseed meal
- 1½ cups white whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour
- 1½ teaspoons regular or sodium-free baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon + ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoons almond butter
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
- ½ cup + 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
- 1¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ½ cup oat flour
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 cups fresh whole, pitted sweet cherries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl stir together milk and flaxseed meal; let stand 5 minutes. In a large bowl stir together flour, baking powder, ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and the baking soda.
- For topper, in a medium bowl stir together almond butter, 2 tablespoons of the applesauce, 1 tablespoon of the maple syrup, 1 tablespoon of the vanilla, and ¼ teaspoon of the almond extract. Add oats, oat flour, and the remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt.
- In a medium bowl stir together flaxseed mixture, lemon juice, and the remaining ½ cup applesauce, ½ cup + 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 1 tablespoon vanilla, and 1 teaspoon almond extract until well incorporated. Add to flour mixture; stir until combined. Spread evenly in prepared pan. Spread cherries evenly over batter. Press half of the cherries into the batter. Drop topper mixture in small spoonfuls evenly over cherries.
- Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until center of cake bounces back when lightly pressed and temperature is at least 195°F. Cool 10 minutes on a wire rack before serving.
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