This warmly spiced gluten free cinnamon and sugar cake is a coffee cake's simpler cousin. A lightly crunchy layer of brown sugar and ground cinnamon tops a buttery and tender gluten-free cake to make a deliciously homey treat.
A sort of easier version of a gluten-free coffee cake, this humble yet super-satisfying cinnamon sugar cake is inspired by gluten free cinnamon sugar muffins but is a worthy contender for the sweets table in its own right. Sweetened with brown sugar and kissed with cinnamon, it's a humble yet unforgettable cake.
The recipe also comes together in a flash, making it a perfect option for whipping up when you're short on time. My homemade gluten free flour blend works beautifully here to create a not-too-sweet cake with a lovely, firm crumb that's perfect with morning coffee, afternoon tea, or dressed up with fruit and whipped cream to make an easy and enticing dessert.
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What You'll Love
- Coffee cake flavors, but way easier! While my gluten free blueberry coffee cake OF COURSE has its time and place, I am also always a fan of keeping things super simple. You'll get all the flavors of your favorite coffee cake here, but no need to make an extra topping - simply sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon over the top of the batter before baking.
- A gorgeously tender crumb that's undetectably gluten-free. This cake once received the highest compliment that I covet when baking gluten free: "I can't tell this is gluten-free!" And it's true. The tender crumb and smooth texture of this cake will slide under anyone's gluten-free radar.
- It's so versatile. Treat this beauty like a coffee cake and make it the star of your next brunch table, or add a side of homemade whipped cream and berries for a proper dessert. I also love this cake with ice cream or a drizzle of salted caramel sauce to really dress it up.
Ingredients Needed
Here's a quick look at what goes into this cake, plus some of my notes. Make sure to scroll down to my recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts and instructions!
- Butter - I always use unsalted butter
- Brown sugar - Light or dark brown sugar is fine here (I used dark brown sugar because that's what I usually stock in my pantry).
- Eggs - Use large eggs.
- Vanilla - Pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste adds a lovely note of vanilla flavor.
- Gluten free flour - I used my homemade blend, and really, any 1:1 gluten-free flour that you like will work here. Make sure to let the batter rest before baking to hydrate whatever flour you choose.
- Baking powder
- Salt - Fine sea salt or table salt.
Variation Ideas
- Chocolate - Stir in 1 cup of mini chocolate chips or regular semisweet chocolate chips into the batter to make this into a chocolatey cake!
- Nuts - I love adding 1 cup of chopped walnuts to the batter for texture and flavor.
- Orange zest - Add a little citrus by zesting 1 orange into the batter.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here's an overview in photos of how to make this gluten free cinnamon and sugar cake:
1. Combine dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. Cream butter: In a large bowl, beat together the butter and brown sugar, then add the eggs and vanilla. Mix in the flour and the milk.
3. Add topping: Pour batter into a lined 8x8-inch pan and sprinkle with cinnamon and brown sugar.
4. Bake: Place in a 350F oven and bake for about 35 minutes.
Tips & Recipe Notes
- Other flours. You can use a blend of oat and almond flour if you like (do 1 ½ cups (180 grams) of oat flour to ¼ cup (30 grams) of almond flour, or use a gluten-free flour blend of your choice.
- Make it dairy-free. Substitute non-dairy butter and non-dairy milk for the butter and milk.
- Coconut sugar. I love the dark, caramel note of coconut sugar, and it's lovely in this cake! You can swap all of the brown sugar for coconut sugar, or just use it in the topping.
- Serve from the pan. I love the casual feel of this cake, and you can keep things even easier by slicing and serving straight from the pan.
- Adjust the size of the slices. I like generous portions, so I cut my cake into 9 slices. You can certainly cut them smaller if you wish!
- Try a different pan. Feel free to bake the batter in an 8 or 9-inch cake round for a different presentation.
Proper Storage
- Counter - Cover the cake pan or plate of cake with foil and store it on the counter for up to 3 days.
- Fridge - The cake will last even longer in the fridge in an airtight container or tightly covered. I like it best at room temperature, so let it sit out a bit out of the fridge before eating.
- Freezer - Wrap the cake or pieces of cake in plastic, then foil, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw completely in the fridge before serving.
More Cinnamony Recipes
Happy baking! If you make this gluten free cinnamon and sugar cake recipe, I'd love to know. Please leave a comment below, reach out with any questions, and tag me on Instagram @Cucina Nicolina ❤️
Recipe
Gluten Free Cinnamon and Sugar Cake
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups brown sugar, divided (light or dark brown sugar is fine)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups gluten free flour (210 grams)
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup whole milk at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease an 8 x 8-inch square pan and line it with a square of parchment paper.
- In a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream the ½ cup unsalted butter and 1 cup 1 ¼ cups brown sugar, divided until it is light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the 2 large eggs and the 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, beating well to combine.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the 1 ¾ cups gluten free flour, 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt. Add this mixture to the creamed mixture, alternating with the ½ cup whole milk.
- Spoon the batter into the cake pan, and smooth the top with a spatula. Sprinkle the ¼ cup of additional brown sugar and the 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon evenly across the top. Rest for 20 minutes, then bake for about 30-35 minutes, until a tester inserted in the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool in pan for 20 minutes. Turn out onto a rack to cool or cut and serve the cake directly from the pan.
Notes
- Other flours. You can use a blend of oat and almond flour if you like (do 1 ½ cups (180 grams) of oat flour to ¼ cup (30 grams) of almond flour, or use a gluten-free flour blend of your choice.
- Make it dairy-free. Substitute non-dairy butter and non-dairy milk for the butter and milk.
- Coconut sugar. I love the dark, caramel note of coconut sugar, and it's lovely in this cake! You can swap all of the brown sugar for coconut sugar, or just use it in the topping.
- Serve from the pan. I love the casual feel of this cake, and you can keep things even more easy by slicing and serving straight from the pan.
- Adjust the size of the slices. I like generous portions, so I cut my cake into 9 slices. You can certainly cut them smaller if you wish!
- Try a different pan. Feel free to bake the batter in an 8 or 9-inch cake round for a different presentation.
I'd love to hear from you! Please leave me a note.