The best word to describe this healthy coffee cake is moist. The dough itself was very moist from applesauce, topped with juicy berries + crunchy crumb topping and drizzled with coconut milk “icing”. Definitely you can bring it to any potluck or gathering and nobody would guess this cake is healthy.
My family was all over it. Boys had it for after school snack every day. I gave a few pieces to my Italian neighbour and she said it was amazing. You know how Italians are with their desserts.
I have tested this healthy coffee cake recipe with spelt and whole wheat flours, both cakes turned out amazing. I used only 1/2 cup maple syrup per entire recipe.
Frozen berries are a perfect way to naturally sweeten quick breads, cakes and muffins. I find most people always have frozen berries in the freezer. I used a mix of these berries and local blueberries. Any frozen fruit would work. My frozen figs would be great too. But if you are making this recipe in summer, of course go for fresh berries.
This coconut drizzle is to-die-for. Looks like icing, doesn’t it?! You can use any canned milk, light or full fat. It adds another layer of deliciousness to this whole wheat coffee cake.
As for slicing, it’s up to you. First time I cut the cake into 9 slices and found myself cutting a slice in half sometimes. Alex didn’t have that issue. Then I sliced it into 16 pieces and found those too small. So, it depends what you feel like and who you are serving. For a potluck, I would cut it in 16 squares for sure. For enjoying at home, I would leave it at 9 pieces per cake. It is only 300 calories and 17 g of sugar per a giant piece.
Enjoy and check out my other frozen berries recipes: blueberry oatmeal crumble bars, quinoa breakfast bake and healthy blueberry muffins.
Healthy Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1 cup applesauce unsweetened
- 1/4 cup coconut oil softened + 2 tsp for greasing, at room temperature
- 2 cups whole wheat or spelt flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 cups any berries fresh or frozen
Crumb Topping:
- 1/2 cup quick or rolled oats
- 1/2 cup walnuts coarsely chopped
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
Drizzle:
- 1/2 cup canned coconut milk light or full fat
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease 8 x 8 square baking dish with 2 tsp coconut oil. Cake pan, angel food cake pan or a bundt cake pan work as well. Set aside.
- Make crumb topping: Stir together oats, walnuts, cinnamon and salt. Add maple syrup and coconut oil, and mix until combined. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs with a mixer on high speed until fluffy, about 2 - 3 minutes. Slowly add maple syrup, then applesauce and finally coconut oil, continuing to mix with a mixer. When all liquids are well combined, reduce speed to low and slowly add flour. Stop mixing as soon as batter forms.
- Pour batter into greased pan, lay berries on top, sprinkle with reserved crumb topping and bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Let cake cool on a wire rack for about 30 minutes.
- While cake is baking, in a small bowl, whisk together coconut milk and maple syrup. Drizzle on top of cake. Serve at room temperature.
Store: Refrigerate covered for up to 4 days. Freeze in an airtight container for up to a few months.
Notes
- To bring eggs to room temperature quickly, place in a bowl with hot water for 10 minutes.
- To soften coconut oil, I place it in a glass jar, in a bowl with hot water for a few minutes. You don't want coconut oil to melt, just to soften like butter.
- Any frozen fruit like mango, figs or pineapple can be used.
- I break walnut halves into pieces by squishing them hard in my hands.
- If using full fat coconut milk DO NOT shake the can. Use the cream on top and add a tbsp or two of any milk or water to make it easier to drizzle.
- Some brands of milk, like Thai Kitchen, need to be placed in the fridge overnight to have that cream accumulate on top. You can do that or place whatever amount you want to drizzle in a small bowl in the fridge for 15 minutes to thicken before drizzling.
- If using light milk, do not dilute with extra milk or water and place in the fridge for 15 minutes before drizzling, it should thicken a bit.
Nutrition
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Can I omit berries from recipie?
Sure. It won’t be as flavorful, but you can give it a try!
Thanks for the great recipe! I ended up using a mix of spelt and wheat and didn’t add the glaze but otherwise as written. Turned out so delicious!
This is another winner! I made it last night and it’s delicious! I love it. I had all the ingredients in my kitchen. The only thing I needed to buy was the coconut milk. I’ll definitely be making this again and again!
Fantastic! Glad you enjoyed the recipe, Christina! Don’t be shy to leave a star review for any recipe you make!
Do you defrost frozen berries?
No. 🙂
Another delicious dessert recipe that received rave reviews. Thanks so much Olena! This recipe was quite forgiving as well because for some reason I forgot to add the coconut oil to the batter until I was just about to pour the berry mixture over it! I mixed it in for what seemed like too long a time but it still turned out great. Thanks again.
Perfect!!! It’s kind of a messy end result recipe so it did forgive you the batter flow. So true.
I made this Healthy Coffee Cake this morning using frozen, organic blueberries, and without the “drizzle.” It was excellent!!!! One of the most satisfying recipes I’ve tried without added sugar. Also, it stuck to our ribs; I was not hungry at lunch time, which almost never happens. I recommend this recipe highly.
Yay! It is filling! So glad you liked it. Frozen berries work like a charm.
I made this cake for our church’s potluck and it was a great hit!
I made this for Thanksgiving morning, we all loved it! My only question is how did you get the icing to thicken on top? Mine was full fat but still very runny and just soaked right into the cake. I will make this again for sure!
You know, I just thought about it and I remembered I didn’t shake the can. I used the cream on top of the can, that’s why it was so thick. I will add it to the recipe. Sorry for a minor ooops.:)
Made this today for breakfast – I loved it! So many coffee cakes are too sweet – this one was just right.
Yes. I find most traditional recipes overly sweet. Why all that sugar???!!! Glad you liked it!
I’m going to be stalking your page consistently again now that I can eat food outside of bread and butter! I’m trying this one for sure and your tex mex spaghetti squash is in the oven as we speak. I’ve missed your dishes so much!!
Awe, I’m happy you and the baby bump can enjoy food again. You, poor thing! I never knew you are so dependent on me LOL. xxx
Seriously this is the best. I am enjoying a piece now with my coffee. I don’t know how there is any topping left because I could not stop picking if off when I took it out of the oven. I met you in the middle and did 12 pieces. Chicken spaghetti Wednesday so I’ll report back! Thanks again!
Haha. Good, huh?! My husband can’t stop either, I had to freeze some cause I gained a pound in the last month lol. Let me know about the chicken.:)
Beautiful! What a wonderful weekend or holiday breakfast treat. The coconut milk drizzle looks amazing- a healthy alternative! Pinning!
Hi Michelle.:) A weekend or holiday treat?! How about every day snack, I went crazy.:) I froze it, couldn’t stop.