Easy! Vegan Raspberry Coffee Cake

This vegan raspberry coffee cake is soft, fluffy, and layered with juicy raspberries and a buttery golden crumble topping! It’s made with simple pantry ingredients and completely dairy-free and eggless. This cosy raspberry cake is perfect for dessert, coffee breaks, or afternoon tea.

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It’s so comforting to have a slice of coffee cake alongside a warm cup of coffee or tea in the winter, don’t you agree? And this vegan raspberry coffee cake is the one to make when you fancy a cosy, relaxing time! It’s soft, moist, and layered with juicy raspberries and finished with a buttery, crunchy crumble topping that melts in your mouth. The tender vanilla sponge pairs so beautifully with the tart raspberries, and mmmmmwah, it’s a perfect match. 

It’s one of those bakes that feels effortless yet is surprisingly simple to make, so don’t be intimidated even if you are a beginner baker! It’s easy, comforting, and incredibly moreish, a must-try vegan coffee cake recipe.

Main ingredients and substitutions

*Use room temperature ingredients unless otherwise instructed.

Plain flour: I used plain flour for the base of the cake and also the crumble topping. It creates the perfect structure of the cake and crumbles. A gluten-free all-purpose flour blend can be used for a gluten-free version if you like – use good quality ones like King Arthur.

Caster sugar: Caster sugar is my favourite for baking, it sweetens the sponge and crumbles nicely, and it incorporates into the batter well because of the fine texture. If you don’t have caster sugar on hand, other sugars like granulated sugar or light brown sugar can be used for a slightly deeper flavour.

Soy milk: Best plant milk to make vegan buttermilk! It gives a nice texture and moisture to the cake. If you don’t want to use soy milk, no worries! You can sub with pea milk, oat milk, or almond milk, which also work for this recipe.

Vegetable oil: To keep the cake moist, I used vegetable oil. Other oils like sunflower oil or light olive oil can be used instead too.

Raspberries: Of course, some fresh raspberries! Fresh is better, but frozen raspberries should work too. 

Demerara sugar: I sprinkled some demerara sugar over a raspberry layer in the cake to create a caramelised jam effect. If you can’t find demerara sugar, granulated sugar, caster sugar, or brown sugar can be used in a pinch.

Vegan butter: I used salted vegan butter from Flora. I use Flora for most of my recipes. It makes a lovely crumble topping that is rich, buttery, moist, and yet crunchy. I love it. Any block-style vegan butter works here if you can’t find Flora.

Other ingredients: Cornflour, apple cider vinegar, baking powder, baking soda, and vanilla extract.

Note: Substitution may change the final taste and texture of this recipe.

*I use bone char-free sugars for all of my recipes. I cover the topic in my article Vegan Baking 101. Go to the “Is sugar vegan?” section to learn more!

Recommended equipment for this recipe

Mixing bowls: Prepare 2 separate mixing bowls for this recipe. I like to mix the wet and dry ingredients thoroughly in separate bowls to ensure that all ingredients are combined well and to avoid overmixing. 

Silicone spatula: Use a silicone spatula to mix the batter; it’s perfect for gently folding to keep the cake light and fluffy. You can also use a large wooden spoon as well.

Square cake tin: A 20cm (8in) square cake tin works best for this recipe. If you don’t have the exact one, you can use rectangular or round as well. 

Parchment paper: Cut a sheet of parchment paper to line the cake tin for easy cake removal!

*The ingredient list and measurement for this recipe can be found in the recipe card at the bottom.

How to make vegan raspberry coffee cake with crumble topping

Step 1: Prepare the crumble topping

Let’s start baking, shall we? First things first, crumble topping! Start by mixing the plain flour, caster sugar, melted vegan butter, and vanilla extract until clumps form. The mixture should look wet and crumbly rather than smooth. If it’s smooth like batter, add some flour little by little until it forms crumbles.

Place the crumble in the fridge to chill until the melted butter sets while preparing the cake batter. Don’t skip the chilling as it helps hold the crumble shape during baking!

Step 3: Make the cake batter

Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Line your cake tin with parchment paper as well!

Now, the main part, making the cake! To make vegan buttermilk, simply mix soy milk and apple cider vinegar together and set aside for a bit. It curdles and creates a vegan buttermilk that adds tenderness and helps the cake rise beautifully.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, caster sugar, cornflour, baking powder, and baking soda using a whisk, ensuring the raising agents are evenly distributed. Then in a separate bowl, mix the vegan buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and mix with a silicone spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter! 

Step 4: Assemble the cake

Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared square tin and smooth evenly. Layer half of the raspberries over the first batter layer and sprinkle the demerara sugar over the raspberries. Pour the remaining batter over the raspberry layer and smooth it out, then scatter the rest of the raspberries across the surface, followed by an even layer of chilled crumble topping. Ta-da, we are ready to get baking now!

Step 5: Bake and cool

Pop the cake into the preheated oven and bake for 60 minutes until it’s golden and set through the centre. Do a skewer test to ensure the centre is baked – insert a bamboo skewer into the middle of the cake, and if it comes out with a moist crumb, it’s done! If it comes out with wet batter, bake for another 5 to 10 mins and test again.

Once baked, let it cool at room temperature in the tin for 10 to 20 mins and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Slice and enjoy!

Serving tips and ideas

• Having a slice for breakfast? Top it with some thick yoghurt and more fresh raspberries to make it a nice on-the-go breakfast!
• A light dust of icing sugar is all you need to make it look fancy to impress guests at your home party!
• A scoop of ice cream on a warm slice of coffee cake is an ultimate comfort dessert after a meal.
• Drizzle some caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, maple syrup, etc for a little sweeter touch. 

Expert tips and tricks

Chill the crumble topping

Chilling the crumble prevents it from melting while baking, so don’t skip it! It creates distinct, crunchy clusters on top that we all want on a coffee cake.

Layer raspberries evenly

A small thing, but makes a big difference – evenly distributed raspberries ensure every slice has bursts of fruity flavour. Goes the same for the crumble topping. 

Bake until just set

Overbaking will dry out the cake and make it too tough and hard to dig into. The centre should feel set but still soft and springy when gently pressed. When doing a skewer test, it’s perfectly okay if it comes out with moist cake crumb, don’t panic and bake longer. It will set nicely while it cools down.

Use a digital scale to weigh ingredients

Always use a digital scale rather than measuring cups when you are baking. It’s so much more accurate and measuring correctly is very important to achieve the best result.

Recipe variations

• An easy swap you can make in this recipe would be swapping raspberries for blueberries or blackberries. Though I have recipes coming up soon for these, so stay tuned!
• Add a bit of tangy twist by adding lemon zest to the batter for an even fresher and juicier burst!
• If you are craving some crunch, sprinkle some sliced almonds over the crumble topping.

How to store

• Room temperature: The cake can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 day. Keep it covered to maintain moisture. If you live in a warm climate or it’s summer when you are making it, do not leave the cake at room temperature, as it can spoil. 

• Refrigerator: Stored in the fridge, the cake will keep well for up to 2-3 days. Allow slices to come to room temperature or even warm them up slightly in the microwave or oven before serving for the best texture.

• Freezer: You can wrap the cakeindividually and freeze it for up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature or gently warm in the microwave or oven before serving.

*Although you can store this recipe in the fridge or freezer, it’s always best to consume it fresh and as soon as possible.

Q and A

Want to master the basics of vegan baking?
Check out Vegan Baking 101 – the beginner’s guide to vegan baking for you to become an excellent vegan baker and familiar with the basics of vegan baking, ingredients, and techniques with useful tips!

You will LOVE this vegan raspberry crumble cake because it is:

• easy, quick, and simple to make
• perfect for any occasion
• great breakfast and snack

Want more recipes like this?

Try my other delicious cake and dessert recipes you might enjoy!

• Raspberry Almond Cake
• Raspberry Muffins
• Strawberry Cookies
• Strawberry Cupcakes
• Lemon Blueberry Loaf Cake
• Blueberry Coffee Cake
• Strawberry Coffee Cake

Visit the cakes and cupcakes page and recipe page for more delicious recipes!

Please leave a comment and rate this recipe with 5 stars in the comment section below if you like the recipe! Let me know and tag me @thechestnutbakery on Instagram too. Thank you for making my recipe, friends!

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