Gluten Free Coffee Crumb Cake

Step 1

In a bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour blend, light brown soft sugar and cinnamon.

Step 2

Add cold cubed butter and rub it into the dry ingredients until you get a crumbly mixture that sticks together and clumps up when you press it together. You want a mixture of small “crumbs” and larger pea- and hazelnut-sized pieces.

Step 3

Chill the crumble/streusel in the fridge for at least 20-30 minutes or until needed.

Step 4

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position, pre-heat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC) and line an 8 inch (20cm) square baking tin with baking/greaseproof paper.

Step 5

In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer if using it), sift together the gluten free flour blend, almond flour, light brown soft sugar, caster/superfine (or granulated) sugar, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt.

Step 6

Add the softened butter and, using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer fitted with the double beaters, work it into the dry ingredients until you get a mixture resembling breadcrumbs or wet sand.Tip: This order of adding the ingredients (that is, working the butter into the dry ingredients plus sugar before adding the wet) is known as the “reverse creaming method”. It gives the cakes a very even aeration, a delicate melt-in-the-mouth texture and a uniform rise (with minimal doming).

Step 7

Mix together the eggs, yoghurt and vanilla bean paste, and add them to the flour-butter mixture in two batches, mixing well after each addition, until you get a smooth cake batter with no flour clumps. The batter should be on the thicker side.Tip: Using yoghurt instead of milk as the main source of moisture (in addition to the eggs) keeps the cake batter fairly thick, which ensures that the crumble/streusel topping doesn’t sink into the cake during baking.

Step 8

In a small bowl, mix together the caster/superfine (or granulated) sugar and ground cinnamon to make the cinnamon-sugar filling.

Step 9

Transfer half of the cake batter into the lined baking tin and smooth it out into an even layer.

Step 10

Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar filling on top in an even layer.

Step 11

Dollop the remaining cake batter on top of the cinnamon-sugar filling, then spread it out gently into an even layer and smooth out the top.Tip: Dolloping the cake batter evenly across the cinnamon-sugar (instead of placing it all in one spot) allows you to spread it out into an even layer without disturbing up the underlying cinnamon-sugar filling too much.

Step 12

Evenly sprinkle with the chilled crumble/streusel. If there are a few too large pieces in the crumble/streusel, you can break them up.

Step 13

Bake at 350ºF (180ºC) for about 45 minutes or until the crumble/streusel is golden brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. If the crumble/streusel topping starts browning too quickly, cover with aluminium foil (shiny side up) and continue baking until done.

Step 14

Allow to cool in the baking tin for about 20 minutes, then carefully remove from the tin onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.

Step 15

The gluten free coffee crumb cake keeps well in a closed container in a cool dry place for 3-4 days.