Not only is this vegan pineapple coffee cake completely free of added fats, it also uses no white flour at all and contains very little sugar.
“This recipe was tested on animals.”
That was my daughter’s way of admitting that she had been feeding the cat pieces of cake under the table. I laughed so hard I nearly choked on my own cake. E. has picked up enough from me to know that I think animal testing is a bad thing, so she assured me that the cat liked the cake and therefore wasn’t hurt by the testing.
We were celebrating my husband’s birthday with pineapple coffee cake and Equal Exchange French Vanilla coffee (E. had chocolate soymilk). I consider myself a lucky woman to have a husband who not only is kind, loving, and smart as hell but also has a relatively small sweet tooth and doesn’t mind having a birthday cake that’s just as good for him as it is good. Not only is this cake completely free of added fats, it also uses only whole wheat and oat flour–no white flour at all–and contains very little sugar. It’s a dense cake without being heavy, and the sprinkling of sugar on top gives it a sweet crunch. I strongly recommend using a coarse sugar such as demerara or raw sugar for the topping–it keeps its shape during baking and provides that crunch.
More Fat-Free Vegan Coffee Cakes
More Fat-Free Vegan Coffee CakesI love coffee cakes (or breakfast cakes, as they’re often called.) Check out some of my favorites:
- Blueberry Breakfast Cake
- Banana Coffee Cake
- Coconut Chai Breakfast Cake
- Vegan Cherry Snack Cake
- Blueberry Applesauce Cake Bars
Pineapple Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup quick or whole oats not instant
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup vegan sugar or sugar-free substitute such as stevia baking blend or monk fruit
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Ener-G Egg Replacer or 1 1/4 teaspoons of cornstarch, potato starch, or tapioca plus 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon white or cider vinegar
- 1 cup crushed pineapple packed in pineapple juice undrained
- 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
Topping
- 2 tablespoons coarse sugar or brown sugar such as demerara or raw sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly spray or wipe the bottom and sides of a 8 X 8-inch glass baking pan with oil or cooking spray or line it with parchment paper. (You may use metal or silicone, but the baking time will vary.)
- Put the oats into a blender and grind until they are fine. Stir a couple of times to make sure that they’re uniformly ground.
- Mix the oat flour with the other dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients and stir until moistened and completely combined, but don’t overmix. Pour into the prepared pan (batter will be thick). Mix together the sugar and cinnamon topping, and sprinkle it over the top.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes. Cut into 9 pieces, eat, and celebrate!
Notes
Nutritional info is approximate.
Please pin and share:
Kristen
August 22, 2009 at 10:51 pmI made this recipe last night and it was delicious!! I only wish I could find a way to work more pineapple in….
Kristen
August 22, 2009 at 10:51 pmI made this recipe last night and it was delicious!! I only wish I could find a way to work more pineapple in….
Gourmet Coffee Lover
September 8, 2009 at 5:15 amI love the this fat free recipe and I am seriously going to give this a try. I especially like the fact that no eggs are required which helps the cholesterol.
Maria
Fair Trade Coffee
October 4, 2009 at 5:54 amVery happy to see this recipe. My husband also appreciates healthy treats. Last year his birthday cake was really just a great big wholesome muffin, which he adored.
Gwen
February 9, 2010 at 2:11 pmTried this 2 times last week. 1st time I did the recipe as written and it was delicious!
2nd time I used white whole wheat flour and made 24 mini-muffins…. I think I like them as muffins better. The only thing tho, is that after the first day, the exterior of the muffin gets kinda sticky b/c of the fat free-ness… so the cake works better if you don't want sticky fingers all week. I'm thinking about making the mini-muffins for my friend's bridal shower brunch tho, cuz I'll make them that morning when they'll still be fresh, warm, and unsticky!
Thanks for this post! I got some of the post-punk kitchen cupcake/cookie cookbooks for christmas and gained a few pounds trying them out! So I'm so thankful I have your recipes to count on when I need fat free deliciousness.
nicole
May 14, 2010 at 9:43 amI’ve made LOTS of your wonderful recipes, but this one I felt especially inclined to comment on because it turned out AMAZING! It’s by far my favorite dessert of yours that I’ve made. It was super easy to put together (which is always a plus), and it was incredibly moist and full of flavor. I love the sugar and cinnamon topping as well, it definitely gave the cake a nice “crunch” that topped off such a delicious cake. My boyfriend has already requested I make this again soon and we have yet to finish this first cake! (So he’s just as big of a fan as I of this tasty treat) 🙂
Caitlin
August 11, 2010 at 7:13 amWhat a wonderful sounding recipe! I can’t wait to try it!
Do you think it would be possible to adjust it somehow to use fresh pineapple? I have a ton on hand…
SusanV
August 11, 2010 at 8:34 amI think you could probably take chunks of pineapple and “crush” them in a food processor. You’ll also need to add some pineapple (or other fruit) juice to them to get them to the same juiciness as canned. It may take some experimentation to get the liquid level just right, but I think it would taste great if you do.
Pat
July 29, 2016 at 8:22 pmI was wondering what to do with the whole fresh pineapple I froze last week … so decided to give this cake a go.
I defrosted sufficient pineapple to measure 1 cup defrosted but still a little chunky when blended. There was certainly enough juice with small pineapple pieces remaining. Probably needed a little more cooking time .. a bit too moist in the middle … but tasty with a light pineapple flavour. Will give it another go and see if I can improve. Thanks.
Annika
August 11, 2010 at 9:25 amWhat a lovely sounding recipe! You inspired me to go to the store and get pinapple right away. Just one question, what would you suggest as a egg replacer if Ener-G wasn’t available? I have silken tofu and ground flaxseeds, do you think either of those would work ok? Did you use the equivalent of one egg or more?
SusanV
August 11, 2010 at 9:43 amI would substitute 1 1/4 teaspoons of cornstarch, potato starch, or tapioca plus 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder. If you don’t have those, then I would probably go with 1 teaspoon of ground flaxseeds, though I can’t promise that the results will be as good.
Stephanie
August 11, 2010 at 11:04 ami love pineapple so i was excited to try out this recipe. it came out a bit dense.
changes:
used cornstarch egg instead of egg replacer
Annika
August 13, 2010 at 8:57 amI made this yesterday and even though I used flax seeds instead Ener-G egg replacer AND I forgot baking soda it was still delicious! Such a nice flavour combination, I haven’t used pinapple in anything for ages, but now I remembered how good it is again. Thank you Susan!
meredith murphy
August 16, 2010 at 7:11 amThis was great!!!!!! My whole family loved it, including my toddler! Definitely will make it again.
becca
September 10, 2010 at 9:41 pmThis looks like great recipe! but I don’t have any way to grind the oats!
What can I do instead??
SusanV
September 10, 2010 at 9:57 pmBecca, you can substitute oat flour or any other kind of flour for the ground oats and it should come out okay. You may need to add a little water if it’s too thick.
Toni
January 16, 2011 at 6:41 amHi Susan, I just love your recipes they are very good and thank you so much for sharing them! I make them for my 86 yr old Mom, she loves them and they help to keep her weight down. Looking forward to those in the future!
Thanks again,
Toni
nrsrchd
February 28, 2011 at 12:15 pmWhen I made this my husband loved it so much I made another one the next day. This time I added unsweetened shredded coconut and we ate that one that day. I made another one the next day as well since my husband has a sweet tooth as we are trying to find healthier sweets for him. Well needless to say by the time we had eaten 3 of these in 4 days, we realized that was plenty of fiber. My husband has a word for when he eats a whole box of shredded wheat and 1/2 gallon of milk, dietaryfibrosis. So a word of caution since it is so good, limit them to 2 a week.
orthohawk
January 28, 2016 at 12:51 pmHow much coconut did you add? It sounds delish! a piña colada cake!
MIA
March 3, 2011 at 11:55 amI’ve made this a few times now, as cake and as muffins. I have started adding shredded coconut to mine, but otherwise make as is & it turns out really delicious.
ani
May 15, 2011 at 9:36 amI really want to make this cake, but is it possible to make it without applesauce? Is there anything I can use to replace it?
Judy C
June 10, 2011 at 4:16 pmI am trying to eat vegan and sweets are hardest for me. It’s hard to find edible ones.
THANK YOU FOR THIS RECIPE!
I love it…. just tasted it and had to tell you.
Judy
Marian Hamilton
August 14, 2011 at 10:19 amSusan, WHAT TO USE instead of the egg replacement? I don’t buy that product… I’m guessing that I would increase the amt. of sugar-free applesauce in the wet ingred. ?? I’d like to make this on Friday 8/19/11 – please advise & THANK YOU!
SusanV
August 14, 2011 at 10:26 amMarian, if you have cornstarch, use a teaspoon of it instead of the egg replacer and I think it will be fine. Hope you enjoy it!
Marian Hamilton
August 14, 2011 at 4:03 pmI’ll be making this SOON, Susan – I’ll let you know how YUMBO it truly is! Thanks for the reply – YOU ARE THE BEST!! xxooxx
Marian Hamilton
August 18, 2011 at 1:05 pmSusan, I made this coffee cake, using 1 tsp. cornstarch instead of the Egg Replacer & it was DELISH!! I’ve shared it w/2 friends (so far) & everyone has LOVED IT!! thank you SO MUCH for your wonderful recipes!! xxMarian
marge
August 14, 2011 at 11:06 amthat looks yum! my hubby can’t have pineapeple, but I bet I could sub blueberries or peaches.
Get Skinny, Go Vegan.
August 14, 2011 at 2:24 pmI am wondering if I make this without the sugar if I need to add dates or stevia?? Or is the pineapple already super sweet?
SusanV
August 14, 2011 at 2:34 pmIf you leave out the sugar, the balance of wet to dry ingredients will change and your cake might be soggy or gummy. You could try increasing the flour by 1/4 a cup and using stevia, but I make no promises about how it’ll turn out! Some people might find the pineapple sweet enough, but most people wouldn’t.
Alexandria Lewis
September 18, 2011 at 11:55 amAmazingly scrumptious! Used flax instead of egg replacer and mayhap it would be dense to some it was perfect for me! Thanks again Susan
Lavina
October 16, 2011 at 3:42 pmHi, this recipe looks amazing. I was just wondering if i can use old fashioned rolled oats instead of instant and if i can use regular sugar in the batter instead of demerara. Please advice. I would love to make this asap.
SusanV
October 16, 2011 at 4:41 pmAny kind of sugar will work, and I’ve tried it with all oats EXCEPT instant, so old fashioned will be fine. Hope you enjoy it!
Lavina
October 17, 2011 at 10:09 amThanks so much for your quick response.. Hope to make it for some guests for breakfast tomorrow. Will let you know how it turns out
Lavina
October 21, 2011 at 12:53 pmSo i made the cake with the old fashioned oats and regular sugar in the batter but raw for the topping. Doubled the recipe for breakfast to serve 8 people. By the time breakfast was over, 3/4th’s of it was gone. I think it was a HIT. I personally loved the cake. It was moist, filling, not too sweet, and loved the texture.
Thanks a bunch.
Elizabeth
December 6, 2011 at 12:29 pmThis looks fantastic! I’m going taking this to a party with someone with pineapple allergies though. Could I substitute pureed pumpkin instead, I have left-overs from Thanksgiving?
Susan Voisin
December 6, 2011 at 12:33 pmPumpkin is so different that I don’t think it would work. Have you considered making a pumpkin bread instead: https://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2006/12/pumpkin-spice-bread.html
Marian Hamilton
December 7, 2011 at 3:54 pmMade this to serve to my sweetie when he gets here later today. I know it will be DELISH!!
poppy velosa
May 25, 2012 at 9:33 pmThis looks wonderful and I am going to make it in the next few days. Just wondering whether I would use the same amount of orgran egg replacer as ener-g? Thanks!
Susan Voisin
May 25, 2012 at 10:05 pmI’m not familiar with that brand. If it’s powdered, then use however much is equivalent to one egg.
cj
June 8, 2012 at 8:24 pmSuper simple and delicious. I’ll definitely make this again! If I want to fancy it up a bit for a special occasion I’ll top it with some vanilla frosting. Thanks!!
Radhika Sarohia
August 25, 2012 at 12:07 amThis was good, I made a slightly lower-carb version (by subbing in some soy flour) and I added in some dates, pecans and walnuts
Thanks for the recipe, will be making this again 🙂
Jessica
October 6, 2012 at 8:13 amI MUST thank you for this! Made it last night for today, but it never saw the break of day! My husband said “Good job Susan!” On my way to make a second one now. I also love that it’s mostly kitchen staples and very little work 😉
Magda
January 9, 2013 at 4:46 pmThis recipe looks fabulous and I`d love to try it. I have one question though, it`s called coffee cake but coffee isn`t listed as an ingredient. Have I missed something?
Susan Voisin
January 9, 2013 at 6:52 pmCoffee cake is just the name of a cake that’s traditionally served with coffee. There’s no coffee in it.
Tans
July 27, 2013 at 5:10 pmHi, I love the sound of this cake and will give it a go. I am wondering about the Energy egg replacer ingredient, as I havent come across this before, dont know where to get it from and what the alternative would be. Can you help please. I live in New Zealand.
Thank you!
Susan Voisin
July 27, 2013 at 5:32 pmI would substitute 1 1/4 teaspoons of cornstarch, potato starch, or tapioca plus 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder. If you don’t have those, then I would probably go with 1 teaspoon of ground flaxseeds, though I can’t promise that the results will be as good.
ZenJen
July 29, 2013 at 1:48 pmI can’t wait to make this for my company coming this week! It looks super yummy!
Danielle
October 16, 2013 at 12:46 pmThis sounds great! However, where is the “coffee” part in the ingredients?
Susan Voisin
October 16, 2013 at 12:51 pmCoffee cake is just the name of a cake that’s traditionally served with coffee. There’s no coffee in it.
Marivi
May 12, 2014 at 6:12 pmMay I use fresh pineapple instead of canned?
Miri
July 16, 2014 at 4:36 pmI used stevia, i sub enerG with ground flaxseed and water. I used almond flour and gluten free flour mix , i used fresh pineapple and papaya and pineapple and mango the second time . I made mini loaves and they were all gone in no time ! So much fun to experiment when the result is so yummy!
Werner
November 5, 2014 at 4:47 pmSimply delicious! Subbed pumpkin puree for the applesauce, added 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice and crumbled crystallized ginger in with the topping. Haven’t baked with pineapple since the days of yore w/ the iconic upside-down cake! Super tasty (and original) coffee cake – thanks.
Heidi
December 5, 2014 at 1:35 pmCan I make this with GF all purpose flour?
Zoe
January 26, 2016 at 12:55 pmI made this cake yesterday… it was amazing!
I made some slight alterations, including using 2 cups of gluten free flour instead of oat and wheat flour, subbing 1/3 cup agave nectar for the sugar and omitting the applesauce. I also used 1 cup of pineapple that I blitzed in the blender, as I accidentally bought canned pineapple slices instead of crushed pineapple.
My family of four demolished half of it already. Awesome recipe! Will make again soon.
orthohawk
January 28, 2016 at 12:45 pmAs I’ve mentioned before, I only eat veganly (is that a word? lol) during certain times of the year (for religious purposes) so I tend to sub dairy for your non-dairy (unless a specific flavor is needed, e.g coconut milk) and also eggs for “n’eggs” (all of your non-egg substitutions……there I go inventing words again) during non-fasting periods. How many eggs is the Ener-G supposed to be replacing?
orthohawk
January 28, 2016 at 12:48 pmD’oh! Never mind; I saw my answer in an earlier response!